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Thursday 31 March 2011

Wanted - your Childhood playground rhymes!

Myself as a child.

[Can anyone remember any playground rhymes or games?  I am putting together a post consisting of remembered playground rhymes and games. It seems to me this area as a true essence of the anarchic oral lore that gave rise to all the stuff I post here, and almost everyone will have been to school.
If you went to a school in the Westcountry and played in a playground you will almost certianly have experianced a real oral tradition - the rhymes and games of children. Some came from books, I am sure, and some from teachers and parents (who themselves may have learned them in the playground), but I am sure most came from other children.

So - if you can remember anything, no mater how small, please post them here as a comment, and I will include them in the final post.

Please put a place and an estimated date...]

May Day at Helston

Helston on on the 8th of May - Flora day - Rod Allday [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
"At Helston, in Cornwall, the May-day festivals are still observed with all the old-time spirit and enthusiasm."

Hewett 1900

Map - Helston

Help neaded - can anyone remember any playground rhymes or games?

Myself as a child.

[Can anyone remember any playground rhymes or games?  I am putting together a post consisting of remembered playground rhymes and games. It seems to me this area as a true essence of the anarchic oral lore that gave rise to all the stuff I post here, and almost everyone will have been to school.
If you went to a school in the Westcountry and played in a playground you will almost certianly have experianced a real oral tradition - the rhymes and games of children. Some came from books, I am sure, and some from teachers and parents (who themselves may have learned them in the playground), but I am sure most came from other children.

So - if you can remember anything, no mater how small, please post them here as a comment, and I will include them in the final post.

Please put a place and an estimated date...]

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Some Devon May Day customs

May Blossom - Hawthorn - If you wish to use my photos please attribute this blog.
[I hope these are about Devon, anyway - with Hewett she is infuriatingly spartan with place references, and occasionally includes stuff from other counties - so treat with care...]

"There were, and still are, numerous superstitions attached to the merry month of May. Marriages taking place in May are supposed to bring ill-luck to the contracting parties. Cats born in this month are regarded as unpleasant creatures to have about one, as the practice of bringing into the house snakes, toads, and other objectionable vermin is ascribed to them.
 
May-dew, collected before or close upon sun-rise, is looked upon as an infallible beautifier of the complexion. Young girls arose early to wash their faces in it with the hope that their charms would be increased. On returning from the fields they would gather branches of hawthorn bloom, and suspend it over the entrance to the house, to protect it and themselves from the spells of witches and the evil eye.

On the first of May, persons were sent on ridiculous errands, and on their return, empty handed, were derisively addressed as May giize-chicks, or May goslings."

Hewett 1900

Introduction to Mayday by Hewett

Lustliegh May Queen Rock By Owain.davies (Own work) [CC-BY-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"From the time of the Roman evacuation of Britain, A.D. 410, May Day festivals have been observed throughout the country. The Saxons retained the worship of Maia, the mother of Jupiter, on the first of the month, and from this custom the month derived its name.

This popular festival was observed with the joyful ringing of bells, music, dancing, and mummings. Every building was covered with a profusion of floral decorations. Kings and queens did not object to join the members of their Court, civic dignitaries, and the populace, in the enjoyment of May Day gaieties. The makers of the fun adorned themselves with wreaths and festoons of flowers. Girls, wearing a profusion of flowers, danced around the Maypole to the wild strains of fifes and drums. Men visited the beer shops, where they imbibed more than was good for them.

As the custom grew old, abuses crept in, and what was once a picturesque and innocent recreation degenerated into frantic drunken revels, which were a scandal and a nuisance."

Hewett 1900

[At a time when the government are threatening to remove our mayday bank-holiday it is worth remembering that this is among  the oldest holidays in Britain. As the festival was celebrated in Pagan Ireland it is very likely that it pre-dates the Romans and is thus our oldest that is true to its roots as a celebration of the changing year.]

Thursday 24 March 2011

The Hobby Horse of Devon and Cornwall

The revived horse of Penzance - the Penglaz Obby Oss
"A form of amusement popular in Devon and Cornwall is that of the Hobby Horse. This practice of assuming the forms of animals and counterfeiting their actions is of ancient date and probably formed part of the Roman Saturnalia.

