Scot's Discovery of vvitchcraft proving the common opinions of witches contracting with divels, spirits, or familiars ... to be but imaginary, erronious conceptions and novelties : wherein also, the lewde unchristian all written and published in anno 1584, by Reginald Scot, Esquire.

CHAP. IX.

Popish periapts, amulets and charmes, agnus Dei, a wastecote of proofe, a charme for the falling evill, a writing brought to S. Leo from hea∣ven by an angell, the vertues of S. Saviours epistle, a charme against theeves, a writing found in Christs wounds, of the crosse, &c.

THese vertues under these verses (written by pope Urbane the fifth to the emperour of the Grecians) are contained in a periapt or tablet, be continnally worne about one, called Agnus Dei, which is a little cake, having the picture of a lambe carrying of a flag on the one side; and Christs head on the other side, and is hollow: so as the gospel of & Iohn, written in fine paper, is placed in the concavitie thereof: and it is thus compounded or made, even as they themselves report.

Balsamus & munda cera, cum chrismatis unda Conficiunt agnum, quod munus do tibi magnum, Fonte velut natum, per mystica sanctificatum: Fulgura de sur sum depellit & omne malignum, Peccatum frangit, ut Christi sanguis, & angit, Praegnans servatur, simul & partus li••eratur, Dona refert dignis, virtutem destruit ignis, Porta••us mundè de fluctibus eripit undae:

* 1.1Balme, vigine 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 soveraigne vertue, And thunder crackes beside. Each hainous sinne it weares and wasteth, Even as Christs precious blood, And women, whiles their travel lasteth, It saves, it is so good. It doth bestowe 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 drowne.

A Charme against shot, or a wastecote of proof.

BEfore the coming up of these Agnus Dei's, a holy garment called a wastecote for necessity was much used of our forefathers, as a holy relique, &c. as given by the pope, or some such arch-conjuror, who promised thereby all manner of immunity to the wearer thereof; inso∣much as he could not be hurt with any shot or other violence. And o∣therwise, that woman that would weare it, should have quick deliverance the composition thereof was in this order following.

On Christmas day at night, a threed must be spunne of flax, by a little virgine girle,* 1.2 in the name of the devil: and it must be by her woven, and also wrought with the needle. In the brest or fore-part thereof must be made with needle-worke two heads; on the head at the right side must be a hat, and a long beard; the left head must have on a crowne, and it must be so horrible, that it may resemble Beelzebub, and on each side of the wastecote must be made a crosse.

Against the falling evill.

MOreover, this insuing is another counterfeit charme of theirs, where∣by the falling evill is presently remedied.

Gaspar fert myrrham, thus Melchior, Balthasar aurum, Haec tria qui secum portabit nomina regum, Solvitur à morbo Christi pietate caduco.

Gasper with his mirth beganne These presents to unfold, Then Melchior brought in frankincense, And Balthasar brought in gold. Now he that of these holy kings The names about shall bear, The falling ill by grace of Christ Shall never need to fear.

THis is as true a copy of the holy writing, that was brought downe from heaven by an angell to S. Leo pope of Rome; and he▪ did bid

him take it to king Charles,* 1.3 when he went to the battel at Ronceval. And the angell said, that what man or woman beareth this writing about them with good devotion, and saith every day three Pater nosters, three Aves, and one Creede, shall not that day be overcome of his enemies, either bodily or ghostly; neither shall be robbed or slaine of theeves, pesti∣lence, thunder, or lightning, neither shall be hurt with fire or water, not combred with spirits, neither shall have displeasure of lords or ladies: he shall not be condemned with false witnesse, nor taken with fairies, or any manner of axes, nor yet with the falling evil. Also, if a woman be in travel, lay this writing upon her belly, she shall have easie deliverance, and the child right shape and christendome, and the mother purification of holy church, and all through vertue of these holy names of Jesus Christ following.

