diseases; but the various
synonymous phrases, "the on-flying things," "the loathed things that
rove through the land," suggest something of more malignant activity.
As a recent leading article in _The Times_ shows, we are as a matter
of fact not much wiser than our Saxon ancestors as to the origin of an
epidemic such as influenza.[16] Indeed, to talk of "catching" a cold
or any infectious disease would have struck an Anglo-Saxon as
ludicrous, mankind being rather the victims of "flying venom." In the
alliterative lay in the _Lacnunga_, part of which is given below, the
wind is described as blowing these venoms, which produced disease in
the bodies on which they lighted, their evil effects being
subsequently blown away by the magician's song and the efficacy of
salt and water and herbs. This is generally supposed to be in its
origin a heathen lay of great antiquity preserved down to Christian
times, when allusions to the new religion were inserted. It is written
in the Wessex dialect and is believed to be of the tenth century, but
it is undoubtedly a reminiscence of some far older lay. The lay or
charm is in praise of nine sacred herbs (one a tree)--mugwort,
waybroad (plantain), stime (watercress), atterlothe (?), maythen
(camomile), wergulu (nettle), crab apple, chervil and fennel.

"These nine attack
against nine venoms.
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
& against nine flying things
[& have might] against the loathed things
that over land rove.
Against the red venoms
against the runlan [?] venom
against the white venom
against the blue [?] venom
against the yellow venom
against the green venom
against the dusky venom
against the brown venom
against the purple venom.
Against worm blast
against water blast
against thorn blast
against thistle blast
Against ice blast
Against venom blast
. . . . . . .
if any venom come
flying from east
or any come from north
[or any from south]
or any from west
over mankind
I alone know a running river
and the nine serpents behold [it]
All weeds must
now to