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.

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

The Twelve Extant Anglo-Saxon metrical charms

Charms	Æcerbot Against a Dwarf Against a Wen A Journey Charm For a Swarm of Bees For Loss or Theft of Cattle For Delayed Birth For Water-Elf Disease Nine Herbs Charm Wið færstice

Sources	Lacnunga Bald's Leechbook

Origins	Alliterative verse Anglo-Saxon paganism

Old English poetry

Poems

Nowell Codex	Beowulf Judith

Junius MS	Genesis A, B Exodus Daniel Christ and Satan

Vercelli Book	Andreas The Fates of the Apostles Soul and Body I Dream of the Rood Elene Homiletic Fragment I

Exeter Book	Christ I Christ II Christ III Guthlac A, B Azarias The Phoenix Juliana The Wanderer The Gifts of Men Precepts The Seafarer Vainglory Widsith The Fortunes of Men Maxims I The Order of the World The Rhyming Poem The Panther The Whale The Partridge Soul and Body II Deor Wulf and Eadwacer Riddles 1-59 The Wife's Lament The Judgment Day I Resignation The Descent into Hell Alms-Giving Pharaoh The Lord's Prayer I Homiletic Fragment II Riddle 30b Riddle 60 The Husband's Message The Ruin Riddles 61-95

Metrical charms	Æcerbot Against a Dwarf Against a Wen A Journey Charm For a Swarm of Bees For Loss or Theft of Cattle For Delayed Birth For Water-Elf Disease Nine Herbs Charm Wið færstice

Chronicle poems	Battle of Brunanburh The Capture of the Five Boroughs The Coronation of Edgar The Death of King Edgar The Death of Alfred The Death of Edward The Rime of King William

Other poems	Metres of Boethius Paris Psalter (BNF MS 8824) Finnsburh Fragment Waldere A, B The Battle of Maldon Durham Rune poem Solomon and Saturn The Menologium Maxims II Proverb from Winfrid's time Judgment Day II An Exhortation to Christian Living A Summons to Prayer The Lord's Prayer II The Gloria I The Lord's Prayer III The Creed Old English Psalms (fragments) The Kentish Hymn Psalm 50 The Gloria II A Prayer Thureth Aldhelm The Seasons for Fasting Cædmon's Hymn Bede's Death Song The Leiden Riddle Latin-English Proverbs Metrical Preface and Epilogue to Alfred's Hierdeboc Metrical Preface to Wærferth's translation of the Dialogues Metrical Epilogue to CCCC MS 41 Brussels Cross Ruthwell Cross

Poets

Other

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