only word for which
it would appear to be a probable substitution would be "Vallum," in the
sense of a border or rampart; but the application would be so far-fetched
that I shall not attempt it, especially as I look upon the explanation
afforded by "Valens" as most probably the true one.

A. E. B.

Leeds, March 20. 1851.

* * * * *

FOLK LORE.

_Cure of Hooping Cough._--There is a superstition in Cheshire that hooping
cough may be cured by holding a toad for a few moments with its head within
the mouth of the person affected. I heard only the other day of a cure by
this somewhat disagreeable process; the toad was said to have caught the
disease, which in this instance proved fatal to it in a few hours.

A. H. H.

_Charms from Devonshire._--The following charms were obtained from an old
woman in this parish, though probably they are all known to you already:

(_a._) _For a Scald or Burn._

"There were three angels came from The East and West,
One brought fire and another brought frost,
And the third it was the Holy Ghost.
Out fire, in frost, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost. Amen."

(_b._) _For a Sprain._

"As our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was riding into
Jerusalem, His horse tripped and sprained his leg. Our Blessed Lord and
Saviour blessed it, and said,

'Bone to bone, and vein to vein,
O vein, turn to thy rest again!'

M. N. so shall thine, in the Name," &c.

{259}

(_c._) _For stopping Blood._

"Our Blessed Saviour was born in Bethlehem and baptized in the river
Jordan.

'The Waters were wild and rude.
The child Jesus was meek, mild, and good.'

He put His foot into the waters, and the waters stopped, and so shall
thy blood, in the Name," &c.

(d.) _For the Tooth-ache._

"All glory! all glory! all glory! be to the Father, and to the Son, and
to the Holy Ghost.

"As our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was walking in the garden of
Gethsamene, He saw Peter weeping. He called him unto Him, and said,
Peter why, weepest thou? Peter answered and said, Lord, I am grievously
tormented with pain, the pain of my tooth. Our Lord answered and said,
If thou wilt believe in Me, and My words abide with thee, thou shalt
never feel any more pain in thy tooth. Peter said, Lord, I believe,
help Thou my unbelief. In the Name, &c.

"God