34 THE OLD ENGLISH HERBALS 



with a considerable amount of ceremonial. For instance, in 

 those to cure the bite of a hunting spider we find that a certain 

 number of scarifications are to be struck (and in both cases an 

 odd number — three and five) ; in the case of the five scarifica- 

 tions, " one on the bite and four round about it," the blood is to 

 be caught in " a green spoon of hazel-wood," and the blood is 

 to be thrown " in silence " over a wagon way. In the Lacnunga 

 there are traces of the actual ceremonial of transferring the 

 disease, and the Christian prayer has obviously been substituted 

 for an older heathen one. The charm is in unintelligible words 

 and is followed by the instruction, " Sing this nine times and the 

 Pater Noster nine times over a barley loaf and give it to the horse 

 to eat." In a " salve against the elfin race " it is noticeable that 

 the herbs, after elaborate preparation, are not administered to 

 the patient at all, but are thrown into running water. 



" A salve against the elfin race and nocturnal goblin visitors : 

 take wormwood, lupin. . . . Put these worts into a vessel, set 

 them under the altar, sing over them nine masses, boil them in 

 butter and sheep's grease, add much holy salt, strain through a 

 cloth, throw the worts into running water." — Leech Book, III. 6i. 



One charm in the Lacnmiga which is perhaps not too long to 

 quote speaks of some long-lost tale. It appears to be a fragment 

 of a popular lay, and one wonders how many countless genera- 

 tions of our ancestors sang it, and what it commemorates : — 



" Loud were they loud, as over the land they rode, 

 Fierce of heart were they, as over the hill they rode. 

 Shield thee now thyself ; from this spite thou mayst escape thee ! 

 Out little spear if herein thou be ! 



Underneath the linden stood he, underneath the shining shield. 

 While the mighty women mustered up their strength ; 

 And the spears they send screaming through the air ! 

 Back again to them will I send another. 

 Arrow forth a-flying from the front against them ; 

 Out little spear if herein thou be ! 

 Sat the smith thereat, smoke a little seax out. 

 Out little spear if herein thou be ! 

 Six the smiths that sat there — making slaughter-spears : 



