Anglo-Saxon Pagan Spells
A revised repurposing of Anglo-Saxon metrical charms for Germanic Pagans.
Anglo-Saxon metrical charms were used to magically resolve a situation or disease. These charms were originally compiled into the 10th-11th century Lacnunga manuscript, with others being found in Bald's Leechbook (also known as Medicinale Anglicum) from the 10th century. Various charms in their original form include both Pagan and Christian characteristics.
Below is a collection of all Anglo-Saxon metrical charms repurposed and revised to contain only Pagan characteristics. With the following charms, some of them have been left untouched where revision was not required and so as to stay true to the original charms as much as possible.
We believe that these charms were originally developed and used in a Pagan context and later revised to fit a Christian context. With our repurposing, we have presented these charms in a way that Pagans can use today in a spiritually safe way. The revitalisation of these charms will enable modern Germanic Pagans to use them in a living tradition as it was done by our ancestors.
Naturally, we advise all who wish to use the herbal remedies found within these charms to first and foremost consult medical professionals for any illnesses you may have. We also advise you to research and understand each herb featured in the following charms and their effects on the body, and lastly, to seek a spiritual remedy through prayer to the Gods and ancestors coupled with these charms.
-Heryos Chad and WodenWyrd
Anglo-Saxon Pagan Spells
9 Herbs Charm:
Remember, mugwort—what you reveal what you set to order in solemn pronouncement. Singular you are called, oldest of the herbs.
You could avail against three and against thirty, you could avail against poison and against contagion, you could avail against the hated things that fare throughout the land.
And you, waybread, mother of herbs, open to the east, mighty within—over the carter’s creaking, over the woman’s reddening, over the bride marrying, over the bulls' snorting.
You stood against all things and you dashed against them—as you withstood poison and contagion and those hateful things that flew throughout the country.
The herb is called nettle, it grows upon the stone—standing against poison, crashing against pain.
It is called stiff, dashing against poison, avenging cruelty, casting out venom.
This is the herb that fought against the worm—this can avail against poison, this can avail against contagion, this can avail against hated things that fare throughout the land.
Now fly, cock's-spur, the less is more, the more is less, until they both be cures.
Remember, kindred—what you reveal, what you finish off at Alorford—so that it never gave up the spirit to disease after one prepared one of this tribe for his food.
This is the herb that is called the crab apple—which sends the seal across the spine of the sea, an enemy of another poison, its remedy.
These nine herbs can avail against nine poisons.
The worm comes creeping, tearing into the man—then Wōden took up nine glorious runes, striking then the serpent—it flew into nine pieces.
There the apple and the venom were destroyed, so that it never wished to bring down your house.
Thyme and fennel, a mighty powerful pair, the Wise Ós shaped these herbs, powerful in creation, those he hung up—set up and sent down into Middangeard for the wretched and the blessed, as cure for all.
It stands against pain, dashing against poison, it can avail against three and against thirty, against the fiend’s hand and against destruction, against the bewitchment of wicked creatures.
Now can these nine herbs avail against evil spirits, against nine poisons and against nine diseases, against the scarlet poison, against the stinking poison, against the white poison, against the purple poison, against the yellow poison, against the green poison, against the black poison, against the blue poison, against the brown poison, against the crimson poison, against the snake-blister, against the water-blister, against the thorn-blister, against the thistle-blister, against ice-blister, against poison-blister—if any poison come flying from the east or any should come from the north, or any from the west over the races of men.
Wōden stood over the plague of any kind.
I alone know the running water where the nine serpents occupy nearby—they might spring forth now in all forests with herbs, slipping away to the sea, all the salt water, when I blow this poison away from you.
Mugwort, way-bread, nettle, crab-apple, thyme and fennel, the elder soap-plant. Pound these herbs into dust, mix with soap and with apple-dirt. Make into a paste with water and ashes, take fennel and wool into the paste and bathe it with beaten eggs, then make it into a salve, either before or after. Sing this spell upon all of the herbs—three times before one makes it and also upon the apples—and sing for the men by mouth and into their ear both and into the wound that same spell, before one applies that salve.
