12th C. Herbal Invocation
INVOCATION
'Earth, divine Goddess, Mother Nature who generates all things
and brings forth anew the sun which you have given to the nations;
Guardian of sky and sea and of all gods and powers....through your
power all nature falls silent and then sinks in sleep. And again
you bring back the light and chase away night and yet again you
cover us most securely with your shades. You do contain chaos
infinite, yea and winds and showers and storms; you send them out
when you will and cause the seas to roar; you chase away the sun
and rouse the storm. Again when you will you send forth the joyous
day and give the nourishment of life with your eternal surety; and
when the soul departs to you we return. You are indeed duly called
Great Mother of the Gods; you conquer by your divine name. You are
the source of strength of nations and of gods, without you nothing
can be brought to perfection or be born; you are Great Queen of the
Gods. Goddess! I adore thee as divine; I call upon your name; be
pleased the grant that which I ask of you, so shall I give thanks
to thee, Goddess, with due faith.
Hear, I beseech you, and be favorable to my prayer. Whatsoever
herb your power does produce, give, I pray, with goodwill to all
nations to save them and grant me this my medicine. Come to me with
your powers, and howsoever I may use them, may they have good
success to whosoever I may give them. Whatever you grant, may it
prosper. To you all things return. Those who rightly receive these
herbs from me, please make them whole. Goddess, I beseech you, I
pray as a suppliant that by your majesty you grant this to me.
Now I make intercession to you all your powers and herbs and to
your majesty, you whom Earth parent of all has produced and given
as a medicine of health to all nations and has put majesty upon
you, I pray you, the greatest help to the human race. This I pray
and beseech from you, be present here with your virtues, for She
who created you has Herself promised that I may gather you into
the goodwill of him on whom the art of medicine was bestowed, and
grant for health's sake good medicine by grace of your powers. I
pray grant me through your virtues that whatsoever is wrought by
me through you may in all it's powers have good and speedy effect
and good success and that I may always be permitted with the favor
of your majesty to gather you into my hands and to glean your
fruits. So shall I give thanks to you in the name of the majesty
which ordained your birth.'
(Modernized version of a 12th century
herbalist spell. Original translation
from 'Early English Magic and
Medicine', by Dr. Charles Singer.
Proceedings of the British Academy,
Vol. IV )
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