natius proves, or the divel's policy, that is the first founder and teacher of them." Dr. Herring, in his Preservatives against the Pestilence, 1625, has the following: "Perceiving many in this citie to weare about their necks, upon the region of the heart, certaine placents, or amulets (as preservatives against the pestilence), confected of arsenicke, my opinion is that they are so farre from effecting any good in that kinde, as a preservative, that they are very dangerous and hurtfull, if not pernitious, to those that weare them." Bourne, chap. xviii. cites a passage of Bingham, from St. Austin, on these superstitious observations. "To this kind,” says he, "belong all ligatures and remedies, which the schools of physitians reject and condemn; whether in inchantments or in certain marks, which they call characters, or in some other things which are to be hanged and bound about the body, and kept in a dancing posture. Such are ear-rings hanged upon the tip of each ear, and rings made of an ostriche's hones for the finger; or, when you are told, in a fit of convulsions, or shortness of breath, to hold your left thumb with your right hand.” I remember it was a custom in the North of England for boys that swam, to wear an eel's skin about their naked leg to prevent the cramp. Armstrong in his History of Minorca, p. 212, says: "I have seen an old woman placed on a bier, dressed like a Franciscan monk, and so conducted by the good brothers of that order, with singing and the tinkling of the hand-bell to their church." This superstition was observed by Milton in his travels through Roman Catholic countries; for when describing the Paradise of Fools, he does not forget to mention those "Who, to be sure of Paradise, Par. Lost, b. iii. That this practice was not unknown in our own country at an earlier period will be seen by the following extract from the Berkeley Manuscripts, by Smith, i. 117: "It is recorded that on the 13th of May, 1220 (4th Hen. III), died Robert the second Lord Berkeley, ætis 55, or thereabouts, and was buried in the north isle of the church of the monastery of St. Augustines (Bristol) over against the high altar, in a monck's cowle, an usual fashion for great peeres in those tymes, esteemed as an amulet, or defensative to the soule, and as a scala cœli, a ladder of life eternal." In Douce's Illustrations of Shakespeare, and of Ancient Manners, i. 493, are woodengravings of several Roman amulets; these were intended against fascination in general, but more particularly against that of the evil eye. Such, he observes, p. 497, are still used in Spain by women and children, precisely in the same manner as formerly among the Romans. Lupton, in his fourth book of Notable Things (edit. 8vo. 1660, p. 92), 41, says: "A piece of a child's navell string, borne in a ring, is good against the falling sickness, the pain of the head, and the collick. -Miz." Park, in his Travels in the Interior of Africa, speaking of a Mahometan Negro, who, with the ceremonial part of that religion, retained all his ancient superstition, says that "in the midst of a dark wood he made a sign for the company to stop, and, taking hold of an hollow piece of bamboo that hung as an amulet round his neck, whistled very loud three times; this, he said, was to ascertain what success would at tend the journey. He then dismounted, laid his spear across the road, and having said a short number of prayers, concluded with three loud whistles; after which he listened for some time, as if in expectation of an answer, and, receiving none, said the company might proceed without fear, as there was no danger." 'Gaule, in his Mag-astromancers Posed and Puzzel'd, p. 192, inquires "whether pericepts, amulets, præfiscinals, phylacteries, niceteries, ligatures, suspensions, charms, and spells, had ever been used, applyed, or carryed about, but for magick and astrologie? Their supposed efficacy (in curing diseases and preventing of perils) being taught from their fabrication, configuration, and confection, under such and such sydereal aspects, conjunctions, constellations." His preceding observations upon alchemy are too pointed and sensible not to be retained: "Whether alchymie (that enticing yet nice harlot) had made so many fooles and beggars, had she not clothed or painted herself with such astrological phrases and magical practises? But I let this kitchen magick or chimney astrology passe. The sweltering drudges and smoaky scullions of it (if they may not bring in new fuel to the fire) are soon taught (by their past observed folly) to aminate their own late repentance. But if they will obstinately persist, in hope to sell their smoak, let others beware how they buy it too dear THE LEE-PENNY, OR LEE-STONE. [THE Lee-penny, or Lee-stone, is a curious piece of antiquity belonging to the family of Lee in Scotland. It is a stone, of a dark red colour and triangular shape, and its size about half an inch on each side. It is set in a piece of silver coin, which, though much defaced, by some letters still remaining, it is supposed to be a shilling of Edward the First, the cross being very plain, as it is on his shillings. It has been, by tradition, in the Lee family since the year 1320; that is, a little after the death of King Robert Bruce, who having ordered his heart to be carried to the Holy Land, there to be buried, one of the noble family of Douglas was sent with it, and it is said got the crowned heart in his arms from that