Against a Dwarf:
One must take three hearth cakes, and write these divine names on each cake: Wōden, Thunor, and Ing-Frēa. Offer these hearth cakes to your hearth fire or bury them in a proper place. Then, next, the spell that is quoted hereafter is to be sung, first in the left ear then in the right ear, then above the man’s head; and then let a virgin man or woman approach and hang it on his neck, and let this been done in this way for three days. It will go better with him directly.
"Here came to enter an inspiden creature. He had his harness in his hand; said that you were his steed. Laid his reins upon your neck; they began then to depart from the land. As soon as they had come from the land then his limbs began to cool.
Then there came to enter the sister of the beast. Then she made an end of it, and swore oaths, that never should this thing afflict the patient, or the one who was able to obtain this spell or who knows how to chant this spell.
By the Gods, may it be so."
Against a Wen:
“Wen, wen, little wen, here you shall not build, nor any dwelling have, but forth you must, even to the near-by hill, where a poor wretch, a brother you have; He shall lay you a leaf at your head.
Under the wolf's foot, under the eagle's wing, under the eagle's claw - ever may you wither!
Shrivel as the coal upon the hearth! Shrink as the muck in the stream, and dwindle even as water in a pail!
May you become as little as a linseed grain, and much smaller, likewise, than a hand-worm's hip-bone!
And even so small may you become, that you become as nought.”
For a Delayed Birth:
The woman, who cannot sustain her baby, must go to the resting place of buried man and step three times over the grave and say these words three times:
"This will help me against the hateful late-birth, this will help me against the ponderous heavy-birth, this will help me against the hateful lame-birth."
And when that woman who is with child, must go to rest with her husband, then she must say:
"Up I am going, over the steps with a living child, not at all with the dying, with the full-born, not at all with the fated to die."
And when the mother should feel that her child is living, she must go to an altar or sacred space, and then come up to the altar or sacred space, speaking then:
"Wōden and Frig, I said, this is revealed!"
The woman, who cannot sustain her child, she must take up an effigy of her child or a white flower symbolising the child, wrap it in black wool or black cloth after, and give it to a relative, saying then:
"I will give it, you will give it, this dark wool, and this sorrowing flower."
The woman, who cannot sustain her baby, take then the milk of a single coloured cow in her hand and sip it with her mouth and go to the running water and spit the milk therein, and then fill that same hand with a mouthful of water and swallow it. Then speak these words:
"Everywhere I have carried this well-known child kin-strong, with this well-known child meat-strong—then I wish to keep it for myself and go home."
Then she must go to the brook and must not look around, nor must she go from there, and then she must go into another house and another woman must grant her food and there she tastes it.
For a Swarm of Bees:
Against a swarm of bees, take some earth, throw it down with your right hand under your right foot, and speak:
“I catch it under foot, I may have found it. Listen, this earth can avail against every creature and against its opponent and against the lack of care and against the greatness of the human tongue.”
And against it cast away over the gravel, when they make a swarm, and speak:
“Sit down, victorious lady, sink to the earth! Never would you fly into the woods. Be so mindful of my good, as is every man of food and his home.”
Journey Charm:
“I begird myself with this one staff— and commend me to the watchkeep of the Journey Empowerer against the sticking of soreness, against the blows of pain, against dread of harshness, against the terrifying immensity, of everything loathsome and against all that is hateful that ventures into this country.
I incant this speeding charm and wield this wand triumphant, ready in tongue and deed —It shall avail me—neither hinder or obstruct me nor can they vex me at all, never cast my spirit into fear—yet the Cosmic One and His sons and the spirit of comfort cures me, worthy Lord of the Ése, just as I heed the Shaper of Middangeard.
Wōden and Thunor and all Ése like Them, I invoke grace for myself against every fiend. They bear me and ward me, and spare my soul—all of Them holding me, ruling over me, steering my deeds and mind.
Let hope for peace be mine, hand over head, stout in blessedness, company of the victory-bold, of Ése and ancestors bound to truth.
Bid all you with spirit light that Wōden's helmet be mine and Tīw's mail-shirt—lightweight, life-bold—Wōden be my spear, sharp, keenly cutting, Thunor be my shield garnished in glory, the crushing-hammer of Eotens.
I venture forth, finding my friends, every spiritual profit, precepts of the pious. I ask the Journey Empowerer, for divine mercy, a cupful of pleasant travel, tranquil, light-footed—winds upon the shore
I have learnt of these winds, the growling ocean, ever nestling against every foe. I have encountered my friend who I am granted to abide by grace of the Allfather, locked fast against the hateful, who keep my life in doubt—established into the blossoming of the ancestors, within the virtuous palm of the elven realm so long as I may be granted to abide in this existence.”
