WITCHCRAFT IN DORSET. 49 



An' got so weak they coulden pull 



A half a peck o' stwones. 



The dog got dead-alive and drowsy, 



The cat veil zick an' woulden mousy ; 



An' every time the vok went up to bed, 



They wer a-hag-rod till they wer half dead. 



They us'd to keep her out o' house 'tis true 



A-nailen up at door a hosse's shoe ; 



An' I've a-heard the farmer's wife did try 



To dawk a needle or a pin 



In drough her wold hard wither'd skin, 



An' draw her blood, a comen by ; 



But she could never vetch a drap, 



For pins would ply* an' needless (sic) snap. 



Age'an her skin ; and that in coo'se 



Did meake the hag bewitch em woo'se." 



CHAKMS. 



I now come to that branch of my subject which though at times 

 strongly savouring of witchcraft cannot be said to be necessarily a 

 part of or connected with it, viz., "charms." Those charms 

 which are more particularly connected with witchcraft, and which 

 may be distinguished as " spells," I have already dealt with. The 

 remaining ones may be divided into two broad classes : (i.) Those 

 which relate to the prevention of, or cure for, disease or illness, 

 which may be considered as appertaining to " folk-medicine," and 

 (ii.) Those miscellaneous and various charms which are adopted for 

 the purpose of realising a particular object, or bringing about a 

 particular event. 



The following I have noted down from time to time as appertaining 

 to Dorset, though doubtless in several cases, not to Porset alone. 



TOOTHACHE : 



(i.) Go to a young oak tree, cut a slip (T) in the tree, cut off a 

 bit of your hair and put it under the rind, put your hand to the tree, 

 and say to the tree : " This I bequeath to the oak tree, in the name 

 of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.'' f 



* Bend. 



t Conf : Notes and Queries, 5th Series, viii., 143-275. 