The hobby horse consists of a compound figure. The head and tail of a horse, with a light wooden frame for the body (generally a couple of very slender hurdles joined at the top bars) is attached to the shoulders of a couple of strong youths, one in front with his head covered with a horse-faced mask, and another at the back who cleverly conceals his head under the frame.
The frame covered with trappings reaching to the ground hides the feet of the actors and prevents the discovery that the supposed horse has none. Thus equipped the men prance about, imitating the curvettings and motions of a horse.

As the hobby horse perambulates the streets and capers about, the village band preceding it, the children strike at it with whips and sticks ; uproarious shouts of laughter rend the air, and a great deal of rough play is indulged in."

Hewett 1900

[This sounds quite different to the surviving horses at Minehead and Padstow, which only take a single person to operate them - this sounds more like a pantomime horse. Perhaps Hewett was writing more authoratativly than she could actually justify. Or perhaps she knew of a Hobby Horse or Obby Oss that had survived undetected... I doubt it.]

Map - Penzance
Map - Padstow
Map - Minehead


Mothering Sunday in Devon (part 2)

[cont] "...The custom arose from the practice of our Roman Catholic ancestors going in procession on Mid-lent Sunday, from the most distant parts of their parishes, to visit the Mother Church ; and, according to the custom of the times, much of the day, though nominally set apart for a religious service, was devoted to festivity and mirth. Instances of such perverted institutions are to be met with in the saints' festivals, the wakes, the revels, the church-ales, and fairs, many of which are still kept up in country villages, to say nothing of the more riotous festivities of Lent, Easter, Whitsuntide, and Christmas.

I'll to thee a simnel bring,
Gainst thou go a-mothering ;
So that when she blesseth thee,
Half that blessing thou'lt give me.

Hewett 1900

Mothering Sunday in Devon (part 1)

Seakale - David Baird [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
 "In many parts of Devonshire and other western counties, the fourth Sunday in Lent is observed as a holiday, under the title of Mothering Sunday. Servants, apprentices, and young working-folks in general visit their parents, and between them make up very happy home parties. The previous Saturday is a busy day, for the mother is looking forward with great pleasure to the morrow's meetings and festivities. She busies herself in preparing the materials for a good dinner for the joyous youngsters, and gives them the very best she can afford. Of course the mothering-cake is her chief care. It is big and rich, and must be well baked, sugared, and ornamented with fanciful designs. The dinner on Sunday consists of a hind quarter of lamb with mint sauce, a well-boiled suet pudding, seakale, and cauliflower, wheat furmity, with home-made wines. The day is one of mirthful enjoyment, mutual congratulations, and benevolence. The remains of the feast are usually distributed amongst needy neighbours who are unable to purchase these delicacies for themselves..." [cont.]

Hewett 1900

A rather inacurate "Planet Ruling" by an astrologer from Exeter in the late 19th century

Astronomical Man - Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, the Musée Condé, Chantilly. 15th century.

"A LADY wishing to verify the statement that C. of Exeter "ruled the planets, thereby foretelling interesting facts in connexion with the future," sent him five shillings, stating at the same time, the hour, date, and year of her birth. The following are a few extracts from the reply, which consisted of eight closely written pages of foolscap paper.
A FEMALE.
Born, June 13th, 1874.
At 7 hours 13 minutes, p.m.
At the time of this birth the 19th degree of the sign Libra ascended the Eastern Horizon, and the 26th degree of the sign Cancer culminated, and Venus who rules or governs the ascendant was posited in the sign Taurus in the eighth house. Saturn was posited in Scorpio retrograde.
* * * *
This is a sign of a tine with Saturn. Mars and Mercury were in conjunction in Pisces in the ninth house. The moon was in Sagittarius applying to a tine with the Sun in Aries in the seventh house.
* * * *

The above configuration of the planets shews the native to be over the middle height, with a fine well proportioned body, neatly compacted, moderately fleshy, but not stout, or corpulent ; brown hair and good complexion, tending to sanguine. Fine brown eyes, with tender expression. Of cheerful disposition ; merry and mirthful, persevering in all undertakings, loves neatness in dress, never guilty of extravagance or unworthy action. Of high intelligence and graceful carriage.