For Loss of Cattle (Property) I:
When someone says to you that your property has been lost, then you must say first, before you say anything else:
"The realm is called Ósgeard where Thunor was born, that is well-known throughout all Middangeard—so he performs famous deeds for mankind through that hammer!"
Look towards the east three times and speak three times:
"The Thundering One returns home from the east!"
Look towards the west three times and speak three times:
"The Steerer of the Crusher rides forth from the west!"
Look towards the south three times and speak three times:
"The Crusher is lifted up from the south!"
Look towards the north three times and speak three times:
"The lightning of Thunor comes down from the north! The hammer was hidden and then found! Thunor destroys the Eotens and protects Middangeard. So by these deeds may nothing be hidden through the power of Ése-Thor.”
For Loss of Cattle (Property) II:
Nothing was stolen or concealed, after I owned it, any more than Eotens could do to our Ése. I know Wōden was hung upon the Terrible Steed—so I intend to find my property—it was not taken away, to be known and not harmed, and to be loved and not led away.
Wermund, who descends from Wōden, find those goods and bear those goods and keep those goods and hold those goods and bear those goods home.
So he may never keep his lands, whoever has stolen them away—nor earth, who has borne them away—nor household, who has withheld them. If he who has done this, may it never avail him!
Within three nights, I know his power, his strength and his power and his hand-skills. May all of his wither away, as the woods waste away—as worthless as the thistle—him who meant to steal away these property, or who meant to take away my goods.
Bestow upon me this wisdom, Wōden!
For Loss of Cattle (Property) III:
This man must speak thus when any man has stolen his property. He says this before he should speak any other word:
The hall is called The Unfailing, where Thunor resides, it is made famous over all of middle-earth—and The Hallower echoes famously in front of mankind, by the might of the Crusher!
And then look towards the east three times and say three times:
“The Crusher is led forth from the heavens!”
And three times to the west and speak:
“The Crusher is led forth from the sea!”
And three times to the south and speak:
“The Crusher is led forth from The Hallower!”
And three times to the north and speak:
“The Crusher was hidden and found again!”
The Liar stole The Crusher, he did for himself the worst of deeds. He hid that but could not conceal it for long. As never this deed could become concealed. By the might of Thunor!
Æcerbót:
Here is the remedy, how you can improve your fields if they do not wish to grow well or it is doing some other troublesome thing there from sorcery or witchcraft. Take up then in the night, before it turns day, gather turf from the four sides of your land, and arrange the turf in the directions from which they were taken. Take then fish oil, honey, yeast, the milk of all your cattle that are on that land, and a piece of every conifer tree that may be growing upon that land, exclude hard woods, and take a piece of every known plant, all except the buck-bean—and pour spring water on them, and drip it upon three sides of each turf, and speak then these words:
“Grow, and multiply, and replenish Erce!”
“In the name of High, Just-as-High, and Third be blessed.”
“Dear Thunor who presides over the mountain peaks, your name be praised. Descend to Erce, lend your will upon the land as you do upon the heavens.”
And afterwards bear the turf to your most blessed site, and the Ōsmaðr will decree four blessings over the turfs, and one shall turn the green sides towards the altar. And afterwards one must bring these turfs to where they once were before the setting of Sunne. And let Thunor’s flour be made from four quick-beam trees and write on each end:
Wōden and Frīg, Thunor and Sibb
Lay Thunor’s flour upon the bottom of each pit, and say thus:
“Ós, Ur, Sigel, Feoh!”
Then take the turfs and set them there on top and say nine times these words:
“Grow, and multiply, and replenish Erce!”
and turn to the east, and bow down nine times humbly, and speak then these words:
“Eastwards I stand, and I pray for wealth for myself, I pray to the highest, Wōden, I pray to the mighty Thunor, I pray to Sibb, I pray to Erce and to Sunne above, and to the true and gracious Frīg, and to the might of Ōsgeard and its high halls, that I be allowed to open my teeth this charm by the will of the Wisdom-Lord, by firm thought, to awaken for us these blossoms as worldly profit, to fill up Erce, with high praise, to beautify this plain’s turf, as the wise speak, they who keep good on this earth, they who share out good work generously, with thanks to High, Just-as-High, and Third!”
