Chapter 38

But what is more, a great deal farther back, among the very oldest Romans, there lingered dislocation-spells full of unintelligible words. The one partially quoted p. 224-5 from Cato may as well be inserted in full, as it throws light on the nature of our German charms. 'Luxum si quod est, hac cantione sanum fiet. Harundinem prende tibi viridem pedes IV aut V longam. Mediam diffinde, et duo homines teneant ad coxendices. Incipe cantare "in alio. s. f. motas vaetas daries dardaries astataries Dissunapiter," usque dum coëant. Ferrum insuper jactato. Ubi coierint et altera alteram tetigerit, id manu prende, et dextra sinistra praecide. Ad luxum aut ad fracturam alliga, sanum fiet, et tamen quotidie cantato "in alio s. f. vel luxato. Vel hoc modo, huat hanat huat ista pista sista, domiabo damnaustra, et luxato. Vel hoc modo, huat haut ista sis tar sis ardannabon dunnaustra."' It is of this invocation that Pliny says at the end of book 17: 'Carminis verba inserere non equidem serio ausim, quanquam a Catone prodita, contra luxata membra, jungenda arundinum fissurae.' The words do seem nonsense to us now, and may also be corrupt; but why should not they belong originally to the Sabine or some neighbouring language of ancient Italy, that we know very little of? The rhymes ista pista sista and the alliteration 'domiabo damnaustra' (the 'dannabon dunnaustra' that follows is the same over again, and ought to have an 'ista pista sista' before it too) remind us of the rhyming spell in Virgil's Ecl. 8: 'Limus ut hic durescit et haec ut cera liquescit Uno eodemque igni, sic nostro Daphnis amore.' Dissunapiter is the god invoked, like the Phol and Wodan of our spells. Marcellus Empiricus, a physician of the 4^th cent., has in his De Medicamentis a charm for pain of the heart: 'In lamella stannea scribes et ad collum suspendes haec, antea vero etiam cane, Corcu ne mergito, cave corcu ne mergito cantorem, utos, utos, utos, praeparavi tibi vinum lene, libidinem, discede a nonita, in nomine Dei Jacob, in nomine Dei Sebaoth!' (see Suppl.).

In the Cod. Vindob. theol. 259 Latin and German spells are intermixed. '(De eo quo)d spurihalz dicimus. (7) si in dextero pede contigerit, in sinistra aure sanguis minuatur; si in sinistro pede, in dextera aure minuatur sanguis. Ad vermes occidendos. Feruina (?) Dei gracia plena. tu habes triginta quinque indices et triginta quinque medicinas. quando Dominus ascendit ad coelos ascendit, memorare quod dixit. Ad apes conformandos. vos estis ancille Domini (conf. pp. 579. 755), adjuro vos per nomen Domini, ne fugiatis a filiis hominum. Ad pullos de nido. crescite et multiplicamini et vivite et implete terram. Contra sagittam diaboli. palamiasit. palamiasit. calamia insiti per omne corpus meum. per ista tria nomina, per Patrem et Filium et Filium sanctum. aius aius aius, sanctus sanctus sanctus. in Dei nomine cardia cardiani de necessu (recessu?) propter illum malannum (p. 1160), quod dominus papa ad imperatorem transmisit, quod omnis homo super se portare debet. amen. tribus vicibus. De hoc quod spurihalz dicunt. primum pater noster.

visc flôt aftar themo watare, verbrustun sîna vetherun,

thô gihêlida ina use Druhtin; the selvo Druhtin

thie gehêle that hors thera spurihelti!

Contra vermes:
gang ût, nesso mid nigun nessiklinon, ût fana themo marge an that bên, fan themo bêne an that flêsg, ût fan themo flêsge an thia hûd, ût fan thera ....... strâla! Druhtin werthe sô. (8)

The nesso and his nine young ones are the worms to be cast out. 'Petrus, Michahel et Stephanus ambulabant per viam, sic dixit Michahel: Stephani equus infusus, signet illum Deus, signet illum Christus, et erbam comedat et aquam bibat.' ---- Two of these charms are about lame horses again, and one about a sick horse (Ducango sub. v. infusio, infusus equus). Also the transitions from marrow to bone (or sinews), to flesh and hide, resembles phrases in the sprain-spells (see Suppl.).

The oldest and most beautiful charms of all nations pass into prayers, which were repeated during sacrifice; the simplest are found in pastoral life. What a fresh innocence breathes in those prayers to the Thunder-god (p. 176)! When the Cheremisses keep their grand feast of Shurem, and bring quiet offerings of peace, at which no female creature must be seen (conf. p. 1152n.), they speak a prayer, out of which I pick a few sentences: 'Who to God hath sacrificed, to him God give health and wealth, bestowing on the babes that shall be born store of money, bread, bees and cattle. May he cause the bees to swarm this year and make plenty of honey. When spring draws nigh, O God, let the three kinds of cattle set out on their three ways, defend them from deep mire, from bears, wolves and thieves. As the hops are thick and springy, so bless us with good hap and sound mind! As the light burneth bright, so live we our life! as the wax daily addeth to itself, (9) so be our increase!' (from Aleks. Fuks 'O Chuvashakh i Cheremisakh,' Kazan 1840, in Erman's Archiv 1841, 2^nd no.).

