brass and pewter hap to stray,
And linen slinks out of the way;
When geese and pullen are seduced,
And sows of sucking pigs are chows'd;
When cattle feel indisposition,
And need the opinion of physician;
When murrain reigns in hogs or sheep
And chickens languish of the pip;
When yeast and outward means do fail,
And have no power to work on ale;
When butter does refuse to come,
And love proves cross and humoursome;
To him with questions and with urine
They for discovery flock, or curing."

In the seventeenth century, dairymaids, when churning, used a charm,
said over the churn in the following lines:

"Come, butter, come,
Come, butter, come;
Peter stands at the gate,
Waiting for a buttered cake,
Come, butter, come."

This having been said three times, the butter came straightway; and
very good butter it was, on the good saint being invoked.

A holy Pope of the good old times sent the following lines to an
exalted Emperor:

"Balme, Virgine-wax, and holy water,
An Agnus Dei make,
A gift than which none can be greater,
I send thee for to take.

From fountain clear the same hath issue
In secret sanctified;
'Gainst lightning it hath soverain virtue,
And thunder-cracks beside.

Each hainous sin it wears and wasteth,
Even as holy precious blood;
And women while their travel lasteth
It saves, it is so good.

It doth bestow great gifts and graces
On such as well deserve;
And borne about in noisome places,
From peril doth preserve.

The force of fire, whose heat destroyeth,
It breaks and bringeth down;
And he or she that this enjoyeth
No water shall them drown."

CHAPTER XLVI.

Ear-rings buried by Jacob--Solomon's Belief in
Spells--Reginald Scot's Recipe for preserving
Cattle--What Mr. Pennant says on Charms--Parts of the
Chameleon as Charms--A Condemned Sorcerer's
Charm--Virtue of Trees and Plants--Deities'
Crowns--Virtue of May Dew--Images Powerful Charms--How
the Romans regarded their Images--The Egyptians'
Confidence in Amulets and Charms--Evil Eye--Effects of
an Evil Eye, how counteracted--Charms for Horses and
Children--Sixpence-piece an Excellent Charm--Mothers
and Children protected from Fairies--Cold Iron--Holy
Things used as