Lay of the Nine Herbs

From the Anglo-saxon Lacnunga as quoted in Ealanour Sinclair Rhode, The Old English Herbals, pub Minerva 1922 and 1974. In the Lacnunga [1] we are told which these nine herbs are. They are mugwort, waybroad (which these modern people call plantain), stime (watercress), atterlothe, maythen (camomile), wergulu (nettle), crab-apple, chervil and fennel.

The Nine Wort Charm of Woden [2]

A worm came creeping,

he tore asunder a man.
Then took Woden

nine magic twigs,
then smote the serpent

that he in nine bits dispersed.

Now these nine herbs have power

against nine magic outcasts,
against nine venoms

and against nine flying things
and have might against the loathed things

that over land rove.

Against the red venom, against the runlan venom,
against the white venom, against the blue venom,
against the green venom, against the dusky venom,
against the brown venom, against the purple venom.

Against the worm blast, against the water blast,
against the thorn blast, against the thistle blast,
Against the ice blast, against the venom blast.

If any venom come flying from the east,

or any come from the north,
or any come from the south,

or any come from the west,

over mankind.

I alone know a running river

and the nine serpents behold it.
All weeds must now to herbs give way.
Seas dissolve and all salt water

when I this venom from thee blow.[3]

Notilia

[1] The Lacnunga ('Remedies') is a collection of miscellaneous Anglo-Saxon medical texts and prayers, written mainly in  Old English and Latin.

[2] Nine Herb Charm of Woden expanded.

[3] Lacnunga Charms: circa 1050 - Hullwebs History of Hull

Painting Loke och Sigyn (1863) - by Swedish artis Mårten Eskil Winge

Photograph by arctangent : Topaz Spring millrace, Douglas Co. Missouri with watercress growing where the water is diverted to the North Fork of the White River. The water swirls where it makes a right angle turn to exit the millrace, and this creates a quiet pocket for the watercress to grow in.