✚ Iesus ✚ Christus ✚ Messias ✚ Soter ✚ Emmanuel ✚ Sab∣baoth ✚ Adonai ✚ Vnigenitus ✚ Majestas ✚ Paracleius ✚ Salva••or noster ✚ Agiros iskiros ✚ Agios ✚ Adona••os ✚ Gasper ✚ Melchior ✚ & Balthasar ✚ Matthaeus ✚ Marcus ✚ Lucas ✚ Iohannes.

The epistle of S. Saviour, which pope Leo sent to King Charles, say∣ing, that whosoever carrieth the same about him, or in what day soever he shall reade it, or shall see it, he shall not be killed with any iron toole; nor be burned with fire, nor be drowned with water, neither any evill man or other creature may hurt him. The crosse of Christ is a wonder∣full defence ✚ the crosse of Christ be alwaies with me ✚ the crosse is it which I do alwaies worship ✚ the crosse of Christ is true health ✚ the crosse of Christ doth lose the bands of death ✚ the crosse of Christ is the truth and the way ✚ I take my journey upon the crosse of the Lord ✚ the crosse of Christ beateth down every evill ✚ the crosse of Christ gi∣veth all good things ✚ the crosse of Christ taketh away paines everlasting ✚ the crosse of Christ save me ✚ O crosse of Christ be upon me, before me, and behind me ✚ because the ancient enemie cannot abide the sight of thee ✚ the crosse of Christ save me, keep me, governe me, and direct me ✚ Thomas bearing this note of thy divine majesty ✚ Alpha ✚ Omega ✚ first ✚ and last ✚ middest ✚ and end ✚ beginning ✚ and first begotten ✚ wisdome ✚ vertue ✚.

A popish periapt or charme, which must never be said, but carried a∣bout one, against theeves.

* 1.4I Do go, and I do come unto you with the love of God, with the hu∣mility of Christ, with the holinesse of our blessed lady, with the faith of Abraham, with the justice of Isaac, with the vertue of David, with the might of Peter, with the constancy of Paul, with the word of God, with the authority of Gregory, with the prayer of Clement, with the flood of Iordan, p p p c g e g a q q est p t 1 k a b g l k 2 a x t g t b a m g 2 4 2 1 {que} p x c g k q a 9 9 p o q q r. Oh onely Father ✚ oh onely lord ✚ And Iesus ✚ passing through the middest of them ✚ went In ✚ the name of

the father ✚ and of the Sonne ✚ and of the Holy Ghost ✚.

Another amulet.

JOseph of A••imathea did find this writing upon the wounds of the side of Iesus Christ, written with Gods finger, when the body was taken a∣way from the crosse. Whosoever shall carry this writing about him, shall not dye any evill death, if he beleeve in Christ, and in all perplexities he shall soone be delivered, neither let him fear any danger at all. Fons alpha & omega ✚ figa ✚ figalis ✚ Sabbaoth ✚ Emmanuel ✚ Adonai ✚ o ✚ Neray ✚ Elay ✚ ••he ✚ Rentone ✚ Neger ✚ Sahe ✚ Pange∣ton ✚ Commen ✚ a ✚ g ✚ l ✚ a ✚ Mattheus ✚ Marcus ✚ Lucas ✚ Iohannes ✚ ✚ ✚ titulus triumphalis ✚ Iesus Nasareuus rex Iudaeorum ✚ ecce dominicae crucis signnm ✚ fugite partes adversae, vicit leo de tribu Iudae, radix, David, aleluijah, Kyrie eleeson, Christe eleeson, pater noster, ave Maria, & ne nos, & veniat super nos salutare tuum. Oremus, &c.

I find in a Primer intituled The houres of our Lady, after the use of the church of Yorke, printed anno 1516. a charme with this titling in red letters; To all them that afore this image of pity devoutly shall say five Pater nosters, five Aves, and one Credo, pitiously beholding these armes of Christs passion,* 1.5 are granted thirty two thousand seven hundred fifty five years of pardon. It is to be thought that this pardon was grant∣ed in the time of pope Boniface the nineth; for Platina saith that the par∣dons were sold so cheape, that the apostolicall authority grew into con∣tempt.

