Sundry Rural Charms
For good bread—
This I’ll tell ye, by the way:
Maidens, when ye leavens lay,
Cross your dow and your dispatch
Will be better for your batch.
—Herrick.
To make the butter come—
Come butter, come,
Come butter, come,
Peter stands at the gate
Waiting for a butter’d cake,
Come butter, come.
Scattering wash-water—
In the morning, when ye rise,
Wash your hands and cleanse your eyes.
Next be sure ye have a care
To disperse the water farre,
For as farre as that doth light,
So farre keeps the evil spright.
—Herrick.
There is mention of older charms in “Bale’s Interlude Concerning the Laws of Nature, Moses and Christ,” 1562—
“With blessynges of Saynt Germayne
I will me so determyne
That neyther fox nor vermyne
Shall do my chyckens harme;
For your gese seke Saynt Legearde,
And for your duckes Saynt Leonarde,
There is no better charme.”
“Take me a napkin folte
With the byas of a bolte,
For the healing of a colte
No better thynge can be;
For lampes and for bottes
Take me Saynt Wilfrid’s knottes,
And holy Saynt Thomas Lottes,
On my life I warrande ye.”