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In the Dialogue of Dives and Pauper, printed by Richard Pynson, 1493, among superstitious practices then in use, the following we find censured: "Or use any charmes in gathering of herbes, or hangynge of scrowes aboute man or woman or childe or beest for any seknesse, with any scripture or figures and charects, but if it be pater noster, ave, or the crede, or holy wordes of the Gospel, or of Holy Wryt, for devocion nat for curioustie, and only with the tokene of the holy crosse."

In the Defensative against the Poyson of Supposed Prophecies, 1583, we read: "One of the reysters which served under the Frenche admirall, at the siege of Poictiers, was founde after he was dead to have about his necke a pursse of taffata, and within the same a piece of parchment, full of characters in Hebrew; beside many cycles, semicircles, tryangles, &c. with sundrie shorte cuttes and shreddings of the Psalmes. Deus misereatur nostri, &c.; Angelis suis mandavit de te, &c.; Super aspidem et basiliscum, &c.; as if the prophecies which properly belong to Christe might be wrested to the safeguard and defence of every private man. Lord Northampton cites as his authority, Histor. des Troubles, liv. 8.

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In Pilkington's Burnynge of Paule's Church, 1561, 8vo. 1563, we read: "What wicked blindenes is this than, to thinke that wearing prayers written in rolles about with theym, as S. John's Gospell, the length of our Lord, the measure of our Lady, or other like, thei shall die no sodain death, nor be hanged, or yf he be hanged, he shall not die. There is to manye suche, though ye laugh, and beleve it not, and not hard to shewe them with a wet finger." Our author continues to observe that our devotion ought to "stande in depe sighes and groninges, wyth a full consideration of our miserable state and Goddes majestye, in the heart, and not in ynke or paper: not in hangyng written scrolles about the necke, but lamentinge unfeignedlye our synnes from the hart."

Lodge, in his Incarnate Devils, 1596, speaking of curiosity, says: "If you long to know this slave, you shall never take him without a book of characters in his bosome. Promise to bring him to treasure-trove, and he will sell his land for it, but he will be cousened. Bring him but a table of lead, with crosses (and Adonai or Elohim written in it), he thinks it will heal the ague."

The following "charm, or protection," was "found in a linen purse of Jackson, the murderer and smuggler, who died (a Roman Catholic) in Chichester gaol, Feb. 1749. He was struck with such horror on being measured for his irons, that he soon afterwards expired.

'Ye three holy kings,

Gaspar, Melchior, Balthasar,

Pray for us, now, and the hour of death.'

"These papers have touched the three heads of the holy kings at Cologne. They are to preserve travellers from accidents on the road, head-achs, falling sickness, fevers, witchcraft, all kinds of mischief, and sudden death." See Gent. Mag. for Feb. 1749, xix. 88.

In a curious and very rare tract, entitled Beware of Pickpurses, or a Caveat for Sick Folkes to take heede of Unlearned Physitians and Unskilfull Chyrurgians, 1605, p. 16, is the following passage: "Others, that they may colourably and cunningly hide their grosse ignorance, when they know not the cause of the disease, referre it unto charmes, witchcraft, magnifical incantations, and sorcerie, vainly, and with a brazen forehead, affirming that there is no way to help them but by characters, circles, figure-castings, exorcismes, conjurations, and other impious and godlesse meanes. Others set to sale, at a great price, certaine amulets of gold and silver, stamped under an appropriate and selected constellation of the planets, with some magical character, shamelessly boasting that they will cure all diseases, and worke I know not what other wonders." The author, p. 42, concludes with the very sensible observation of "a great learned clarke in our land, who, in a daungerous sicknesse, being moved by some friends to use an unlettered empiricke, 'Nay,' quoth he, 'I have lived all my life by the booke, and I will now (God willing) likewise dye by the booke.""

Blagrave, in his Astrological Practice of Physick, p. 135, prescribes a cure of agues by a certain writing which the patient weareth, as follows: "When Jesus went up to the cross to be crucified, the Jews asked him saying, 'Art thou afraid? or hast thou the ague?' Jesus answered, and said, 'I am not afraid, neither have I the ague. All those which bear the name of Jesus about them shall not be afraid, nor yet have the ague.' Amen, sweet Jesus, amen! sweet Jehovah, amen."

He adds:

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"I have known many who have been cured of the ague by this writing only worn about them; and I had the receipt from one whose daughter was cured thereby, who had the ague upon her two years." To this charact, then, may be given, on the joint authority of the old woman and our doctor,-probatum est.

Ramesey, in his Elminthologia, 1668, p. 259, says: "Neither doth fansie only cause, but also as easily cure diseases; as I may justly refer all magical and jugling cures thereunto, performed, as is thought by saints, images, relicts, holy waters, shrines, avemarys, crucifixes, benedictions, charms, characters, sigils of the planets and of the signs, inverted words, &c.; and therefore all such cures are rather to be ascribed to the force of the imagination, than any virtue in them, or their rings, amulets, lamens, &c."