'Dapen pro bubus piro florente facito. Dapem hoc modo fieri oportet. Jovi dapali culignam vini quantum vis polluceto. Eo die feriae bubus et bubulcis, et qui dapem facient. Cum pollucere oportebit, sic facias: Jupiter dapalis, quod tibi fieri oportet, in domo familia mea culignam vini dapi, ejus rei ergo macte hac illace dape pollucenda esto! macte vino inferio esto! Vestae, si voles, dato. Daps Jovi assaria pecuina, urna vini Jovi caste. Profanato sine contagione, postea dape facta serito milium, panicum, alium, lentim' (Cato de re rust. 132).

Along with this, take (from Cod. Exon. 5214) an AS. bôt, i.e. puoza (bettering) of barren land blasted by magic. 'Her is seo bôt, hû þû meaht þîne œceras bêtan, gif hî nellað wel weaxan, oððe þær hwilc ungedêfe þing ongedôn bið, on drý oððe on lyblâce.

'Genim þonne (take then) on niht, œr hit dagige, feower tyrf on feower healfa þæs landes, and gemearca hû hî ær stôdon. nim þonne ele and hunig and beorman, and ælces feos meolc (each cattle's milk) þe on þæm lande sî, and ælces treowcynnes (tree-kind) dæl, þe on þæm lande sî geweaxen, bûtan heardan beáman, and ælcre namcuðre wyrte dæl, bûtan glappan ânon; and dô þonne hâlig wæter þæron, and drýpe þoune þriwa (thrice) on þone staðol þâra turfa, and cweðe þonne þâs word: Crescite, weaxe, et multiplicamini, and gemænigfealde, et replete, and gefylle, terram, þâs eorðan, in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti benedicti, and Pater noster swâ oft swâ þæt oðer. And bere siððan þâ turf tô cyrcean, and messepreost âsinge feower messan ofer þâm turfon, and wende man þœt grêne tô þam weofode (alter). and siððan gebringe man þâ turf, þœr hî œr wœron, œr sunnan setlgange, and hæbbe him geworht of cwicbeáme feower Cristes mælo, and âwrîte on ælcon ende Mattheus and Marcus, Lucas and Johannes. lege þæt Cristes mæl on þone pyt neoðeweardne, cweðe þonne: Crux Mattheus, crux Marcus, crux Lucas, crux Johannes. nim þonne þâ turf and sette þær ufon on, and cweðe nigon siðon (9 times) þâs word: Crescite, and swâ oft Pater noster. and wende þe þonne eástweard, and onlût (bow) nigon siðon eádmôdlîce (humbly), and cweð þonne þâs word:

Eástweard ic stande, ârena (favours) ic me bidde,

bidde ic þone mæran Dryhten, b. i. þ. miclan Dryhten,

bidde ic þone hâligan heofonrîces Weard.

eorðan ic bidde and upheofon,

and þâ sôðan sancta Marian,

and heofenes meaht and heáhreced,

þæt ic môte þis gealdor mid gife Dryhtnes

tôðum ontýnan þurh trumme geþanc,

âweccan þâs wæstmas (fruits) us to woruldnytte (our use),

gefyllan þâs foldan (fields) mid fæste geleáfan,

wlitigian þâs wangturf, swâ se wîtega cwæð,

þæt se (he) hæfde âre (honour) on eorðrîce se þe (who) ælmyssan

dælde dômlice Dryhtnes þances (for the sake).

Wende þe þonne þriwa sun-ganges. âstrecce þe þonne on andlang, and ârim þær letanias, and cweð þonne, Sanctus sanctus sanctus, oð ende. sing þonne Benedicite âþenedon (outstretched) earmon, and Magnificat and Pater noster III, and bebeod hit Criste and sancta Marian and þære hâlgan rôde tô lofe and tô weorðinga (to the praise and glory of Christ, etc.), and þam tô âre (to the benefit of him) þe þæt land âge, and eallon þâm þe him underþeodde (subject) sint. Þonne (when) þæt eall sî gedôn, þonne nime man uncûð sœd æt œlmesmannum, and selle him twâ swylc swylce man æt him nime, and gegaderie ealle his sulhgeteogo (plough-tackle) tô gædere. borige þonne on þam beáme stôr and finol and gehâlgode sâpan and gehâlgod sealt. nim þonne þæt sæd, sete on þæs sulhes bodig. cweð þonne:

