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brought, or laid before any woman delivered of child in the place of her natural child, so far forth as I can know and understand. Also I will not use any kind of sorcery or incantation in the time of the travail of any woman." The word changeling, in its modern acceptation, implies one almost an idiot, evincing what was once the popular creed on this subject, for as all the frail children were a little backward of their tongue and seemingly idiots, therefore, stunted and idotical children were supposed changelings. This superstition has not escaped the Papatus credit albatas Mulieres, et id genus Larvas, pueros integros auferre, aliosque suggerere monstruosos, et debiles multis partibus; aut ad Baptisterium aliis commutare; aut ad Templi introitum.' Papatus, p. 139. It was thought that fairies could only change their weakly and starveling elves for the more robust offspring of men before baptism, whence the custom in the Highlands. One of the methods of discovering whether a child belongs to the fairies or not, is printed in a book entitled "A Pleasant Treatise of Witchcraft," 1673. In the highlands of Scotland, as Pennant informs us, children are watched till the christening is over, lest they should be stolen or changed by the fairies. This belief was entertained by the ancients. Something like this obtained in England. Gregory mentions 'an ordinarie superstition of the old wives, who dare not intrust a childe in a cradle by itself alone without a candle." This he attributes to their fear of nighthags. In the "Gentle Shepherd," Bauldy describing Mause as a witch, says of her:

"At midnight hours o'er the kirk-yard she raves,

And howks unchristen'd weans out of their graves."

To this notion Shakespear alludes when he makes Henry IV., speaking of Hotspur, in comparison with his own profligate son, say as follows:

O that it could be prov'd That some night-tripping fairy had exchang'd,

In cradle-cloaths our children where they lay,

And call'd mine Percy, his Plantaganet! Then would I have his Harry, and he mine."

Spenser has the like thought in the first book of the "Faery Queene":

"From thence a fairy thee unweeting reft

There as thou slep'st in tender swadling band,

And her base Elfin brood there for thee left,

Such men do changelings call, SO chang'd by fairy theft.'

Willis relates a singular anecdote :

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Vpon an extraordinary accident which befel me in my swadling cloaths. When we come to years, we are commonly told of what befel us in our infancie, if the same were more than ordinary. Such an acci dent (by relation of others) befel me within a few daies after my birth, whilst my mother lay in of me being her second child, when I was taken out of the bed by her side, and by my suddain and fierce crying recovered again, being found sticking between the beds head and the wall: and if I had not cryed in that manner as I did, our gossips had a conceit that I had been quite carried away by the fairies they know not whither, and some elfe or changeling (as they call it) laid in my room.' He himself, however, discrediting the gossips' account, attributes this attempt to the devil. "Certainly, that attempt of stealing me away as soone as I was borne (whatever the midwives talk of it) came from the malice of that archenemy of mankind, who is continually going about seeking whom he may betray and devoure." He concludes, 66 blessed be the Lord our most gracious God, that disappointed them then, and hath ever since preserved and kept mee from his manifold plots and stratagems of destruction: so as now in the seventieth yeare of mine age, I yet live to praise and magnifie his wonderfull mercies towards me in Gav, in his fable of the "Mother, Nurse, this behalfe." Mount Tabor, 1639, p. 92. and Fairy," laughs thus at the superstitious idea of changelings. A fairy's tongue is the vehicle of his elegant ridicule :

"Whence sprung the vain conceited lye
That we the worid with fools supplye?
What! give our sprightly race away
For the dull helpless sons of clay!
Besides, by partial fondness shown,
Like you, we doat upon our own.
Where ever yet was found a mother
Who'd give her booby for another?
And should we change with human
breed,

Well might we pass for fools indeed." Pennant, speaking of "the Fairy Oak," of which also he exhibits a portrait, relates (1796) this curious circumstance respecting it: "In this very century, a poor cottager, who lived near the spot, had a child who grew uncommonly peevish; the parents attributed this to the fairies, and imagined that it was a changeling. They took the child, put it in a cradle, and left it all night beneath the tree, in hopes that the tylwydd têg or fairy family, or the fairy folk, would restore their own be