In the Character of a Quack Astrologer, 1673, we are told : "He offers, for five pieces, to give you home with you a talisman against flies; a sigil to make you fortunate at gaming; and a spell that shall as certainly preserve you from being rob'd for the future; a sympathetical powder for the violent pains of the tooth-ach.'

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Cotta, in his Short Discoverie of the Unobserved Dangers of severall sorts of Ignorant and Unconsiderate Practisers of Physicke in England, 1612, p. 50, very sensibly observes: If there be any good or use unto the health by spels, they have that prerogative by accident, and by the power and vertue of fancie. If fancie then be the foundation whereupon buildeth the good of spels, spels must needs be as fancies are, uncertaine and vaine: so must also, by consequent, be their use and helpe, and no lesse all they that trust unto them." He elsewhere says: "How can religion or reason suffer men that are not voyd of both, to give such impious credit unto an unsignificant and senselesse mumbling of idle words contrary to reason, without president of any truly wise or learned, and justly suspected of all sensible men?" citing "Fernel. de abd. rer. Causis: Scripta, verba, annuli, caracteres, signa, nihil valent ad profligandos morbos, si nulla superior potestas divina vel magica accesserit."

Waldron, in his Description of the Isle of Man (Works, folio, p. 175), mentions a charect, a copy of an inscription found under a cross (which was carefully preserved and car

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ried to the vicar, who wrote copies of it and dispersed them over the island). They tell you," says he, "that they are of such wonderful virtue to such as wear them, that on whatever business they go, they are certain of success. They also defend from witchcraft, evil tongues, and all efforts of the devil or his agents; and that a woman wearing one of them in her bosom while she is pregnant, shall by no accident whatever lose the fruit of her womb. I have frequently rode by the stone under which they say the original paper was found, but it would now be looked on as the worst sacrilege to make any attempt to move it from the place." He gives also the tenor of the inscription: "Fear God, obey the priesthood, and do by your neighbour as you would have him to do to you."

Andrews, in his Continuation of Dr. Henry's History, p. 502, tells us, from Arnot's History of Edinburgh, that "On all the old houses still existing in Edinburgh there are remains of talismanic or cabalistical characters, which the superstition of earlier ages had caused to be engraven on their fronts. These were generally composed of some text of Scripture, of the name of God, or, perhaps of an emblematic representation of the Resurrection.

"It is recorded in divers authors, that in the image of Diana, which was worshipped at Ephesus, there were certain obscure words or sentences not agreeing together, nor depending one upon another; much like unto riddles written upon the feete, girdle, and crowne of the said Diana; the which, if a man did use, having written them out, and carrying them about him, hee should have good lucke in all his businesses; and hereof sprung the proverbe Ephesa literæ, where one useth anything which bringeth good successe."-Mason's Anatomie of Sorcerie, 1612, p. 90. Ibid. p. 91, our author mentions the superstition of "curing diseases with certaine words or characters."

Cotta, in his Short Discoverie, &c. p. 49, inserts "a merrie historie of an approved famous spell for sore eyes. By many honest testimonies, it was a long time worne as a jewell about many necks, written in paper, and inclosed in silke, never failing to do soveraigne good when all other helps were helplesse. No sight might dare to reade or open. At length a curious mind, while the patient slept, by stealth ripped open

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the mystical cover, and found the powerful characters Latin: 'Diabolus effodiat tibi oculos, impleat foramini stercoribus.' Nash, in his Notes on Hudibras, says: "Cato recommends the following as a charm against sprains: Haut, haut, hista pista, vista.''

Park, in his Travels in the Interior of Africa, speaking of "certain charms or amulets called Saphies, which the negroes constantly wear about them," says: "These saphies are prayers or sentences from the Koran, which the Mahometan priests write on scraps of paper and sell to the natives, who suppose them to possess extraordinary virtues. Some wear them to guard against the attack of snakes and alligators; on such an occasion, the saphie is inclosed in a snake or alligator's skin, and tied round the ankle. Others have recourse to them in time of war, to protect their persons from hostile attacks; but the general use of these amulets is to prevent or cure bodily diseases, to preserve from hunger and thirst, and to conciliate the favour of superior powers.' He informs us, in another place, that his landlord requested him to give him a lock of his hair to make a saphie, as he said he had been told it would give to the possessor all the knowledge of white men. Another person desired him to write a saphie; Mr. Park furnished him with one containing the Lord's Prayer. He gave away several others.

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AMULETS.

BURTON, in his Anatomy of Melancholy, 1621, p. 476, has the following passage on this subject: "Amulets, and things to be borne about, I find prescribed, taxed by some, approved by others looke for them in Mizaldus, Porta, Albertus, &c. A ring made of the hoof of an asse's right fore-foot carried about, &c. I say with Renodeus, they are not altogether to be rejected. Piony doth help epilepsies. Pretious stones most diseases. A wolf's dung carried about helps the cholick. A spider, an ague, &c. Such medicines are to be exploded that consist of words, characters, spells, and charms, which can do no good at all, but out of a strong conceit, as Pompo

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