Against a Wen

"Against a Wen" is an Old English metrical charm and medical text found in the Royal MS. 4A.XIV, British Museum. It appears to describe a remedy for ridding oneself of a wen, which is an Old English term for a cyst or skin blemish. As cysts are commonly mobile masses on the skin, the charm is written to the wen itself, asking it to leave. The charm prescribes methods for curing the blemish, and describes it as it gradually shrinks until it disappears.

Text

     Against a Ƿen

Ƿenne, ƿenne,       ƿenchichenne,
her ne scealt þu timbrien,       ne nenne tun habben,
ac þu scealt norþ eonene       to þan nihgan berhge,
þer þu hauest, ermig,       enne broþer.

He þe sceal legge       leaf et heafde.
Under fot ƿolues,       under ueþer earnes,
under earnes clea,       a þu geƿeornie.
Clinge þu       alsƿa col on heorþe,
scring þu       alsƿa scerne aƿage,

and ƿeorne       alsƿa ƿeter on anbre.
Sƿa litel þu geƿurþe       alsƿa linsetcorn,
and miccli lesse       alsƿa anes handƿurmes hupeban,
and alsƿa litel þu geƿurþe       þet þu naƿiht geƿurþe.

References

  • Elliott Van Kirk Dobbie, The Anglo-Saxon Minor Poems, vol. VI of The Anglo-Saxon Poetic Record, Columbia University Press, New York, 1942. ISBN 0231087705/0-231-08770-5
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