As regards husbands. The native will do well to be cautious in selecting her husbands. The first will be respectable, fond of wine, often intemperate, careless in business. Tall, stout, and of a passionate disposition, careless in money matters, but generous at times. Fond of the pleasures of the table, and will die suddenly. The second husband will be tall, handsome, with a good complexion, hasty tempered but soon appeased, generous, free spirited, will be possessed of substantial means, fond of manly sports and exercises, highly cultured and intellectual. The native must temporize with him, and will then easily get her own way in most things.

She will always have pecuniary worries, and must therefore be very careful in all money matters. At forty she will lose a relative, but will not be much prejudiced thereby. She must never make a friend of, or trust any dark woman older than herself. She will have many friends and be popular amongst her acquaintances. At about fifty-four or sixty-eight she will have great trouble, a bad illness, or some untoward event is likely to occur.
The "native" died when about thirty. She married a very tall, pale, thin man, who survives her."

Hewett 1900

Map - Exeter 

Devon charm to bring death upon someone

A woman carrying herring to be sold at a market. Cris de Paris, ca 1500. Paris, Biblioteque Nationale, Arsenal, Est. 264 Rés. Fol. 15, pl 13

"SEW into a garment which is worn next to the skin a long thin herring-bone. As the bone dries up, or withers, so will the person wearing it gradually pine away and die."

Hewett 1900

Devon Charm to cure a fever

Saint Honorius - Honoratus of Amiens (Saint Honorius, Saint Honore)

"WRITE on parchment the following and bind it over the heart of the patient.

" In the name of St. Exuperus and St. Honorius, fall-fever, spring-fever, quartian, quintain, ago, super ago, consummatum est."

While fixing this charm to the patient, repeat three Paters and three Aves. The patient will recover after wearing the charm nine days."

Hewett 1900

Devon meathod of transfering warts to a stranger

Warts - By RaffiKojian (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"Take as many small stones from a running stream as you have warts, put them tightly into a clean white bag, and throw them into the highway or street. Then wash each wart in strong vinegar seven successive mornings. Whoever picks up the bag of stones will get a transfer of the warts."

Hewett 1900

Devon hen-house Christmas prophosy

Hen - House - By Cacycle (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

"ON Christmas eve go into the yard and tap smartly at the door of the hen-house. If a hen first cackles, you will never marry, but if a cock crows first then you will marry before the end of the coming year."

Hewett 1900

Devon toad charm to staunch blood

Common Toad - Bufo Bufo - By Lilly M (Own work) [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons

"Take a fine full-grown toad ; kill him, then take three bricks and keep in a very hot oven until they are red hot. Take one out and place the toad upon it ; when the brick is cold remove the toad ; then take the other bricks and place the toad on them successively until he be reduced to powder. Then take the toad ashes and sew them up carefully in a silk bag one-and-a-half inch square. When one is bleeding place this bag on the heart of the sufferer, and it will instantly stay the bleeding of the nose or any wound."


Hewett 1900

Wednesday 23 March 2011

A Devon charm sung by witches while collecting herbs

Cooking Witches - unknown date - Geschichte Österreichs
 
"Hail to thee, holy herb,
Growing on the ground,
All on Mount Calvary
First wast thou found.
Thou art good for many sores,
And healeth many a wound ;
In the name of St. Jesu !
I take thee from the ground.

The muttering of this charm, while concockting drugs or simples, balsams or elixirs, contributes marvelously to their efficacy."

Hewett 1900

Devon Charm to stop a nose bleed

Statue of Our Lady with Christ child, Buckfast Abbey, Devon
"Say nine times with great faith these words :


Blood abide in this vein as Christ abideth in the church, and hide in thee as Christ hideth from himself.