Turn three times towards Sunne, stretch out along the ground, and count your runes there, and speak thus:
“Ós, Ur, Sigel, Feoh”
until the end.
Call upon Thunor and repeat three times:
“Dear Thunor who presides over the mountain peaks, your name be praised. Descend to Erce, lend your will upon the land as you do upon the heavens.”
Commend it to Thunor and to Sibb and to The Crusher in praise and worship and elegance for them who own that land and to all those who are subject to them.
Then when all this is done, then take an unknown well-fed man among your folk and give him two such turfs, let the man take them to the blessed site, and gather all the parts of the landowner’s plough together, then let him bore into a tree with Oak resin and fennel and hallowed soap-plant and need-fire ash. Then take that seed, and set it upon the body of the plough, and speak thus:
“Erce, Erce, Erce, mother of the land, grant us that The Loud Weather-God, The True One, of the growing and sprouting fields, propagating and growing strong, of lofty creation, shining blossoms, and of the broad barley-crops, and of the white wheaten-crops, and of all the other fruits of serve. Thunor grant to the Hanged-God and His Ése, who are in the heavens, that his sprouts be protected against every one of their enemies, and that they are defended against every bale, every sort of witchcraft seen throughout the land.”
Now I ask the High One, He who shaped the world, there is no one, of the talkative women or the crafty men that could not turn away the words that are spoken when a man drives forth the plough and open up the first furrow, speaking thus:
“Be well, O Erce, mother of humanity! Be fruitful, in the embrace of Ós become filled, and useful to men!”
Then take up every kind of flour and one should bake within the inner part a broad loaf and knead it with milk and with holy water and lay this under the first furrow. Speak then:
“Full field of fodder, for the kindred of men, bursting with blooms, become blessed in Wōden’s name, who has shaped the heavens and Erce, who we live within—that highest Ós, He who wrought the ground, grant us Thunor’s growing will, so that every corn comes into use.”
Say this three times:
“Grow, and multiply, and replenish Erce! In the name of High, Just-as-High, and Third be blessed. Dear Thunor who presides over the mountain peaks, your name be praised. Descend to Erce, lend your will upon the land as you do upon the heavens.”
Water-Elf Disease:
If someone comes down with the “water-elf-disease,” then his fingernails will become black and his eyes teary and will wish to look downwards. Do this for them as a remedy: take from below carline thistle, cassock, yew-berry, lupine, elecampane, marshmallow sprout, fen-mint, dill, lily, cock’s-spur, pennyroyal, marrabulum, sorrel, elder, felterry, wormwood, strawberry leaf, and comfrey. Soak them with ale, then mix them with holy water, and sing this charm over it three times:
“I have composed the best battle-company for this wound, so that the wound will neither burn nor burst, neither hurry forwards nor multiply, neither throb in pain nor the wound grow, nor the pain deepen—yet he may hold the hallows himself nor shall it grow any greater, like the earth grows with ears.”
Sing this many times:
“Earth that withers all of these, with might and power. This spell one can sing over their wounds.”
For a Sudden Stitch:
Against the sudden stitch take feverfew and the red nettle, that grows throughout a secret place, and way-bread—pour into butter.
“They were loud, lo, loud, those who were riding over the mounds, they were resolute, those who were riding over the land. Shield yourself now, so you might escape the malice.
Out, little spear! If you may be within! He stood under the lindens, safe from the light, where powerful women deprive them of power and send them yelling spears—I wish to send them another one soon, a reed flying against those before me.
Out, little spear! If you may be within! A smith sat down, striking a little blade, an iron one, so very wondrously.
Out, little spear! If you may be within! Six smiths sat, working a killing spear.
Out, spear! You were never within, spear! If it may within, its share of iron, working a witch-spell—it must be melted.
If you were shot into the skin, or were shot into the flesh, or were shot into the blood, or were shot into the limbs, never may your life be torn—if it were shot by the mouth or it were shot by elves, or it were shot by witches, now I wish to help you.
This is shot by mouth to help you, this is shot by elves to help you, this is shot by witches to help you—I wish to help you.
It has flown there, into the mountain-head! Be whole! May Wōden help you! Take then that blade, cast it into the water!”