The Rede (for 1734)

Bide within the Law ye must,
In perfect Love and perfect Trust.

Live ye must and let to live,
Fairly take and fairly give.

Soft of eye and light of touch,
Speak ye little, listen much.

When ye have and hold a need,
Harken not to others’ greed.

With a fool no season spend
Or be counted as his friend.

Be true in love - this ye must do,
Unless your love is false to you.

Merry Meet and Merry Part;
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart.

When The Lady’s Moon is new
Kiss the hand to Her times two.

When the Moon rides at her peak,
Then your heart’s desire seek.

When you see the Dark Crone old,
Then The Mysteries unfold.

Build the Kaers with gates of might
To dwell within the The Lady’s Light.

Deosil go by the waxing Moon,
Chanting out the joyful rune.

Widdershins go when the Moon doth wane
And the werewolf howls by the dread wolfsbane.

To bind enchantment well each time,
Let the spell be said in rhyme.

Mind the Three-fold Law ye should -
“Three times bad and three times good.”

When misfortune is enow,
Wear the Crow's Foot upon your brow.

Heed the North wind’s mighty gale,
Lock the door and drop the sail.

When the wind blows from the East,
Expect the new and set the feast.

When the wind comes from the South,
Love will kiss ye on the mouth.

When it whispers from the West,
All hearts will find both peace and rest.

Where the rippling waters go
Cast a stone the truth to know.

Heed the flower, the bush and tree -
By The Lady, bless’d ye’ll be.

Nine woods in the Cauldron go,
Burn them fast and burn them slow.

Birch into the fire goes
To denote what The Lady knows.

Oak in the forest towers with might
In the fire it brings The God's insight

Rowan, the tree of subtle power,
Makes enchantment and life to flower.

Willows near the water stand
To help us to the Summerland.

Hawthorn’s burned to purify
And draw the faerie to your eye.

Hazel, the tree of sense and learning,
Adds its strength to the bright fire burning.

White are the flowers of the Apple tree
That bring us fruits of fertility.

Grapes that grow upon the vine
Give us gifts of joy and wine.

Fir doth mark the evergreen
To stand as immortality seen.

Elder be the Lady's tree
Burn it not or cursed ye'll be.

Four times the Lady's Sabbats mark
In the Light and in the Dark.

As the old year to its close doth wend,
The new begins at Summer’s End.

When The Lady’s Returning shows
Watch for the trefoil through the snows.

When the Wheel has turned to Light
Burn The Marriage fires bright.

As the Wheel to First Fruits turns
Power is wrought as the fire burns.

Four times the Days of Light do fall;
Use the Sun to mark them all.

When the Wheel to Yule hath turned,
The log unto The Newborn’s burned.

In the Spring night equals day;
Then greet the Pair who'll wed in May.

When the Sun has reached it's height
Time for sweet Midsummer's night.

Harvest Bounty to one and all
When the Hunter's revels fall.

Then the Wheel to Darkness creeps
And Our Lady in His Castle sleeps.

Honor The Old Ones, in deed and name
That Light and Love be our guide again.

Eight wise words the Rede fulfill
"And ye harm none, do what ye will."

Revisions and modifications were made to
Dr Gareth Pengwerin's version of The Rede
by Tyr and Sequanah, for use in their own 1734 group.