The bleeding will presently cease."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to summon the spirits

Prince Arthur and the Fairy Queen. Johann Heinrich Füssli 1788
"Anoint your eyes for three days with the combined juices of the herbs, dill, vervain, and St. John's-wort, and the spirits in the air will become visible to you."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to protect from theives and enemies

Frontispiece of the Old Testament -By Phillip Medhurst (Photo by Harry Kossuth) [FAL], via Wikimedia Commons
"SAY daily at sunrise :

"In the power of God, I walk on my way
In the meekness of Christ, what thieves soe'er I meet
The Holy Ghost to-day shall me keep.
Whether I sit, or stand, walk or sleep,
The shining of the sun
Also the brightness of his beams, shall me help.
The faith of Isaac to-day shall me lead ;
The sufferings of Jacob to-day be my speed.
The devotion of the holy Lamb thieves shall let,
The strength of Jesus's passion them beset,
The dread of death hold thieves low,
The wisdom of Solomon cause their overthrow.
The sufferings of Job set them in hold,
The chastity of Daniel let what they would.
The speech of Isaac their speech shall spill,
The languishing faith of Jerom let them of their will.
The flaming fires of hell to hit them, I bequeath,
The deepness of the deep sea, their hearts to grieve
The help of Heaven cause thieves to stand.
He that made the sun and moon bind them with his hand
So sure as St. Bartholomew bound the fiend,
With the hair of his beard.
With these three sacred names of God known and unknown.
Miser, Sue, Tetragrammaton, Christ Jesus ! Amen."

Hewett 1900

[I am not a great expert on such things, but this line "Miser, Sue, Tetragrammaton," sounds a bit Jewish.  Although it does feature Jesus and Saint Bartholomew the rest seem to be old testament characters.]


Devon charm to cure whooping cough

Donkey, or Ass, at Clovelly in Devon - by Neil Kennedy [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"Bring an ass before the door of the house, into whose mouth thrust a slice of new bread, then pass the sick child three times over and under the animal's body, and the charm is completed."

Hewett 1900

[This charm reminds me of another on Dartmoor, where the sick child was put amongst the sheep - there was obviously an idea that the cough sounded like an animal, and thus sympathetic magic was needed.]

Devon charm to cure Rheumatism

Potato field after harvest in the South Hams - Derek Harper [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
"AN ancient Devonshire superstition is the potato-cure for rheumatism, which should be applied in this way.

Take a freshly dug early grown kidney potato, wash it free from soil, and ask a member of the opposite sex to yourself, to place it unobserved in a pocket of one of your garments. Having once worn the tuber you can change it yourself into another pocket at will, but it must be worn continuously, not intermittently, or its charm will be lost. It is believed that as the potato hardens the rheumatism will leave the system. A common practice among agricultural labourers, is to carry one in every waistcoat pocket until its looks like a small grey stone, and has become quite as hard."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to cure Ringworm, Barngun, or skin eruptions such as shingles

Shingles on a back - By Timepants (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
"Barngun is cured by blessing, and the outward application of clotted cream, thus : Take three locks of
wool one white, one grey, one black dip them into a basin of clotted cream, and when thoroughly saturated,
take each lock and rub in succession each infected spot on the skin. Hang the wool on sprigs of white thorn against the wind to dry. Repeat this process five, seven, or nine times, as the case may require. While lubricating the sores chant in monotone the following : 

There were three angels come from the west, 
to cure Simon Fluke (or other) of the barngun, 
white barngun, red barngun, black barngun,
aching, sticking, pricking, barngun, 
all sorts of barngun,
barngun-biibee, 
ill will I prove 'e. 
I stick thee
up on thees yer thorn, 
there thou shalt die, 
and never come near'n no more, 
in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen."

Hewett 1900 

[This charm is very similar to other Devon charms for other ailments in the opening and closing lines, and in the use of colours (take note: there are three colours - 3 is a very frequently used number in folklore). Also note the hypnotically intensifying rhythm.]

