116v

[-JKP-]

Since first blogging about You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. a few years ago, I have learned quite a bit about charms and remedies that I didn't know.

I have now learned something else I didn't know...

Historic researchers are aware that family events are often recorded at the beginnings and ends of Bibles—births and deaths are particularly common. I was aware of this after doing quite a bit of genealogical research before I learned about the VMS.

But...

what I didn't know is that it was also somewhat common, in the middle ages, to write remedies at the ends of books. In just one week, I have come across three unrelated manuscripts with remedies added in a different hand at the end (the hands are usually 16th century or earlier). They were not in charm form, they were the kind found in herbal manuscripts (but not written in manuscripts specifically devoted to herbs) and they often mention powders or honey, milk or flour mixed with a plant or two. Often they are remedies for things like quartain fever (malaria was much more widespread then than it is now), or other fevers, but they do cover a variety of problems.

I also came across another version of the "abracula" charm written out with diminishing letters in the same way as the "abracula" charms I posted on my blog.


So... it is not unusual for a remedy or charm to be added at the end of a book. This doesn't prove anything about You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view. but it adds a small piece of confirmatory evidence for the possibility that it's a healing charm/remedy, and I thought it was worth mentioning.