Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 5 1887.djvu/273

Rh suis, et audivit vocem mulieris parturientis, et dixit Johanni, vade et die ad aurem dextram sic, Elisabet peperit Joannem, anna, peperit mariam, Maria me saluatorem mundi, sic pariat Ista domina sine dolore. o Infans sine sis masculus, sine sis femina, sine viuus, sine mortuus veni foras quia Christus vocat te ad lucem, Caspar te rogat, Melchior te vocat, Baldesar te extrait, memento filiorum Edon qui dixerunt exinanite exinanite.

Colic.—Folk-lore on this complaint is very trifling. Black in Folk-Medicine names a charm of wolf's dung shut up in a pipe, used by Alexander of Tralles in the sixth century. At Towednack in Cornwall they advise you to stand on your head to cure it (p. 183).

Pepys tried a more agreeable method as a charm. He says:—

20 Jan. 1664:-5. "Homeward, in my way buying a hare and taking it home, which arose upon my discourse to-day with Mr. Batten in Westminster Hall, who showed me my mistake, that my hare's foot hath not the joynt in it, and assures me he never had the cholique since he carried it about him; and it is a strange thing how fancy works, for I no sooner handled his foot but I became very well, and so continue " (vol. ii. p. 423).

2nd. "Now mighty well, and truly I can but impute it to my fresh hare's foot" (p. 424).

March 26. "Now I am at a loss to know whether it be my hare's foot, which is my preservation; for I never had a fit of collique since I wore it, or whether it be my taking a pull of turpentine every morning (p. 448)..

Number in Folk-Medicine.—(Cure for Sweating Sickness).—"Another very true medecine.—For to say every day at seven parts of your body 7 paternosters, and 7 Ave Marias with 1 credo at the last. Ye shal begyn at the ryght syde, under the ryght ere, saying the 'paternoster qui es in coelis, sanctificetur nomen tuum,' with a cross made there with your thumb, and so say the paternoster full