Tuesday 22 March 2011

Devon charm for curing sciatica, or boneshave

Me dipping my wizened leg into a Dartmoor Stream on a hot day If you wish to use my photos please attribute this blog
"TAKE a pail of clean river water, dipped from the down-flowing stream, a pair of shears, a large key, and a new table knife. Dip the knife into the pail of water, draw it back upwards, downwards and across the hip three times each way. Then dip the key into the water and proceed as before. Then dip the shears into water, shear the hip as though it were covered with wool. Return the water left in the bucket to the river and sing

As this watter goeth to zay,
So flow boneshave away."

Hewett 1900





Devon charm to cure an itching hand

Hand

"To cure itching in the palm of the hand

Rub it on the eye,
'Twill go by-and-bye ;
Rub it on wood,
'Twill sure to come good.

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to cure diarrhea

Hot Cross Buns - By Shannon Hobbs (originally posted to Flickr as Hot Cross Buns) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"TAKE a stale Good-Friday cross-bun and place it in a hot oven to dry. By grating when hard into powder, and, when required, mixing it with cold water and taken as a medicine, it will cure diarrhoea.

When Good-Friday comes, an old woman runs
With one, or two-a-penny hot-cross-buns.
Whose virtue is, if you'll believe what's said,
They'll not grow mouldy like the common bread."

Hewett 1900

Friday 18 March 2011

Devon charm to cure dropsy / swelling of soft tissues from water retention

Toad - Bufo bufo - By Korall (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
"Take several large fully-grown toads, place them in a vessel in which they can be burned without their ashes becoming mixed with any foreign matter. When reduced to ashes, pound them in a stone mortar. Place the ashes in a wide-mouthed jar, cork closely and keep in a dry place.

Dose. One teaspoonful of ashes in milk to be taken at the growing of the moon for nine mornings."

Hewett 1900

[I love toads - do not replicate this 'cure'.]

Toad snuff: a Devon charm for a nose bleed

Common Toad Bufo bufo - I cannot imagine anyone being so cruel to such a lovely creature - By Ernie (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
"TAKE one or two fine old toads, place them in a cold oven, increase the heat until sufficiently fierce to cook the toads and reduce them to a brown crisp mass. Remove from the oven and beat them to powder in a stone mortar. Place the powder in a box and use as snuff!"

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to counter the bad luck of ill omened birds

Collard Dove - by DemonTraitor, wikipedia, under a creative commoncs lecence http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Collared_dove.jpg
"ONE should repeat seven times the following :

" Clean birds by sevens, unclean birds by twos,
The dove in the heavens, is the bird which I choose.""

Hewett 1900

Devon Charm to cure Kings Evil / Scrofula / cervical tuberculous lymphadenopathy,

Common Vervain (Verbena officinalis) - from Deutschlands Flora in Abbildungen.by Johann Georg Sturm (Painter: Jacob Sturm) 1796
"Bake a toad and when dried sufficiently to roll into powder, beat up in a stone mortar, mix with powdered vervain. Sew in a silken bag and wear round the neck."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to assist a child in teathing

"Make a necklace of beads cut from the root of henbane and place round the child's neck."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to cure a sore throat

"Read the eighth Psalm seven times for three successive mornings over the patient."

Hewett 1900

Devon tree charm to cure toothache

Hand on Ash Bark - by Photograph and upload by John Delano of Hammond, Indiana. Wikipedia.

"Cut your toe and finger nails, take these parings, wrap in tissue paper, and insert the packet into a slit made in the bark of an ash tree before sunrise. You will never have toothache again as long as you live."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to keep fleas and other insects out of the house


Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) - by By Ken Billington (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
"When you first hear the cuckoo in the Spring, take some of the earth from the place on which your right foot is standing, and sprinkle it on the threshold of your front door; but speak of it to no one. Neither fleas, beetles, earwigs, or vermin of any sort will cross it."

Hewett 1900




Devon charm to cure mental illness, promote success in love and ward against evil

St Johns Wort, used as a charm - by Glyn Baker [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
"ST. John's Wort, or Devil's Flight, gathered on St. John's Day or on a Friday, dried and placed in a closely-covered jar and hung in a window, will protect the house from thunderbolts, storms, fire, and evil spirits.