A papistical charme.

SIgnum sanctae crucis defendat me a malis praesentibus, praeteritis, & futu∣ris, interioribus & exterioribus: That is, The signe of the crosse de∣fend me from evils present, past, and to come, inward and outward.

A charme found in the canon of the masse.

ALso this charge is found in the canon of the masse, Haec sacrosancta commixtio corporis & sanguinis domini nostri Iesu Christi fiat mihi, om∣nibusque sumentibus salus mentis & corporis, & ad vitam promerendam, & capessendam, praeparatio salutaris: that is, Let this holy mixture of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, be unto me, and unto all re∣ceivers thereof, health of mind and body, and to the deserving and re∣ceiving of life an healthful preparative.

Other papisticall charmes.

Aqua benedicta, sit mihi salus & vita.

Let holy water be,* 1.6 both health and life to me.

Adque nomen Martini omnis haereticus fugiat palladus,

When Martins name is sung or said, Let hereticks flie as men dismaid.

But the papists have a harder charme than that; to wit, Fire and ••agot Fire and fagot.

A charme of the holy crosse.

Nulla salus est in domo, Nisi cruce munit homo Superliminaria. Neque sentit gladium, Nec amisit filium, Quisquis egit talia:

No health within the house doth dwell, Except a man do crosse him well, At every doore or frame, He never feeleth the swords point, Nor of his sonne shall lose a joint, That doth performe the same.

Furthermore as followeth.

* 1.7Ista suos fortiores Semper facit, & victores, Morbos sanat & languores, Reprimit daemonia. Dat captivis libertatem, Vitae confert novitatem, Ad antiquam dignitarem, Crux reduxit omnia. O Crux lignum triumphale, Mundi vera salus vale, Inter ligna nullum tale, Frande, flore, germine. Medicina Christiana, Salva sanos, aegros sana, Quod non valet vis humana, Fit in tuo nomine, &c.

It makes her souldiers excellent. And crowne••h them with victory, * 1.8Restores the lame and impotent, and healeth every malady. The devils of hell it conquereth, releaseth from imprisonment, Newnesse of life it offereth, It hath all at commandement. O crosse of wood incomparable, To all the world most wholesome: No wood is half so honourable.

In branch, in bud or blossome. O medicine which Christ did ordaine, The sound save every hower, The sick and sore make whole again, By vertue of thy power. And that which mans unablenesse, Hath never comprehended, Grant by thy name of holynesse, It may be fully ended, &c.

A charme taken out of the Primer.

THis charm following is taken out of the Primer afore∣said. Omnipotens ✚ Dominus ✚ Christus ✚ Messias ✚ with 34. names more, and as many crosses, and then proceeds in this wife; Ista nomina me protegant ab omni adversitate, plaga, & infirmitate corporis & animae, plenè liberent, & assistent in auxilium ista nomina regum, Gasper, &c. & 12. Apostoli (videlicet) Petrus, &c. & 4. Evangelistae (vedelicet) Matthaeus, &c. mibi assistent in omnibus necessitatibus meis, ac me defendant & liberent ab om∣nibus periculis & corporis & animae, & omnibus malis praeteritis, praesentibus, & futuris, &c.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Englished by Abraham Fleming. Look in the Beehive of the Romish church. Lib. 4. cap. 1. fol. 243.
• * 1.2

  The manner of making a wastecot of proofe.
• * 1.3

  The effects are too good to be true in such a patched peece of po∣pery.
• * 1.4

  This were a good pre∣servative for a travelling pa∣pist.
• * 1.5

  If the party faile in the number, he may go whistle for a pardon.
• * 1.6

  By Ab. Fle.
• * 1.7

  Sancta 〈◊〉〈◊〉 aquipar atur salutifero Christo O blas∣phemiam ine∣narrabilem!
• * 1.8

  Englished by Abraham Fleming▪ Lok in the Boehive of the Romish church lib 4. cap. 3 fol. 251.252.