Erce, erce, erce, eorðan môdor, (10)

geunne þe se alwealda êce Dryhten (God grant thee)

æcera weaxendra and wriðendra,

eácniendra and elniendra;

sceáf tæce (11) se scîra (reaper) wæstma,

and þære brâdan bere wæstma (barley's fruit),

and þære hwîtan hwæte wæstma,

and ealra eorðan wæstma.

geunne him êce Dryhten

and his hâlige þe on heofonum sint,

þæt his yrð sî gefriðod (spared) wið ealra feonda gehwæne,

and heo sî geborgen (protected) wið ealra bealwa gehwylc,

þâra lyblâca geond land sâwen.

nu bidde ic þone Wealdend, se þe þâs weoruld gesceôp,

þæt ne sî nân tô þæs cwidol wîf, ne tô þæs cræftig man,

þæt âwendan ne mæge word þus gecweðene.
þonne man þâ sulh forð drîfe and þâ forman furh onsceote (cleaves the first furrow), cweð þonne:

hâl wes þû folde, fira môdor!

beo þû grôwende on Godes fæðme (bosom, lap),

fôdre gefylled firum tô nytte (for use to men)!
nim þonne œlces cynnes melo, and âbace man inneweardre handa brâdne hlâf, and gecned hire mid meolce and mid hâlig wætere, and lecge under þâ forman furh. cweð þonne:

ful æcer fôdres fira-cynne (for mankind)

beorht blôwende, þû geblêtsod weorð

þæs hâligan naman, þe þâs heofon gesceôp

and þâs eorðan þe we on lifiað.

se God þe þâs grundas geweorhte geunne us grôwende gife,

þæt us corna gehwylc cume tô nytte!
cweð þonne þriwa Crescite in nomine Patris benedicti amen, and Pater noster þriwa.

This notable document, notwithstanding that christian ceremonies have crept into it, seems to reach far back to the early times of heathen sacrifices and husbandry. As the daps was spread and the winebowl emptied to Jove, after which the millet, panic, leek and lentils might be sown, so ploughing is here preceded by sacrificial rites. Sods are cut out from the four corners of the field, oil, honey and barm, milk of each sort of cattle, some of every kind of tree (except hard wood, i.e. oak and beech, RA. 506), and of all name-known herbs (save burs) are laid on the sods, and holy water sprinkled; then the 'four turfs' are carried into church, the green side being turned to the altar, four masses are said over them, and before sunset they are taken back to their places in the field. And now the spells are spoken; unknown seed is bought of beggar-men (conf. p. 1138), and placed on the plough, another spell is recited, and the first furrow ploughed with a 'Hail Earth, mother of men,' etc. Then meal of every kind is taken, a large loaf kneaded with milk is baked and laid under the first furrow, and one more spell is spoken. We know the Romans offered meal-cakes and fruit in their corn-fields; but it seems to me that our own ordinances (weisthümer) have unconsciously preserved vestiges of the heathen rite: 'when the plower cometh to an end of the furrow, there shall he find a pot of honey, and at the other end a pot of milk, wherewith to refresh him lest he faint' (Weisth. 2, 547, 'melts' here must be for 'milch,' it cannot be meal or malt). Further: 'at the plowing shall be brought a loaf so great that one may stick it on the axle of the plow-wheel, and therewith plow a furrow; if the loaf do break when the furrow is done, and the plower have not another wheel ready to put in its place, then shall he smart (pay a fine); if the bread break ere the furrow be finished, let him fare home unfined' (2, 356). Sometimes the regulation runs thus: 'if the plower break a wheel, he shall for penance provide a loaf as large round as the plow-wheel, and baken of every grain that the plow doth win; he shall so softly drive the plow, that a finch can feed her young on the wheel' (2, 179. 180), or, as expressed in 2, 547, 'that, if a grain of oat fall into the wheel, the fowls of the air shall pick it up.' In 2, 120 merely the size of the loaf is determined by that of the plow-wheel; but at 2, 128 it says again: 'of the grain that the farm beareth and the mill breaketh, shall be baken a cake as great as the plow-wheel, and the plower therewith plow: if the wheel break ere he come to the end, he is finable, if it break not, yet is he finable notwithstanding.' The 'cake of all grain that the mill grinds' occurs again at 2, 147; and the 'rye-loaf to be put in place of a plow-wheel that comes off' at 2, 262. 412. 587. What is the drift of these curious regulations? Was ever ploughman fed on milk and honey? were loaves and cakes ever stuck on the axle to cut the first furrow? They are surely the ancient sacrificial loaves, which with milk and honey poured over them were laid in the furrow (ad piamentum, p. 1196), and distributed to the ploughmen, which even the birds were allowed to peck at; their being made of all sorts of grain, so as to embrace the entire produce of the field, as the brâde hlâf in the AS. spell is baked of each kind of meal, goes far to decide.




Notes: