An Abanning of the Théodish Ríce’s MMXXV Midsummer Gathering

Day I

Be it known unto all that, on the eve of the summer sunstead and on the day thereof, Théodsmen and Leorneras from Virginia, Ohio, New York, Texas, Utah, and England gathered at Whitthenge Heall in Richmond, Virginia to hold the holytide of Midsummer. Foremost amongst the many guests that Þórbeorht Hláford Cyning and Eþelwynn Hlǽfdige welcomed to their home and into the Ealdríce Théod’s hall was Gárman Hláford of Géring Théod, the fruma (founder) of Théodish Belief and the Ríce’s Ærest Cyning (first king). With the help of his þegn Æþelwine, Gárman made the long trek from Watertown, New York to Whitthenge Heall in Virginia. Gladdened were all by his therewithness (presence) amongst them. Noteworthy as well amongst the guests were Brúnwulf of Northumbria, England and Ælfþrýð, his bride. Far did they fare over Geofen’s Ground (the ocean) to take part in that gathering’s holy happenings and much did they lend to its merriment.

The gathering’s first morning began with games of axe-throwing, bowmanship (archery), and Kubb overseen by Ælfgár Þegn, Þórbeorht Hláford Cyning’s Húscarl. Thereafter, at the Ealdríce Théod’s stone-ship barrow, Þórbeorht spoke on Anglo-Saxon burial thews (customs) and upon his latest Spellstów article “The Otherworldly Isle of Brytt and the Bryttan: The Anglo-Saxon Afterlife and the Ghosts and Gods Thereof.” As part of that “workshop,” the folk were shown how to thane the dead, how to sing dirges, how to offer grave goods, the how to hold a graveside *ierfealu (ON erfiǫl, “arval, funerary feast”), and the custom of burning grain to the dead.

After a midday meal the Gármanling Lárscol’s leornere ordeals (learner-trials) began. First Sigebrand and then Mannford went before the Lárscól’s láreowas (instructors). A great many questions were asked of them both, not only to measure their learning of Théodish lore and grasp of Théodish thew but also to gauge their unlearning of Christian and post-Christian “beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors.” It was the deeming of the láreowas that both Sigebrand and Mannford had worthed themselves as Théodsmen and had thus earned the árung of ceorl (freeman, full Théodsman).

That evening, as the sun hung low in the heavens, Þórbeorht Hláford donned his wéofodsceorp (vestments) and called the folk to gather for the worship of Þunor. Down the begang way (processional path) he led the folk to the Ealdríce Théod’s orchard and to a heap of bones therein. There he shared with them the lore and thew of the Midsummer bonfire, speaking thus:

It was wist in olden times that dragons, made lusty and hateful by the heat of Midsummer, would take to the welkin’s bath above and, in their dizziness, would spill their sickening seed into the waters below, befouling them, so that those who drank therefrom would waste away and die. To ward against such wyrm-wrought woe, the folk lit great fires laden with bones, the smoke of which dragons could not abide.  It is from these bone-fires that the word bonfire now comes to us. Let us now light the bone-fire and beseech Þunor to ward our Ríce against the woe of such loathsome wights.

Thereafter the bone-fire was lit, as Þórbeorht galdored over it in the Old English tongue. Thus did he bid Þunor to take up his fiery axe to “drive down fevered dragons, the flying-venoms, wellspring-befoulers, and slay slaughter-goers” (…ofþrysce, ʒeféferede dracan, fléoʒende áttru, willsprynga befýlan, wælʒengan ofsleh). The lác (sacrificial sport, play) of a dragon-slaying Mummer’s Play was then offered by Æþelwine Þegn, Brúnwulf, Mannford, and Mereweard. Merry did this lác make the folk and none doubted that the god himself was gladdened by it.

With the bone-fire aflame and lác given, Þórbeorht led the folk from the orchard and into the frithyard where a faining was held. The god-fire was lit and Þórbeorht then bore a burning brand (torch) around it so as to hallow it to the worship of gods, elves, and eldren (ancestors). Biddings were then made before the stone hearg (altar) in the Old English tongue and offerings of mead were given to the Ése (ON Æsir) and Ælfas, “elves” and to Þunor himself. Once the folk had been blessed and their mead-yieldings given into the offering fire, they went forth from the frithyard in song.

By now the sun had set, the gloam was gathering, and the night was nigh. With a torch taken from the frithyard, Þórbeorht lit the Midsummer wake-fire. Therearound the folk giddy-mouthed for a bit, raising horns of inspired speech to Þunor and to other gods and goddesses. Moreover wassail, good health, and long life to the gathering’s most honored guest, Gárman Hláford. Good was it to have Gárman at Whitthenge Heall and a true blessing to all who were there.

With the night now come, Þórbeorht Hláford went back into the frithyard. There, before the hearg, he cast the rune-tines and read them. Though the details of such hidden things are not abanned broadly, it is enough to say that it was a good rede that the gods gave to the cyning. Indeed, there was much wisdom in those staves and a forecast of growth to come.

Later that night, as the folk gathered again about the wake-fire, Brúnwulf offered a showing of scópcræft. With hearp (lyre) in hand he sang the Old English lay of Deor. Thereafter Sæfríþ Þygen offered a reading of her short story “Seven Nights Full,” a tale of folk horror beghasted (inspired) by the Middle English song “Maiden in the mor lay.” Haunting was the hearpswég (harp-play) and storytelling of that Midsummer’s Eve.

Day II

On the morning of Midsummer, the merry folk of the Ríce gathered again at Whitthenge Heall. With song they went once more to the frithyard, where a sunwheel was offered into the fire. One by one, most of those who had come then lept the Midsummer fire as a lác given to the goddess Sunne. Some even lept the flame thrice, so great was their giddiness.

