Wade Families – Norse Origin of the Name   BOOK of WAYLAND   Viking (or Wilcinus), King of Wilsenland (now known as Sweden), warred with Ortnit of Russia and conquered him. On the way home Viking, reputed a huge man of Giant Thjassi's stock, met Wachild the Mermaid. . . .   1. Now, as the Sea-King rose ... he saw a vision of such beauty rare that his fierce blood rushed coursing through his veins. A maid more lovely than he e'er had seen - and many women he had captive made on his wild raids - and many rued his name. More like a faery than of mortal kin She seemed to him, as she in graceful poise stood on the river's brink, full in the sun Her white form gleaming . . ..   2. Still the crystal drops glistened upon her shoulders as she wrapped about her daintily a blue-green cloak, whose filmy tissue hid her in its folds, veiling her beauty  3. But, on a sudden, startled, seeing where a stranger stood, an armed man of the sea, so close she might not gain the river's edge, She turned and fled fast through the wood, as flies a timid hind to avoid the hunter's spear, and from his ravening hounds to save herself. Yet ever as she fled quick glances cast over her shoulder; and so fair her face, so full of agile grace her flying form, that Viking in his ardour gave hot chase, and swifter e'en than She he lightly ran, laughing o'ertook the lovely fugitive, and round her slender neck, ere she could scream, his strong hand held her fast a prisoner.  Yet not ungently, but with soothing words he spake unto this maiden of the woods, calming her fears. At first she fiercely strove, but with soft speech and kisses he beguiled the captured maid until unto his will.  4. She proved obedient. If by force compelled, or with her free consent, scarce could he tell, nor stayed to ask, but took what he desired in Vikings' way.  5. Content was he to hold Her panting form, content to hear low words in unknown tongue, part plaintive, part in wrath, but wholly sweet, he thought, as silver bells.   Though to their import he turned a deaf ear. 6. He took his pleasure . . " Come, sweet love," said he, and would have taken his captive by the hand, "I go to meet my men . . Shalt sail with us, and be a Sea-King's bride"  7. But as he spake, the maiden by his side, evading him, slipped past and leapt into the swift, deep stream. There sank and vanished. Yet young Viking thought he saw from out the swirling water gleam a silvery scale as of some monstrous fish, and much he wondered what this thing might mean, as somewhat sobered he went t'wards the beach. The Mermaid's Curse....     8. Dost think," she cried, " that a Sea-Goddess comes to dwell with mortal who has wronged her sore? Know, Wachild, Aegir's daughter, does not so! What if I seemed consenting, 'twas that I might through thy Sin work thy dire punishment.   9. Far from the sea we are as mortals weak, and lose our magic power when on dry land. For that, presumptuous, thou mine honour stained, when I, unable to regain the stream, was helpless 'fore thee as an earthly maid, now will I curse thee, Viking, in thy race, in Death's dark Halls no solace shalt thou find, knowing thy seed is destined to disgrace, And thou shalt find me stern, who thought me kind. Sea-maiden's love, King, is not won thus lightly. 10. Though great the hero be, who of our ancestry shall come on the morrow, yet trouble and sorrow for thy sake shall he know . . .   11.To Viking's seed cometh woe, even to thy son, thy son's son, and his son …. haply, shalt win grace. With this faint hope, no more, be thou content "    The Birth of their son Wade. 12. When nine months and a day had passed there came a woman to the King's house, seeking him; Tall was She and well-shapen, muffled in a green silken mantle that none saw Her close veiled face, if it were fair or foul. When to the King she came she swift unveiled;   13. He knew her well . . . it was the Sea-maiden and beneath her cloak she hid a fair boy babe, whom she laid in his arms, and so withdrew ‘ere he could stay her . . . No man saw her go, though the old warder on the seaward tower, babbling that night over his ale cups, said He saw a mighty fish's fin that hour gleaming like gold and silver, and the sea rose in great waves as though a storm drew nigh, yet never a breeze, nor cloud in the clear sky. 14. The King called the child Wadè and with care had the babe nurtured.   