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Confessio Amantis, Books i. and vi. In "Dives and Pauper," 1493, sign. C 2, we find censured: Charmes in gadering of herbes, or hangynge of scrowes aboute man or woman or childe or beest for any seknesse with any scripture or figures and carectes, but if it be Pater Noster, Ave, or the Crede, or holy wordes of the Gospel, or of holy Wryt, for devocion nat for curiousite, and only with the tokene of the holy Crosse." In the " "Burnynge of Paules Church," 1561, the author (Bishop Pilkington) writes: "What wicked blindness is this than, to thinke that wearing prayers written in rolles about with theym, as S. Johns Gospell, the length of our Lord, the measure of cur Ladye, or other like, thei shall die ne 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 ob serve 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." In the Earl of Northampton's "Defensative" we read: "One of the Reysters which served under the Fernche Admirall, at the Siege of Poictiers, was found after he was dead, to have about his necke a purse of

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taffata, and within the same a piece of parchment full of characters in Hebrew; beside many cycles, semicircles, tryangles, &c. with sundrie short 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 Christo, might be wrested to the safeguard and defence of every private man.' Defensative, 1583, sign. O 4 verso, quoting Histoire des Troubles, livre viii. Lodge, speaking of curiosity, says: "If you long to know this slave, you shall never take him without a book of characters in his

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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 led, with crosses, (and Adonai or Elohim written in it), he thinks it will heal the ague.' Wits Miserie, 1596, sign.

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C 2. Ramesey says: "Neither doth fancie 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, Elminthologia, 1668, or their rings, amulets, lamens," &c. 289. Andrews tells us 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 emblemContinuation of Henry. atic representation of the Resurrection.' "To this kind," long all ligatures and remedies, which the says Bingham, quoted by Bourne. "beSchools of Physitians reject and condemn; whether in inchantments or in certain marks, which they call characters, or in and bound about the body, and kept in some other things which are to be hanged a dancing posture. Such are ear-rings hanged upon the tip of each ear, and rings made of an ostriche's bones 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." divers authors (notes Mason) that in the Antiq. Vulg. 1725, xxv. "It is recorded in image of Diana, which was worshipped at Ephesus, there certaine obscure words or sentences, not agreeing together, like unto riddles written upon the feete, nor depending one upon another: much girdle and crowne of the said Diana: the which, if a man did use, having written hee should have good lucke in all his busithem out, and carrying them about him, Ephesice Litera, where one useth anynesses and hereof sprung the proverbe thing which bringeth good successe. author also mentions the superstition of characters." Anotomie of Sorcerie, 1612, "Curing Diseases with certain wordes or Religious, and Love Poems, 1866, p. 33, 90. Compare Dr. Furnivall's Political, and Love Charms, infrâ.

were

"Our

Charms.-A charm has been defined

to be " a form of word or letters, repeated or written, whereby strange things are pretended to be done, beyond the ordinary

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power of Nature." Mason derived the term from the Latin carmen (a verse or incantation). Lodge, speaking of lying, says: "He will tell you that a league from Poitiers, neere to Crontelles, there is a familie, that by a speciall grace from the father to the sonne, can heale the byting of mad dogs: and that there is another companie and sorte of people called sauveurs, that have Saint Catherines Wheele in the pallate of their mouthes, that can heale the stinging of serpents.' Wits Miserie, 1596, pp. 12, 35. Felix, in his Anglo-Saxon Life of St. Guthlac (A.D. 749, or circâ), describes the cure of a man, whose flesh had festered through a prick from a thorn in the foot, by putting on the saint's garment. The biographer tells us in perfect good faith, that no sooner was he (the patient) attired in the garment of so great a man, but the wound could not abide it: and lo! this same thorn, as an arrow speeds from the bow, so did it fly from the man, and go to a distance; and immediately at the same time all the swelling and all the wound departed from him, and he presently conversed with the holy man with blythe mood." Was this a physical or moral cure? For the sake of juxtaposition, the recovery of the Saxon boatman, "whose eyes had been for twelve months overspread with the white speck and dimness," by dropping on the afflicted organs some salt which the saint had consecrated, may be cited as a fair specimen of the credulity of former ages-a credulity after all, however, scarcely more gross than that we see at present around us. Gaule enquires "Whether pericepts, amulets, præfiscinals, phylacteries nioeteries ligatures, suspensions, charms, and spels, had ever been used, applyed, or carried 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 alchymy 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 smoky scullions (if they may not bring in new fuel to the fire) are soon taught (by their past observed follv) to ominate 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." Mag-astromancer posed, p. 192.