If the flowers and leaves are dried and ground into powder and then placed in a silken bag and hung round the neck, the person will be successful in love, and be cured of the vapours and all mental afflictions. To insure perfect immunity from these ills, it is necessary to operate in July, on the evening of the full moon."

Hewett 1900

Thursday 17 March 2011

Devon charm to destroy the power of a witch

Common Frog

"TAKE three small-necked stone jars : place in each the liver of a frog stuck full of new pins, and the heart of a toad stuck full of thorns from the holy thorn bush. Cork and seal each jar. Bury in three different churchyard paths seven inches from the surface and seven feet from the porch. While in the act of burying each jar repeat the Lord's prayer backwards. 

As the hearts and livers decay so will the witch's power vanish. After performing this ceremony no witch can have any power over the operator."

Hewett 1900

[At Pitt Rivers museum in Cambridge there is a toad and a bulls heart from 19th century Devon stuck with pins and nails... There are examples available on the internet, including here, but the owners of the images somehow think that there job is to restrict the use of this folk material, rather than facilitating free communal use of our past... I wish I wasn't trying to keep this site copyright legal - there is lots of interesting stuff held by various public institutions, but they all restrict the use of the information they make available. Oh well.]

Devon charm / amulet / talisman against ague

Gallows - By Pearson Scott Foresman [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
"For amulets against ague one must use chips of a gallows. These chips must be sewn into silken bags and worn near the heart."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm amulet / talisman for insuring luck and love in all things

Love charm and luck charm

"WHOEVER wears this charm, written on virgin parchment, and sewn up in a small round silken bag continuously over the heart, will obtain all the love he or she may desire, and will be successful in every undertaking."

Hewett 1900

Devon amulet / talisman for protection from enemies

Talisman / amulet for protection from Enemies
"THIS talisman should be made of pure cast iron and engraven at the time of new moon. Before suspending it round the neck fumigate it with the smoke of burnt Spirits of Mars (a mixture of red saunders, frankincense, and red pepper), or a ring of pure gold might be made, with the characters engraven on the inside. The size and form of this talisman is immaterial so long as the proper time for making it is observed and the prescribed incense is used before it is worn. In any form it will protect one from enemies, and counteract the power of the evil eye."

Hewett 1900

Thursday 10 March 2011

Devon amulet to protect against witches, pixies, spirits and the forces of evil

The illustration to accompany this entry in Hewett's book.  The charm written on parchment used as an amulet against evil magics in Exeter, Devon.
"The word "Abracadabra" written on parchment was given by an Exeter white witch, to a person who desired to possess a talisman against the dominion of the grey witch, pixies, evil spirits and the powers of darkness ! It cost a guinea, and was sewn up in a small black silk bag one inch square. This was hung round the neck and never removed. Should it by chance fall to the ground, all its properties for good would be lost and a new charm must be procured from the same white witch, or dire misfortune would overtake the owner. In " Reminiscences and Reflections," of an old West Country clergyman (the Rev. W. H. Thornton, rector of North Bovey), the word "Abracadabra" occurs on page 44, in connection with a meeting of spiritualists, held in London in 1848."

Hewett 1900


[The symbols look vaguely alchemical, but I can not identify any directly. The bottom one looks a bit like the Nordic Algez, while one on the left looks a bit like astrological Torus, possibly with a sign for completnes above it... Any advances?]

Devon Charm to regain money

Coins from:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonanamary/328238859/sizes/l/ AttributionShare Alike Some rights reserved by jonanamary

"A white witch professed to be able to restore a lost sum of money by the following incantation.

Flibberty, gibberty, flasky flum,
Calafac, tarada, lara, wagra wum.
Hooky, maroosky, whatever's the sum,
Heigho ! Presto ! Money corne !
In the name of the Father, the Holy Ghost, and Son. Amen ! Amen !"

Hewett 1900

Devon cure for inflamation

Raw Beef - By BrokenSphere (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"Scour the inflamed part with strong brine, afterwards wash with plenty of soap, plenty too of hot water. Eat much raw beef for nine days."

