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By Root 2216 0

generations by collecting a massive amount of traditional Gaelic oral lore: poems, prayers, songs, incantations, charms, and hymns, which were published early in the twentieth century as the Carmina Gadelica. This collection has been reprinted in various volumes and forms over the years; the particular volume I used as a source for the Outlander books is a small portion of the work, published separately as Celtic Invocations (the complete bibliographic citation will be found in the Annotated bibliography).

I used small bits of several of the invocations and prayers from this huge collection, as seemed appropriate to the occasion. While only parts of the prayers are actually quoted in the novels, I’ve included the entire text of each prayer as follows.6

THE BATTLE TO COME VOLUME 1, PAGE 113

Jesus, Thou Son of Mary, I call on Thy name, And on the name of John the apostle beloved, And on the names of all the saints in the red domain,

To shield me in the battle to come, To shield me in the battle to come.

When the mouth shall be closed, When the eye shall be shut, When the breath shall cease to rattle, When the heart shall cease to throb, When the heart shall cease to throb.

When the Judge shall take the throne, And when the cause is fully pleaded, O Jesu, Son of Mary, shield Thou my soul, O Michael fair, acknowledge my departure.

O Jesu, Son of Mary, shield Thou my soul!

O Michael fair, receive my departure!

Claire begins this prayer, as her blessing to Jamie when they prepare to part on the morning of the Battle of Culloden, but is interrupted by the arrival of English soldiers. [Outlander]

SOUL PEACE VOLUME 1, P. 121

Since Thou Christ it was who didst buy the soul—

At the time of yielding the life,

At the time of pouring the sweat,

At the time of offering the clay,

At the time of shedding the blood,

At the time of balancing the beam,

At the time of severing the breath,

At the time of delivering the judement,

Be its peace upon Thine own ingathering.

Jesus Christ Son of gentle Mary,

Be its peace upon Thine own ingathering

O Jesus! Upon Thine own ingathering.

And may Michael white kindly,

High king of the holy angels,

Take possession of the beloved soul,

And shield it home to the Three of surpassing love,

Oh! To the Three of surpassing love.

(This is the prayer that Jamie recommends to Young Ian, for use when one has been compelled to kill in battle or in self-defense. Or, if time is too short to allow for this, he recommends the shorter version, “Soul Leading.” [Dragonfly]

THE SOUL LEADING VOLUME 1, PAGE 117

By this soul on Thine arm, O Christ, Thou King of the City of Heaven. Amen.

Since Thou, O Christ, it was who brought’st this soul,

Be its peace on Thine own keeping. Amen.

And may the strong Michael, high king of the angels, Be preparing the path before this soul, O God. Amen.

Oh! the strong Michael in peace with thee, soul,

And preparing for thee the way to the kingdom of the Son of God. Amen.

HOUSE PROTECTING VOLUME 1, PAGE 103

God, bless the world and all that is therein.

God, bless my spouse and my children,

God, bless the eye that is in my head,

And bless, O God, the handling of my hand; What time I rise in the morning early, What time I lie down late in bed,

Bless the rising in the morning early,

And my lying down late in bed.

God, protect the house, and the household, God, consecrate the children of the motherhood, God, encompass the flocks and the young; Be Thou after them and tending them, What time the flocks ascend hill and wold, What time I lie down to sleep,

What time the flocks ascend hill and wold, What time I lie down in peace to sleep.

(This is the blessing prayer that Jamie speaks at the laying of the hearthstone on Fraser’s Ridge, in Drums of Autumn.)

[Drums, pp. 368-69]

THE DRIVING (AN SAODACHADH) VOLUME IV, PAGE 43

The protection of Odhran the dun be yours, The protection of Brigit the Nurse be yours, The protection of Mary the Virgin be yours

In marshes and in rocky ground,

In marshes and in rocky ground.

The keeping of Ciaran the swart be