"Others Take the following passage: that they may colourably and cunningly hide their grosse ignorance, when they know not the cause of the disease, referre it unto charmes, witchcrafts, magnifical incantations, and sorcerie, vainely and with a brazen forehead affirming that there is no way to help them, but by characters, circles, figure-castings, exercismes, conjurations, and other impious Others set to sale, and godlesse meanes. 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 wonThe author concludes with the ders." 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 Empericke, 'Nay, quoth he, I have lived all my life by the Booke, and I will now (God willing) likewise dye by the Booke."-Beware of Pick-Purses, 1605, p. 16 (a caveat against unskilful doctors). One of our early medical men, who turned author, favours us with some information under the present head, which may be worth preserving:-" If we cannot moderate these perturbations of the minde, by reason and perswasions, or by alluring their (the patients) mindes another way, we may politikely confirme them in their fantasies, that wee may the better fasten some cure upon them; as Constantinus Africanus (if it be his booke which is inserted among Galen's Works, de Incantatione, Adjuratione, &c.) affirmeth, and practised with good successe, upon one who was impotens ad Venerem, and thought himself bewitched therewith, by reading unto him a foolish medicine out of Cleopatra, made with a crowes gall and oyle: whereof the patient took so great conceit that, upon the use of it, he presently recovered his The like strength and abilitie againe. opinion is to bee helde of those superstitious remedies which have crept into our possession, of charmes, exorcismes, conincense, holie-water, clouts crossed and stellations, characters, pericepts, amulets, folded superstitiously, repeating of a certaine number and forme of prayers or Ave Maries, offering to certaine saintes, through the wedding ring, and a hundred such like toyes and gambols: which when they prevaile in the cure of diseases, it is not for any supernaturall vertue in them, either from God or the Divell, although perhaps the Divell may have a collaterall intent or worke therein, namely, to drawe us into superstition, but by reason of the confident perswasion which melancholike and passionate people may have in them;

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according to the saying of Avicen, that the confidence of the patient in the meanes used is oftentimes more available to cure diseases then all other remedies whatsoever." Jorden's Suffocation of the Mother, 1603., p. 24. In Bell's MS. Discourse of Witchcraft I find the following: | 28, Guard against devilish charms for men or beasts. There are many sorceries practised in our day, against which I would on this occasion bear my testimony, and do therefore seriously ask you, what is it you mean by your observation of What mean you by your many spells, times and seasons as lucky or unlucky? verses, words, so often repeated, said fasting, or going backward? How mean you to have success by carrying about with you certain herbs, plants, and branches of trees? Why is it, that fearing certain events, you do use such superstitious means to prevent them, by laying bits of timber at doors, carrying a Bible meerly for a charm without any farther use of it? What intend ye by opposing witchcraft to witchcraft, in such sort that when ye suppose one to be bewitched, ye endeavour his relief by burnings, bottles, horse-shoes and such-like magical ceremonies? How think ye to have secrets revealed unto you, your doubts resolved, and your minds informed, by turning a sieve or a key? or to discover by, basons and glasses how you shall be related before you die? Or do you think to escape the guilt of sorcery, who let your Bible fall open on purpose to determine what the state of your souls is, by the first word ye light

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It appears from a communication to "Notes and Queries," that friction with a dock-leaf was then (as it is still) held in Northumberland to be a specific for the sting of a nettle. The charm to be repeated, while the rubbing process is proceeding, is: "Nettle in, dock out, Dock in, nettle out, Nettle in, dock out, Dock rub nettle out."

First Series, 111, 133. The remedy is menThe subsequent charms were found by Mr. tioned by Fraunce in the Third Part of the Countess of Pembroke's Yvychurch, 1592. Brand in his Physical MS. of 1475:

"A Charme to staunch Blood. Jesus that was in Bethleem born, and baptyzed was in the flumen Jordane, as stente the water at hys comyng, so stente the blood of thys Man N. thy servvaunt, thorw the vertu of thy holy Name

Jesu

and of thy Cosyn swete St. Jon. And Pater Nosters, in the worschep of the fyve sey thys charme fyve tymes with fyve woundys."

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"A Charme to draw out Yren de Quarell.

Longius Miles Ebreus percussit latus Domini nostri Jesu Christi; Sanguis exuit etiam latus; ad se traxit lancea tetragramaton Messyas Sother Emanuel

Saboath Adonay Unde sicut ferrum istud sive quarellum ab isto verba ista fuerunt verba Christi, sic exeat Christiano. Amen. And sey thys charme five tymes in the worschip of the fyve woundys of Christ.'