Soon he grew apace     15. It was too plain the boy would giant prove nor was he like to mortal men, for he favoured his mother's kin in many ways; 'twas said that he could live beneath the sea at least 'tis true like any duck he dived, and could stay under longer than most men   The giant Wadè dwelt in peace apart in Seeland, in the courts his father gave, which lay in that part now called Blekingen and was content, nor coveted the fame of Sea-king or of warrior. His life was happy and he harmed no man; he made a wondrous boat in which he sailed to many countries far beyond our ken. ( Chaucer in 'The Merchants Tale' refers to the tale of Wade’s boat as being so well known as not to need any re-telling) But little need had he of boat in truth, who was so tall that he could WADE most seas as other men FORD streams.   The last two lines of the above extracts from a translation of the Song of Wayland indicate the most likely origin of the name in Anglo-Saxon times – that is to say an alternative surname to Ford. However the name is not evenly spread over England. Duke Wada’s castle and Wade’s causeway in the north fit well with the Norse myth. The density of the name in areas which held out against the Norman invaders suggest that there were clan-like affiliations among the Wades of remote and swampy parts of West Yorkshire as well as in the Celtic fringes of Wales and Cornwall.   Literary Footnote: The Song of Wayland was written down by Brother Fabian (formerly a Crusader, Sir Rolf de Bradcar) based on the legends of his childhood heard from his grandfather's recollections of his grandfather reciting the tales of Nornaguest, an aged minstrel at the Court of King Olaf of Norway (c. AD 1000). Various corroborating sources were consulted and footnoted by the translator, Katherine M. Buck, and her co-researcher and publisher, Alfred H. Mayhew (London, 1929). The work as a whole comprises eight volumes and an index volume. The line illustrations are by Elizabeth Goodm Enjoy Bill Wade Lexington, ohio

Thank you so very much, Bill. How wonderful!!! Judith ----- Original Message ----- From: <B192wade@aol.com> To: <WADE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2001 10:09 AM Subject: [WADE-L] Wade Name-PG Rated Wade Families b Norse Origin of the Name BOOK of WAYLAND Viking (or Wilcinus), King of Wilsenland (now known as Sweden), warred with Ortnit of Russia and conquered him. On the way home Viking, reputed a huge man of Giant Thjassi's stock, met Wachild the Mermaid. . . . 1. Now, as the Sea-King rose ... he saw a vision of such beauty rare that his fierce blood rushed coursing through his veins. A maid more lovely than he e'er had seen - and many women he had captive made on his wild raids - and many rued his name. More like a faery than of mortal kin She seemed to him, as she in graceful poise stood on the river's brink, full in the sun Her white form gleaming . . .. 2. Still the crystal drops glistened upon her shoulders as she wrapped about her daintily a blue-green cloak, whose filmy tissue hid her in its folds, veiling her beauty 3. But, on a sudden, startled, seeing where a stranger stood, an armed man of the sea, so close she might not gain the river's edge, She turned and fled fast through the wood, as flies a timid hind to avoid the hunter's spear, and from his ravening hounds to save herself. Yet ever as she fled quick glances cast over her shoulder; and so fair her face, so full of agile grace her flying form, that Viking in his ardour gave hot chase, and swifter e'en than She he lightly ran, laughing o'ertook the lovely fugitive, and round her slender neck, ere she could scream, his strong hand held her fast a prisoner. Yet not ungently, but with soothing words he spake unto this maiden of the woods, calming her fears. At first she fiercely strove, but with soft speech and kisses he beguiled the captured maid until unto his will. 4. She proved obedient. If by force compelled, or with her free consent, scarce could he tell, nor stayed to ask, but took what he desired in Vikings' way. 5. Content was he to hold Her panting form, content to hear low words in unknown tongue, part plaintive, part in wrath, but wholly sweet, he thought, as silver bells. Though to their import he turned a deaf ear. 6. He took his pleasure . . " Come, sweet love," said he, and would have taken his captive by the hand, "I go to meet my men . . Shalt sail with us, and be a Sea-King's bride" 7. But as he spake, the maiden by his side, evading him, slipped past and leapt into the swift, deep stream. There sank and vanished. Yet young Viking thought he saw from out the swirling water gleam a silvery scale as of some monstrous fish, and much he wondered what this thing might mean, as somewhat sobered he went t'wards the beach. The Mermaid's Curse.... 