40 THE OLD ENGLISH HERBALS 



surface of earth is the lap of the Goddess ; in her womb let all 

 growth be plentiful. Food is in her for the needs of men. 

 ' Hail be thou, Earth ! ' I daresay this hymn was sung ten 

 thousand years ago by the early Aryans on the Baltic coast." 



Even in a twelfth-century herbal we find a prayer to Earth, 

 and it is so beautiful that I close this chapter with it : 



" Earth, 1 divine goddess, Mother Nature who generatest all 

 things and bringest forth anew the sun which thou hast given 

 to the nations ; Guardian of sky and sea and of all gods and powers 

 and through thy power all nature falls silent and then sinks in 

 sleep. And again thou bringest back the light and chasest 

 away night and yet again thou coverest us most securely with 

 thy shades. Thou dost contain chaos infinite, yea and winds 

 and showers and storms ; thou sendest them out when thou wilt 

 and causest the seas to roar; thou chasest away the sun and 

 arousest the storm. Again when thou wilt thou sendest forth 

 the joyous day and givest the nourishment of life with thy 

 eternal surety; and when the soul departs to thee we return. 

 Thou indeed art duly called great Mother of the gods; thou 

 conquerest by thy divine name. Thou art the source of the 

 strength of nations and of gods, without thee nothing can be 

 brought to perfection or be born; thou art great queen of the 

 gods. Goddess ! I adore thee as divine ; I call upon thy name ; 

 be pleased to grant that which I ask thee, so shall I give thanks 

 to thee, goddess, with one faith. 



" Hear, I beseech thee, and be favourable to my prayer. 

 Whatsoever herb thy power dost produce, give, I pray, with 

 goodwill to all nations to save them and grant me this my 

 medicine. Come to me with thy powers, and howsoever I may 

 use them may they have good success and to whomsoever I may 

 give them. Whatever thou dost grant it may prosper. To 

 thee all things return. Those who rightly receive these herbs 



1 Translation from Early English Magic and Medicine by Dr. Charles 

 Singer. Proceedings of the British Academy, Vol. IV. 