circumstance; but the person who carried the heart was Simon Locard of Lee, who just about this time borrowed a large sum of money from Sir William de Lindsay, a prior of Ayr, for which he granted a bond of annuity of ten pounds of silver, during the life of the said Sir William de Lindsay, out of his lands of Lee and Cartland. The original bond, dated 1323, and witnessed by the principal nobility of the country, is still remaining among the family papers. As this was a great sum in those days, it is thought it was borrowed for that expedition; and from his being the person who carried the royal heart, he changed his name to Lockheart, as it is sometimes spelt, or Lockhart, and got a heart within a lock for part of his arms, with the motto Corda serata pando. This Simon Lockhart having taken prisoner a Saracen prince or chief, his wife came to ransom him, and on counting out the money or jewels, this stone fell out of her purse, which she hastily snatched up; which Simon Lockhart observing, insisted to have it, else he would not give up his prisoner. Upon this the lady gave it him, and told him its many virtues, viz. that it cured all diseases in cattle, and the bite of a mad dog both in man and beast. It is used by dipping the stone in water, which is given to the diseased cattle to drink; and the person who has been bit, and the wound or part infected, is washed with the water. There are no words used in the dipping of the stone, nor any money taken by the servants, without incurring the owner's displeasure. Many are the cures said to be performed by it; and people come from all parts of Scotland, and even as far up in England as Yorkshire, to get the water in which the stone is dipped, to give their cattle, when ill of the murrain especially, and black leg. A great many years ago, a complaint was made to the ecclesiastical courts, against the Laird of Lee, then Sir James Lockhart, for using witchcraft. It is said, when the plague was last at Newcastle, the inhabitants sent for the Lee-penny, and gave a bond for a large sum in trust for the loan; and that they thought it did so much good, that they offered to pay the money, and keep the Lee-penny; but the gentleman would not part with it. A copy of this bond is very well attested to have been among the family papers, but supposed to have been spoiled along with many more valuable ones, about fifty years ago, by rain getting into the charter-room, during a long minority, and no family residing at Lee. The most remarkable cure performed upon any person, was that of Lady Baird, of Sauchton Hall, near Edinburgh; who having been bit by a mad dog, was come the length of hydrophobia; upon which, having sent to beg the Lee-penny might be sent to her house, she used it for some weeks, drinking and bathing in the water it was dipped in, and was quite recovered. This happened above eighty years ago; but it is very well attested, having been told by the lady of the then Laird of Lee, and who died within these thirty years. She also told, that her husband, Mr. Lockhart, and she were entertained at Sauchton Hall, by Sir Robert Baird and his lady, for several days, in the most sumptuous manner, on account of the lady's recovery, and in gratitude for the loan of the Lee-penny so long, as it was never allowed to be carried from the house of Lee. N.B. It was tried by a lapidary, and found to be a stone; bat of what kind he could not tell.] DIVINATION. "Tu ne quæsieris scire (netas) quem mihi, quem tibi Tentaris numeros." Since 'tis impiety to pry Into the rolls of destiny, Hor. Carm. lib. i. Od. 11. Heed not the secrets they impart DIVINATIONS differ from omens in this, that the omen is an indication of something that is to come to pass, which happens to a person, as it were by accident, without his seeking for it; whereas divination is the obtaining of a knowledge of something future, by some endeavour of his own, or means which he himself designedly makes use of for that end. Gaule, in his Mag-astromancers Posed and Puzzel'd, p. 165, enumerates as follows the several species of divination: "Stareomancy, or divining by the elements; Aeromancy, or divining by the ayr; Pyromancy, by fire; Hydromancy, by water; Geomancy, by earth; Theomancy, pretending to divine by the revelation of the Spirit, and by the Scriptures, or word of God; Dæmonomancy, by the suggestions of evill dæmons or devils; Idolomancy, by idolls, images, figures; Psychomancy, by men's souls, affections, wills, religious or morall dispositions; Antinopomancy, by the entrails of men, women, and children; Theriomancy, by beasts; Ornithomancy, by birds; Ichthyomancy, by fishes; Botanomancy, by herbs; Lithomancy, by stones; Cleromancy, by lotts; Oniromancy, by dreams: Onomatomancy, by names; drithmancy, by numbers; Logarithmancy, by logarithmes; Sternomancy, from the breast tc the belly; Gastromancy, by the sound of, or signes upon the belly; Omphelomancy, by the navel; Chiromancy, by the hands; Pedomancy, by the feet; Onychomancy, by the nayles; Cephaleonomancy, by brayling of an asses head; Tuphramancy, by ashes; Capnomancy, by smoak; Livanomancy, by burning of frankincense; Carramancy, by melting of wax; Lecanomancy, by a basin of water; Catoxtromancy, by lookingglasses; Chartomancy, by writing in papers (this is retained in choosing Valentines, &c.); Macharomancy, by knives or swords; Chrystallomancy, by glasses; Dactalomancy, by rings; Coseinomancy, by sieves; Axinomancy, by sawes; Cattabo |