By the Rev. Canon Eddrup. 8S8 



If the sick persons had anything else the matter with them as well 

 as the "yaller jarndice'^ he could not do anything to cure them. 

 If he were to tell what he said or did the power would be lost. In 

 talking, however, to an elder brother of E. S., who had from time 

 to time noticed the thing going on, though he did not take much 

 notice, as he had himself apparently no great fjiith in the gift, 

 it appeared that " something " was done over the fire, and the ashes 

 of a maiden ash tree were used in some way. 



Charm for the cure of Ulcers. A rather pretty charm was 

 used by an old woman at Charlcote, M. F., now dead. She often 

 got a shilling and more, for using it, but she repeated it in so low a 

 voice that those who came to be cured could not hear her words ; 

 she told me she had used this charm for many years to cure sores 

 and ulcers of all kinds. She used to ask, first, " Have you faith ? " 

 and then to repeat the four verses of the charm : — 



" Our blessed Saviour Christ was of the Virgin Mary bom. 

 And on His head was crowned with a crown of thorn, 

 Which never did canker fest«r, or swell, 

 And God Almighty grant this may do as well." 



The finger was passed round the diseased place twice, during the 

 repetition of the first two lines; and a third time in the opposite 

 direction during the repetition of the third line. While the fourth 

 line was said, the sign of the cross was made over the place. 



Cutting a small hole in Calves'* Ears on Good Friday, to keep 

 away the " Quarter-evil.^' — Those readers of the Wiltshire Archce- 

 ological Magazine who live in country villages are probably so 

 familiar with this custom that it seems needless to give instances : 

 possibly, in some remote districts, it may be practised still. 



" Overlooking." Many years ago, in my first curaey in Dorset- 

 shire — on the borders of Wilts — I went with the vicar one day to 

 see a sick man, and we noticed a broom, or " besom,'' lying across 

 the door, so that it was necessary to remove it in order to enter. 

 After conversation on other matters the vicar asked why that besom 

 had been put there in such an unusual way across the door, and 

 then it came out that the woman believed her husband had been 