8. Dost think," she cried, " that a Sea-Goddess comes to dwell with mortal who has wronged her sore? Know, Wachild, Aegir's daughter, does not so! What if I seemed consenting, 'twas that I might through thy Sin work thy dire punishment. 9. Far from the sea we are as mortals weak, and lose our magic power when on dry land. For that, presumptuous, thou mine honour stained, when I, unable to regain the stream, was helpless 'fore thee as an earthly maid, now will I curse thee, Viking, in thy race, in Death's dark Halls no solace shalt thou find, knowing thy seed is destined to disgrace, And thou shalt find me stern, who thought me kind. Sea-maiden's love, King, is not won thus lightly. 10. Though great the hero be, who of our ancestry shall come on the morrow, yet trouble and sorrow for thy sake shall he know . . . 11.To Viking's seed cometh woe, even to thy son, thy son's son, and his son b&. haply, shalt win grace. With this faint hope, no more, be thou content " The Birth of their son Wade. 12. When nine months and a day had passed there came a woman to the King's house, seeking him; Tall was She and well-shapen, muffled in a green silken mantle that none saw Her close veiled face, if it were fair or foul. When to the King she came she swift unveiled; 13. He knew her well . . . it was the Sea-maiden and beneath her cloak she hid a fair boy babe, whom she laid in his arms, and so withdrew bere he could stay her . . . No man saw her go, though the old warder on the seaward tower, babbling that night over his ale cups, said He saw a mighty fish's fin that hour gleaming like gold and silver, and the sea rose in great waves as though a storm drew nigh, yet never a breeze, nor cloud in the clear sky. 14. The King called the child WadC( and with care had the babe nurtured. Soon he grew apace 15. It was too plain the boy would giant prove nor was he like to mortal men, for he favoured his mother's kin in many ways; 'twas said that he could live beneath the sea at least 'tis true like any duck he dived, and could stay under longer than most men The giant WadC( dwelt in peace apart in Seeland, in the courts his father gave, which lay in that part now called Blekingen and was content, nor coveted the fame of Sea-king or of warrior. His life was happy and he harmed no man; he made a wondrous boat in which he sailed to many countries far beyond our ken. ( Chaucer in 'The Merchants Tale' refers to the tale of Wadebs boat as being so well known as not to need any re-telling) But little need had he of boat in truth, who was so tall that he could WADE most seas as other men FORD streams. The last two lines of the above extracts from a translation of the Song of Wayland indicate the most likely origin of the name in Anglo-Saxon times b that is to say an alternative surname to Ford. However the name is not evenly spread over England. Duke Wadabs castle and Wadebs causeway in the north fit well with the Norse myth. The density of the name in areas which held out against the Norman invaders suggest that there were clan-like affiliations among the Wades of remote and swampy parts of West Yorkshire as well as in the Celtic fringes of Wales and Cornwall. Literary Footnote: The Song of Wayland was written down by Brother Fabian (formerly a Crusader, Sir Rolf de Bradcar) based on the legends of his childhood heard from his grandfather's recollections of his grandfather reciting the tales of Nornaguest, an aged minstrel at the Court of King Olaf of Norway (c. AD 1000). Various corroborating sources were consulted and footnoted by the translator, Katherine M. Buck, and her co-researcher and publisher, Alfred H. Mayhew (London, 1929). The work as a whole comprises eight volumes and an index volume. The line illustrations are by Elizabeth Goodm Enjoy Bill Wade Lexington, ohio ==== WADE Mailing List ==== Visit the WADE web page: http://members.tripod.com/WadeHome/