Book 12, Chapter 9: Popish periapts, amulets and charmes, agnus Dei, a wastcote of proofe, a charme for the falling evill, a writing brought to S. Leo from heaven by an angell, the vertues of S. Saviors epistle, a charme against theeves, a writing found in Christs wounds, of the crosse, &c
1 These vertues under these verses (written by pope Urbane the fift to the emperour of the Græcians) are conteined in a periapt or tablet, to be continuallie worne about one, called Agnus Dei, which is a little cake, having the picture of a lambe carrieng of a flag on the one side; and Christs head on the other side, and is hollow: so as the gospell of S. John, written in fine paper, is placed in the concavitie thereof: and it is thus compounded or made, even as they themselves report.
2 Balsamus & munda cera, cum chrismatis unda Conficiunt agnum, quod munus do tibi magnum, Fonte velut natum, per mystica sanctificatum: Fulgura desursum depellit, & omne malignum, Peccatum frangit, ut Christi sanguis, & angit, Prægnans servatur, simul & partus liberatur, Dona refert dignis, virtutem destruit ignis, Portatus mundè de fluctibus eripit undæ:
3 Balme, virgine wax, and holie water, an Agnus Dei make: A gift than which none can be greater, I send thee for to take. From founteine cleere the same hath issue, in secret sanctifide: Gainst lightning it hath soveraigne vertue, and thunder crackes beside. Ech hainous sinne it weares and wasteth, even as Christs precious blood, And women, whiles their travell 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 perill doth preserve. The force of fire, whose heat destroieth, it breaks and bringeth downe: And he or she that this enjoieth, no water shall them drowne.
4 A charme against shot, or a wastcote of proofe.
5 Before the comming up of these Agnus Deis, a holie garment called a wastcote for necessitie was much used of our forefathers, as a holy relike, &c: as given by the pope, or some such archconjuror, who promised thereby all manner of immunitie to the wearer thereof; in somuch as he could not be hurt with anie shot or other violence. And otherwise, that woman that would weare it, should have quicke deliverance: the composition thereof was in this order following.
6 On Christmas daie at night, a threed must be sponne of flax, by a little virgine girle, in the name of the divell: and it must be by hir woven, and also wrought with the needle. In the brest or forepart 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 maie resemble Belzebub, and on each side of the wastcote must be made a crosse.
7 Moreover, this insuing is another counterfet charme of theirs, whereby the falling evill is presentlie remedied.
8 Gaspar fert myrrham, thus Melchior, Balthasar aurum, Hæc tria qui secum portabit nomina regum, Solvitur à morbo Christi pietate caduco.
9 Gasper with his myrh beganne these presents to unfold, Then Melchior brought in frankincense, and Balthasar brought in gold. Now he that of these holie kings the names about shall beare, The falling yll by grace of Christ shall never need to feare.
10 This is as true a copie of the holie writing, that was brought downe from heaven by an angell to S. Leo pope of Rome; & he did bid him take it to king Charles, when he went to the battell at Roncevall. And the angell said, that what man or woman beareth this writing about them with good devotion, and saith everie daie three Pater nosters, three Aves, and one Creede, shall not that daie be overcome of his enimies, either bodilie or ghostlie; neither shalbe robbed or slaine of theeves, pestilence, thunder, or lightening; neither shall be hurt with fier or water, nor combred with spirits, neither shall have displeasure of lords or ladies: he shall not be condemned with false witnesse, nor taken with fairies, or anie maner of axes, nor yet with the falling evill. Also, if a woman be in travell, laie this writing upō hir bellie, 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 holie names of Jesus Christ following:
11 ✠ Jesus ✠ Christus ✠ Messias ✠ Soter ✠ Emmanuel ✠ Sabbaoth ✠ Adonai ✠ Unigenitus ✠ Majestas ✠ Paracletus ✠ Salvator noster ✠ Agiros iskiros ✠ Agios ✠ Adanatos ✠ Gasper ✠ Melchior ✠ & Balthasar ✠ Matthæus ✠ Marcus ✠ Lucas ✠ Johannes.
12 The epistle of S. Savior, which pope Leo sent to king Charles, saieng, that whosoever carrieth the same about him, or in what daie so ever he shall read it, or shall see it, he shall not be killed with anie iron toole, nor be burned with fier, nor be drowned with water, neither anie evill man or other creature maie hurt him. The crosse of Christ is a woonderfull defense ✠ the crosse of Christ be alwaies with me ✠ the crosse is it which I doo alwaies worship ✠ the crosse of Christ is true health ✠ the crosse of Christ dooth lose the bands of death ✠ the crosse of Christ is the truth and the waie ✠ I take my journie upon the crosse of the Lord ✠ the crosse of Christ beateth downe everie evill ✠ the crosse of Christ giveth all good things ✠ the crosse of Christ taketh awaie paines everlasting ✠ the crosse of Christ save me ✠ O crosse of Christ be upon me, before me, and behind me ✠ bicause the ancient enimie cannot abide the sight of thee ✠ the crosse of Christ save me, keepe me, governe me, and direct me ✠ Thomas bearing this note of thy divine majestie ✠ Alpha ✠ Omega ✠ first ✠ and last ✠ middest ✠ and end ✠ beginning ✠ and first begotten ✠ wisedome ✠ vertue ✠.
