54 WITCHCRAFT IN DORSET. 



same purpose. He states that a poor woman of Lyme Regis, whose 

 child was very restless and fractious, had consulted an old woman 

 of the town as to what she ought to do. The old woman assured 

 her that the child would never be well until he had eaten the brains 

 of a rabbit ; whereupon a rabbit was purchased and the brains were 

 gravely stuffed down the child's throat. 



QUARTER- EVIL IN CALVES : 



In order to prevent this disease you must be sure to commence 

 rearing the calves by hand on the same day of the week as Old 



Christmas Day falls upon. 



% 



KING'S EVIL : 



It is believed that a seventh son can cure diseases, but that a 

 seventh son of a seventh son can cure the king's evil. 



The power of a seventh son in such matters was generally 

 recognised by superstitious folk. Mr. Roberts in his History of 

 Lyme Regis (p. 261), speaking of this subject, states that once when 

 at a farmhouse near Lyme Regis, in 1828, engaged in taking a 

 view, though the other children about him were made to stand off, 

 one little urchin was allowed to lay hold of his pencils, &c. On his 

 remarking to his mother upon this deference shewn to the child, she 

 replied " He's a seventh son, Sir," and added that " she did think, 

 to cure all diseases, should be the seventh son of a seventh son, but 

 many folks do come to touch my son." 



" Touching " for the " king's evil " was a very prevalent practice 

 in byegone days. 



BED CHARM : 



Matthew, Mark, Luke, an' John, 

 Be blest the bed that I lie on. 

 Vow'r coiners to my bed, 

 Vow'r angels all a-spread, 

 Woone at head, an' woone at veet, 

 An' two to keep my soul asleep.* 



* There are many variants of this rhyme. The above is from Barnes' 

 Glossary of the Dorset Dialect. S. V. Charm. 



