at wicket blindenes 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 our Lady, or other
like, thei shall die no sodain death, nor be hanged, or yf he be
hanged, he shall not die. There is so manye suche, though ye laugh,
and beleve it not, and not hard to shewe them with a wet finger." The
same author observes 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 writtin Scrolles about the Necke, but lamentinge unfeignedlye
our Synnes from the hart."

The following charact was found in a linen purse belonging to a
murderer named Jackson, who died in Chichester jail in February, 1749.
He was "struck with such horror on being measured for his chains that
he soon after expired."

"Ye three holy Kings,
Gaspar, Melchior, Balthasar,
Pray for us now, and in the hour of our death."

"These papers have touched the three heads of the holy
Kings at Cologne. They are to preserve travellers from
accidents on the road, headaches, falling sickness,
fevers, witchcraft, all kinds of mischief, and sudden
death."

Belgrave prescribes a cure of agues, by a certain writing which the
patient wears, as follows: "When Jesus went up to the Cross to be
crucified, the Jews asked him, saying Art thou afraid? or hast thou
the ague? Jesus answered and said, I am not afraid, neither have I the
ague. All those which bear the name of Jesus about them shall not be
afraid, nor yet have the ague. Amen, sweet Jesus, Amen, sweet Jehovah,
Amen." He adds: "I have known many who have been cured of the ague by
this writing only worn about them; and I had the receipt from one
whose daughter was cured thereby, who had the ague upon her two
years."[95]

Among other written amulets, the first Psalm, when written on doeskin,
was supposed to be efficacious in childbirth. It was necessary,
however, for the writer of such amulets to plunge into a bath as soon
as he had written one line, and after every new line it was thought
necessary that he should repeat the plunge.

The following process for avoiding inflamed eyes is taken from
Marcellus, 380 A. D.: "Write on a clean sheet of paper [Greek:
oubaik], and hang this round the patient's neck, with a thread from
the loom. In a state of purity and chastity write on a clean