13 A popish periapt or charme, which must never be said, but carried about one, against theeves.
14 I doo go, and I doo come unto you with the love of God, with the humilitie of Christ, with the holines of our blessed ladie, with the faith of Abraham, with the justice of Isaac, with the vertue of David, with the might of Peter, with the constancie of Paule, with the word of God, with the authoritie of Gregorie, with the praier of Clement, with the floud of Jordan, ꝑ ꝑ p c g e g a q q est p t 1 ka b g l k 2 a x t g t b am g 2 4 2 1 q; p x c g k q a 9 9 p o q q r. Oh onelie Father ✠ oh onlie lord ✠ And Jesus ✠ passing through the middest of them ✠ went ✠ In the name of the Father ✠ and of the Sonne ✠ and of the Holie-ghost ✠.
15 Joseph of Arimathea did find this writing upon the wounds of the side of Jesus Christ, written with Gods finger, when the bodie was taken away frō the crosse. Whosoever shall carrie this writing about him, shall not die anie evill death, if he beleeve in Christ, and in all perplexities he shall soone be delivered, neither let him feare any danger at all. Fons ✠ alpha & omega ✠ figa ✠ figalis ✠ Sabbaoth ✠ Emmanuel ✠ Adonai ✠ o ✠ Neray ✠ Elay ✠ Ihe ✠ Rentone ✠ Neger ✠ Sahe ✠ Pangeton ✠ Commen ✠ a ✠ g ✠ l ✠ a ✠ Matthæus ✠ Marcus ✠ Lucas ✠ Johannes ✠ ✠ ✠ titulus triumphalis ✠ Jesus Nasarenus rex Judæorum ✠ ecce dominicæ crucis signum ✠ fugite partes adversæ, vicit leo de tribu Judæ, radix, David, aleluijah, Kyrie eleeson, Christe eleeson, pater noster, ave Maria, & ne nos, & veniat super nos salutare tuum: Oremus, &c.
16 I find in a Primer intituled The houres of our Ladie, 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 pitie devoutlie shall saie five Pater nosters, five Aves, and one Credo, pitiouslie beholding these armes of Christs passion, are granted thirtie two thousand seven hundred fiftie five yeares of pardon. It is to be thought that this pardon was granted in the time of pope Boniface the ninth; for Platina saith that the pardons were sold so cheape, that the apostolicall authoritie grew into contempt.
17 Signum sanctæ crucis defendat me à malis præsentibus, præteritis, & futuris, interioribus & exterioribus: that is, The signe of the crosse defend me from evils present, past, and to come, inward and outward.
18 Also this charme is found in the canon of the masse, Hæc sacrosancta commixtio corporis & sanguinis domini nostri Jesu Christi fiat mihi, omnibúsque sumentibus, salus mentis & corporis, & ad vitam promerendam, & capessendam, præparatio salutaris: that is, Let this holie mixture of the bodie and bloud of our Lord Jesus Christ, be unto me, and unto all receivers thereof, health of mind and bodie, and to the deserving and receiving of life an healthfull preparative.
19 Aqua benedicta, sit mihi salus & vita: Let holie water be, both health and life to me. Adque nomen Martini omnis hæreticus fugiat pallidus, When Martins name is soong or said, Let heretikes flie as men dismaid.
20 But the papists have a harder charme than that; to wit, Fier and fagot, Fier and fagot.
21 Nulla salus est in domo, Nisi cruce munit homo Superliminaria. Neque sentit gladium, Nec amisit filium, Quisquis egit talia.
22 No health within the house dooth dwell, Except a man doo crosse him well, at everie doore or frame, He never feeleth the swords point, Nor of his sonne shall loose a joint, that dooth performe the same.
23 Ista suos fortiores Semper facit, & victores, Morbos sanat & languores, Reprimit dæmonia. Dat captivis libertatem, Vitæ confert novitatem, Ad antiquam dignitatem, Crux reduxit omnia. O Crux lignum triumphale, Mundi vera salus vale, Inter ligna nullum tale, Fronde, flore, germine. Medicina Christiana, Salva sanos, ægros sana, Quod non valet vis humana, Fit in tuo nomine, &c.
24 It makes hir souldiers excellent, and crowneth them with victorie, Restores the lame and impotent, and healeth everie maladie. The divels 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 holsome: No wood is halfe so honourable, in branch, in bud, or blossome. O medcine which Christ did ordaine, the sound save everie hower, The sicke and sore make whole againe, by vertue of thy power. And that which mans unablenesse, hath never comprehended, Grant by thy name of holinesse, it may be fullie ended, &c.
25 This charme following is taken out of the Primer aforesaid. Omnipotens ✠ Dominus ✠ Christus ✠ Messias ✠ with 34. names more, & as many crosses, & then proceeds in this wise; Ista nomina me protegant ab omni adversitate, plaga, & infirmitate corporis & animæ, plenè liberent, & assistent in auxilium ista nomina regum, Gasper, &c: & 12 apostoli (videlicet) Petrus, &c: & 4 evangelistæ (videlicet) Matthæus, &c: mihi assistent in omnibus necessitatibus meis, ac me defendant & liberent ab omnibus periculis & corporis & animæ, & omnibus malis præteritis, præsentibus, & futuris, &c.
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