Chanting the Land Charm

This is an attempt to divide the Land Charm into syllables and chantable lines, with parallel text to assist in comprehension. The line structure is intended to provide a rhythm.

The reader is of course welcome to attempt to divide the charm up in other ways to produce a different rhythm. The land charm is part of a lengthy procedure to restore fertility to bewitched land.

The charm has been transcribed from Leechdoms, Wortcunning and Starcraft of Early England, Charms, A charm for bewitched land P399. The charm itself on pages 402-403.

Note that charms were always either chanted or sung. 

The Land Charm

Er-ce! er-ce! er-ce! Eor-than mo-dor geun-ne the se

Erce ! Erce ! Erce ! Mother Earth, may the

al-wal-da ec-e drih-ten ae-cer-a wex-en-dra ond

Almighty grant thee, the eternal Lord acres waxing and

wri-den-dra eac-nien-dra ond el-nien-dra scea-fra hen-se

wontoning sprouts fertile, brisk creations, the

scir-e waest-ma ond thae-re bra-dan be-re waest-ma ond

rural crops and the broad barley crops and

thae-re hwi-tan hwae-te wsest-ma ond eal-ra eor-than waest-ma

the white wheaten crops, and all the crops of earth.

geun-ne him ec-e drih-ten ond his ha-li-ge the on

Grant the owner God almighty and his hallows in

heo-fo-num synt thaet hys yrth si ge-frith-od with eal-ra

heaven who are that his farm be fortified gainst all

feon-da ge-hwae-ne ond heo si ge-bor-gen with eal-ra

fiends, gainst each one, and may it be embattled round gainst

beal-wa ge-hwylc tha-ra lyb-la-ca geond land saw-en. On

baleful blastings every one, which sorceries may through a land sow.

Nu ic bid-de tho-ne wal-dend se the thas wo-ruld on

Now I pray the wielder of all, him, who made this world

ge-sceop se ne sy nan to thaes cwi-dol wif ne to thaes

of yore that here be none so cunning woman, that there be none so

craef-tig man thaet a-wen-dan ne mae-ge wo-rud thus

crafty man who shall render weak and null, words so

ge-cwe-den-e Thon-ne man tha sulh forth dri-fe ond tha

deftly neatly said. Then let one drive forward the plough and

for-man furh ons-ceo-te.Cweth Thon-ne hal wes thu fol-de

cut the first furrow. Sing: When hail to thee thou

fi-ra mo-dor beo thu gro-wen-de on go-des faeth-me

firm earth mother by the growing of God’s embrace

fo-dre ge-fyl-led fi-rum to nyt-te.

with fodder Our folk to feed.

There'll auways be Romford

There'll auways be Romford or so-ige n' chips, sor-id mate

Arm from like Ornchurch, in case ya didn't know,

Me mum an dad were poor, we didn't ave much dough.

Its that dodgy taan, next Romford like innit,

Men aul look like bull dogs, an girls arn't aff in it.

It's a 'slag town’ innit, of orange tinged east enders,

Girls walk arand, with dodgy make up on benders.

Daun look at the lads, specil when they’re gattered,

They'll take it as a slur, an ya will be battered.

We had it aul like, brewery, pub an chippy,

Do what yer like, except d'ant be na ippy.

In Romford that made yar, a dodgy art-sider,

The lads would give yar, a proper street slider.

Off daun Romford markit, on sat-day arta-noon,

Barra boyz an veg, yar can't aff ear em croon.

Get yar pair-a caulies, for only artha pand,

Mate gies me that fiver, I'll puta sack in yar and.

There woz na ba-ar sight, than chippy wi spuds,

Got the right dough mate? Just daun't gi him na duds.

This flippin geezer adda, dodgy nine bob note,

Chippy lost is cool, ee took im, by the throat.

Ar ya ge-in ready/in an urri, to meet ya ancestors,

Before ya like spoil ya, cot-on polyesters.

I add to look away, we didn't ave a nurse,

Len sud-nly ee faund, another in is purse.

Its find a girl and bang er, for lads on Friday nights,

While girls walk arand, with dodgy make up an highlights.

Bu we woz aul appi, attending to ar thirst,

There'll always be Ornchurch, coz Romford ai'nt the worst.

Copyright Andrew Rea Lammastide 2019

Introduction

I wrote this to explore the accent that I tried desperately not to acquire. I grew up in this area, it could get a bit rough at times. In my day there was a kind of paranoia on the streets among young people, when you passed someone of similar age in a side street there was a temptation to look back, as often as not they would be doing the same.

The 'street slider' is my expression for being shoved to the side with great force with the clear intention of downing someone – it happened to me once close to Romford station, perhaps because I had long hair.