See also the Charms in Harl. MS. fol. 215 verso. Whitford, in his Work for Householders, 1530, observes: "The charmer is a good mà or a good womá & taketh here a pece of whyte breed/ & sayth ouer that breed nothynge but onely ye Pat. nr. & maketh a crosse vpon y breed whiche thynges ben all good/ than doth he nothynge els but lay ye pece of breed vnto ye tothe yt aketh or vnto ony other sore turnynge ye crosse vnto ye sore or dysease & so is ye persone healed." The writer calls this practice "euyll & dápnable." Ed. 1533, sign. C. 2 verso. In Bale's "Interlude concerning Nature, Moses, and Christ," 1538, idolatry is described with the following qualities::

Mennes fortunes she can tell;
She can by sayenge her Ave Marye,
And by other charmes of sorcerye,
Ease men of the toth ake by and bye
Yea, and fatche the Devyll from Hell.
And the same personage says:

With holy oyle and Water
I can so cloyno and clatter,
That I can at the latter

Many sutelties contryve:
I can worke wyles in battell,
If I but ones do spattle
I can make corne and cattle

That they shall never thryve.

When ale is in the fat,
If the bruar please me nat
The cast shall fall down flat

And never have any strength :
No man shall tonne nor bake
Nor meate in season make
If I agaynst him take

fauour of great persons." King James enumerates Such kinde of charmes as commonly daft wives use for healing forspoken goods" (by goods he means here cattle) "for preserving them from evill eyes, by knitting roun trees, or sundrie kind of herbes, to the haire or tailes of the goodes, by curing the worme, by stemming of blood; by healing of horse crookes, by turning of the riddle; or by doing of such like innumerable things by words, without applying anything meete to the part offended, as mediciners doe: or else by staying married folkes to have naturally adoe with other, by knitting so many knots upon a point at the time of their marriage." Demonology, p. 100. Camden tells us that to prevent kites from stealing their chicken, they hang up in the house the shells in which the chickens were hatched." Gough's edit. 1789, iii., 659. Lambarde, speaking of Kemsing, Kent, tells us that the farmers of that neighbourhood used to offer corn to the

But lose his labour at length. image of Edith, daughter of King Edgar,

Theyr wells I can up drye,
Cause trees and herbes to dye
And slee all pulterye

Whereas men doth me move:

I can make stoles to daunce
And earthen pottes to praunce,
That none shall them enhaunce,

And I do but cast my glove.
I have charmes for the ploughe,
And also for the cowghe
She shall gyve mylke ynowghe
So long as I am pleased:
Apace the myll shall go
So shall the credle do
And the musterde

querne also

No man therwyth dyseased. -Edit. 1562, sign. C 1-2. These specifics appear to partake, like others mentioned above under Burlesque, of a semi-serious character. Lord Northampton inquires: "What godly reason can any man alyve alledge why Mother Joane of Stowe, speaking these wordes, and neyther more nor lesse,

Our Lord was the first Man, That ever thorne prick'd upon: It never blysted nor it never belted, And I pray God, nor this not may. should cure either beasts, or men and women from diseases?" Defensative, 1583, sign. 004. Buttes, in his Dyetts Dry Dinner, 1599, asserts that "If one eate three small pomegranate flowers (they say) for an whole yeare he shall be safe from all maner of eye-sore." And

that "It hath bene and yet is a thing which superstition hath beleeued, that the body anoynted with the iuyce of cichory is very availeable to obtaine the

and Prioress of Wilton in Wiltshire, to protect their crops from mildew and other mishaps, and that the priest would take a handful of the quantity (keeping the rest himself, says Lambarde), sprinkle it with holy water, mumble a few words of conjuration over it, and then deliver it to the bringer to mingle with the whole harvest, to which it was supposed and pretended to communicate a sort of sanctity. Perambulation of Kent, 1570, ed. 1826, p. 457-8. Sir Thomas Browne mentions a rural charm against dodder, tetter, and strangling weeds, by placing a chalked tile at the four corners, and one in the middle of the fields, which though ridiculous in the intention, was rational in the contrivance, and a good way to diffuse the magic through all parts of the area Quincunx Artificially Considered, p. 111. I do not recollect to have seen the following mentioned among restoratives_except in one of Webster's plays, Laodamia, in a mock-epistle to Protesilaus, says that when she faints,

"Under my nose they burn a feather, And old shoes too with other leather, -Ovidius Exulans, 1673, v. 51. The following rural charms are found in Herrick:

This I'le tell ye by the way,
Maidens, when ye leavens lay,
Crosse your dow, and your dispatch
Will be better for your batch."
"In the morning when ye rise,
Wash your hands and cleanse your eyes.
Next be sure ye have a care
To disperse the water farre

For as farre as that doth light
So farre keeps the evil spright."

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