With the sun now high overhead, Gárman Hláford took to the shade where he, with Sæfríþ Þygen, taught the Théodish Alu Galdor to Brúnwulf. Long has that song-spell been galdored and sung by Théodsmen. With such lore bestowed, Gárman went to the living room of Whitthenge Heall where he regaled those who gathered about him with tales of his past. Much filled was that room with folk and good cheer.

That afternoon, the last Gármanling Lárscol’s leornere ordeal for that gathering was held at the “proving ground” beneath the holly tree at Whitthenge Heall. There the láreowas gathered to weigh the worth of Brúnwulf, who had been Þórbeorht Hláford’s own leornere. Many were the questions that they asked of him before they deemed that he had indeed worthed himself as a Théodsman and thus earned the árung of ceorl. All that now remained was for he and the others to swear their oaths at symbel.

Later that afternoon, a moot was held in the meadhall. There Þórbeorht Hláford abanned the graduating of Sigebrand, Mannford, and Brúnwulf from the Gármanling Lárscol and bestowed upon them their Lárcúþa writs (diplomas). After this he read the frumgewrit (charter) of Folcfeld Scír, a shire that had been founded “for the holding of those free Théodsmen who are without a nearby Léode or Théod.” Eþelwynn Hlæfdige then spoke and offered the folk an overview of the Wínland Ríce’s earnings and spendings. Furthermore, she spoke on growing the land-fund that had been established after Þórbeorht’s cynehelmung in 2022 and of the Ríce’s need to purchase an out of the way plot to serve as a better blótstede than even Whitthenge Heall. It was then put forward by Þórbeorht Hláford Cyning that each hide of the Ríce should give a quarterly yield to cover the Ríce’s many costs. So wealthdealful (generous) were the Théodish folk that all were glad to agree. Moreover, over and above hide-yields were made by some so as to further the blótstede land-fund. At the end of the moot, Þórbeorht abanned “the Golden Gathering,” a great moot to be held in 2026 to mark fifty years since Gárman Hláford beheld the therewithness of Wóden and our Théodish Belief was begun.

That Midsummer evening, after the feast of húsel had been enjoyed, the god-plate had been offered, and the húsel-leavings were given to the landwights, the horn called the folk once more to the meadhall for symbel. One by one, and by their árung, Eþelwynn Hlæfdige welcomed the folk into the hall as Sæfríþ Þygen showed them to their seats and filled their horns with mead. When the hall was full and brimming with bodies, Þórbeorht Hláford Cyning bid the symbel to begin, speaking thus:

Come we now to symbel, let us drink to Þunor and Wóden and Seaxnéat and to all the hæleþas who are their gesíþas. Moreover, let us boast of our mead-worthy deeds.

Before the first round began, Þórbeorht bid Brúnwulf to strike the hearp, and to sing the Old English Cædmones Herungléoþ. Well was that bit of scópcræft brooked. Thereafter, godfull were given: horns raised to Wóden, Þunor, Ing, Tiw, Fosite, Weland, Edunne, and other gods and goddesses. At his lord’s bidding, Brúnwulf then recalled the first twenty-seven lines of Beowulf in the Old English tongue. Glad were the folk to hear the tale of Scyld Scéfing. Then came the second round of symbel. Many were the mynas (remembrances) with horns raised to Rædweald of East Anglia, Rædweald’s unnamed bride, Penda of Mercia, Radbod of Frisia, Ægili the brother of Weland, Béowulf the dragon-slayer, Eadric Cild, Hengest and Horsa, and to other such heroes of yore. Once more Brúnwulf took to the scóp’s seat to perform and sing Þórbeorhtes Cyneword. For this did Þórbeorht set Brúnwulf as his scóp.

The third round was then given for the making of béot, the recounting of one’s deeds since the last symbel before the witness of gods, folk, and forebears. Those who had “earned their mead” and had some deed or deeds to brag of did so. For the worthiest of these deeds, Þórbeorht Hláford opened his máðumcist (treasure chest) and doled out many bedeckings, some silver and some gilded: necklaces, rings, arm rings, and other such rewards. So too at this symbel did Wífrún Ceorlwíf of Ohio, Mannford Ceorl of Utah, and Brúnwulf Ceorl of Northumbria, England swear their oaths before the cyning. In doing so they became the first folk of the newly founded Folcfeld Scír (Folkfield Shire). Likewise, Sigebrand Ceorl swore his guild oath to the Ealdríce Théod and was welcomed into that worthy fellowship. Gifts were given between those who had been ealdras (mentors) to those who had been leorneras (learners). In the midst of it all, Sæfríþ Þygen honored Gárman Hláford with a retelling of his spear-game ordeal against “Christ’s champion,” which had taken place in the Witan Théod’s days. With Wóden’s help, Gárman had won a great victory and learned much lore from that fight.

 The meadhall resounded with laughter and wynn (joy) as symbel ended and leave was given to abide in the hall a while longer for gebéorscipe (less formal toasts). Even after gebéorscipe, blitheness and merriment carried on into the night. Come morning, everyone returned once more to Whitthenge Heall to bid one another farewell. Though some guests stayed a night longer, the official events of the Midsummer gathering were over.

It was a truly great gathering and the Ríce’s longest and most encompassing since Þórbeorht’s cynehelmung three years earlier. Everyone who attended played a part in making it such a success. That said, much is owned to the work of Eþelwynn Hlæfdige, who put in many hours of planning and preparation for the gathering, and to the work of Ælfgár Þegn and Wífrún Ceorlwíf who served as stewards to keep everyone on schedule. Without the work of those three in particular, Midsummer would not have gone so smoothly, nor would it have been such a delight. Truly, it was among the most wynnful (joyful) and luck-filled gatherings that we Théodsmen have known in our near-fifty years as a folkdom.