Hewett, 1900

Devon charm to cure the Kings Evil, or Scrofula, or cervical tuberculous lymphadenopathy .

King's Evil, Scrofula, or cervical tuberculous lymphadenopathy are all the same disease.

"After morning service in the parish church, the nearest male relative, in the case of a woman ; or in the case of a man, the nearest female relative, stations him or her self, on the right-hand side of the porch, holding his or her hat, into which young men (or women), between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one, drop a penny to the number of thirty. The pennies so collected are changed for a silver half-crown. The centre of this coin is cut out, and the outer ring is suspended as a charm to the neck of the afflicted person. The centre piece is reserved until the next funeral takes place, when it is dropped into the grave just before the coffin is lowered into it."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to cure a thorn in the flesh

Cima da Conegliano, Christ Crowned with Thorns, 15th - 16th century

"Our dear Lord Jesus Christ was pricked with thorns. His blood went back to Heaven again, His flesh neither cankered, rankled, nor festered, neither shall thine, M. or N. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen, Amen, Amen."

Hewett 1900

[Not sure what "M. or N." meens...]

Tuesday 8 March 2011

Devon cure for zweamy-headedness

Old Rum

"Wash the head with plenty of old rum. The back and face with sour wine ; wear flannel next the skin, and carry a packet of salt in the left-hand pocket."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm for seeing ones husband via the moon.

The moon
"ON seeing the new moon, make the sign of the cross three times in the air, and once on your forehead. Clasp both hands tightly together and hold them in a supplicating attitude, uplifted towards the moon. Then repeat :

All hail, all hail, to thee,
All hail to thee, new moon,
I pray to thee, new moon,
Before thou growest old,
To reveal unto me,
Who my true love shall be!

Before the moon is at full the suppliant will see her true love."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to discover the initials of your future husband

Saints Jude and Simeon and the magicians - from Alciato's Book of Emblems, 14th century
 
"On October 28th, the day dedicated to Saints Simeon and Jude, is the most propitious on which to use the following incantation for the discovery of the future one's initials. Take a fine round apple, peel it in one whole length. Take the paring in the right hand, stand in the centre of a large room, and while waving the paring gently round your head repeat :

St. Simeon and St. Jude on you I intrude,
By this paring I hold to discover.
Without delay, tell me I pray,
The first letters of my own true lover.

Then drop the paring over the left shoulder and it will form the initial of your future husband's name; if it break up into small pieces you will die an old maid."

Hewett 1900

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Devon Charm to find out who will be your future husband

Paul Signac - Red Silk Stockings - 1935

"Whoso wishes to see the spectre of a future husband can do so by performing the following rite. Retire to bed just before midnight, as quietly as possible. Remove the left garter, and tie it round the right stocking, while doing so repeat the following :

This knot I knit, to know the thing I know not yet
That I may see, the man that shall my husband be,
How he goes, and what he wears,
And what he does all days and years. 

During the night, the future "he" will appear dressed in his ordinary attire, carrying some badge of his trade or profession."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm to determin weather your fiance will be true

Sheep and Butcher - Attribution Some rights reserved by laurakgibbs   http://www.flickr.com/photos/38299630@N05/3679542239/sizes/o/in/photostream/
"Procure from a. butcher a bladebone of a shoulder of lamb divested of all the meat. Borrow a penknife from an unmarried man, but do not say for what purpose it is required. Take a yard of white ribbon, and having tied it to the bone, hang it as high in your bedroom chimney as you can conveniently reach. On going to bed pierce the bone with the knife once, for nine successive nights, in a different place each night, repeat while doing so, the following :

Tiz not this bone I means to stick,
But my lover's heart I means to prick,
Wishing him neither rest nor sleep,
Till unto me he comes to speak.
 
At the end of nine days your sweetheart will ask you to bind a wounded finger, or to attend to a cut which he will have met with during the time the charm was being used."

Hewett 1900

To insure good eyesight in Devon

Fennel on Slapton Sands - Gwen and James Anderson [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
"Fennel, rose, vervain, celandine and rue,
Do water make which will the sight renew."

Hewett 1900