Josephus' Account of Astrology—Antediluvians acquainted with Astrology—Astrology after the Flood—Magicians in various Nations—Compact and Confederation with Spirits—Feats of Magicians—A French Priest in compact with the Devil—Married to Venus—Turning Leather into Gold—A Novice in Magic destroyed by a Spirit—Principles of Magic—Lilly the Astrologer—Lilly consulted by Royalists—Astrological Predictions349
Judicial Astrology—Reading the Heavens—Lucky and Unlucky Days—Highland Superstitions—Climacterics—Astrologer and Charles IX.—Influence of the Moon—Official Air-gazers—Sacrificing to Planets—Dryden's Faith in Astrology—Dryden calculating the Nativity of his Children356
DIVINATION AND ORACLES. CHAPTER XL.
Divination—Heathen Gods giving Signs—Sortes Prœnestinæ—St. Augustine's View of Divination—Sortes Sanctorum—Divination in the Greek and Latin Churches—Declarations of the Divine Will—How St. Consortia became a Nun—Hieroglyphic Texts—Divination among the Jews—Plutarch on Oracles—Malthus' Belief in Oracles—A Missionary's Opinion—Sibylline Oracles—Alectoromantia—Belomancy—Cleromancy—Napoleon's Belief in Cleromancy362
SIGNS, OMENS, AND WARNINGS. CHAPTER XLI.
Crying in Youth—Image of Opis—Man born to Trouble—Bacon's Belief in Presages—Dugdale's Foresight—Sir Thomas More's Power to judge of Passing Events—Erasmus at the Tomb of Becket—Sir Walter Raleigh's Predictions—What Tacitus foresaw—Solon's Predictions—Cicero's Predictions—Knox's Predictions—Queen Mary and Darnley—Death of Thomas Maitland and of Kirkaldy of Grange predicted—Regent Murray warned against going to Linlithgow—The Human Body a medium for discovering Future Events—Death Warnings—Appearance of Spirits372
Ornithomancy—Mohammed's Pigeons—Cock-crowing—Sacred Geese—Phenomenon at Rome—Divination by means of a Sieve—Capnomancy—Catoptromancy—Dactyliomancy—Cledonism—Onomancy—Names—Romans toasting their Mistresses—How Success in War was ascertained—Loss of Ships' Colours—Regimental Standards—Consecrated Banners—Battle of the Standard—A Highland Superstition380
Caution of our Ancestors—Magpies—Flight of Birds—Swarming of Bees—Howling of Dogs—Lowing of Cattle—Crowing of Cocks—Stockings wrong side out—Sign of a Letter coming—Sneezing of a Cat—Various Signs and Omens—How to prevent Ill Luck—Reputed Witches—Print of a Caldron, what it denoted—Unlucky to pass over a Balance—When not to pare your Nails—Touching a Dead Body—Funeral Processions—Storks—How to Sit—Marriages—A Prophetic Rhyme—Wedding Ring—Throwing Slippers, Besoms, Salt, and Rice after Newly-married Persons—Charms for Bridegrooms and Brides—Mothers and Children—Rules to be observed at Baptisms—How to treat Young Children387
Sweeping Floors—New Year and Christmas—"First-Foots"—Weather Prognostications—How to secure Favourable Gales—Superstitious Customs—Corpse of one guilty of Felo-de-se—Finding of Persons who die unseen—Superstitious Belief of Russian Seamen—Ancient Customs of Scotland—Friday an Unlucky Day for commencing an Important Undertaking—Friday as a Marriage Day—Anecdote of a Ship called "Friday"—Loss of the Ship "Amazon"—Sunday a Favourable Day for commencing a Voyage—Lawyers and Clergymen, how looked upon by Sailors at Sea—Rats deserting a Ship—Whistling to raise the Wind—Legend of Vanderdecken or the Flying Dutchman—A Grandfather's Axe—Other Signs and Warnings393
AMULETS AND CHARMS. CHAPTER XLV.
Amulets and Charms among the Chaldeans, Jews, and Persians—Amulets among the Greeks and Romans—Ecclesiastics forbidden to wear Amulets and Phylacteries—Pericles' Amulet—Lord Bacon's Opinion of Charms—Effect of Music—Yawning and Laughing, Fear and Shame—Diseases cured by Charms—Philosophers' Opinions of Amulets—Mr. E. Chambers on Amulets—Poets on Enchantments—A Dairymaid's Charm—A Charm sent by a Pope to an Emperor401
Ear-rings buried by Jacob—Solomon's Belief in Spells—Reginald Scot's Recipe for preserving Cattle—What Mr. Pennant says on Charms—Images Powerful Charms—The Egyptians' Confidence in Amulets and Charms—Evil Eye—Cold Iron—Holy Things used as Charms—Filing of St. Peter's Keys—Lustral Water—Uses of Snow—Keys of a Consecrated Building—Virtue of Consecrated Bread—Various Methods of securing Love—Indian Charms—Cure for Corns—Simple Plan for getting rid of a Troublesome Person—Curing the Hooping-cough, etc.409
Horse Shoes used as Charms—Spitting on Money to secure Luck—Fortunate Persons to deal with—Professor Playfair on Superstition—The Lee Penny—Divers Charms—A Seer's Prescription—Grose on Sorcerers, Magicians, and Witches—Irish Shamrock—Praying to Swords—Irish Superstition—Smugglers and Brigands addicted to Superstition—Superstition in the East—Arab Charms—Ladies' Arts415
Earl of Derby's Death—A Queen Enchanted—Image of a young King—Belgrave on Charms—Childebert's Device for detecting Witches—Witch Burned—Witch Ointment—Men-Wolves—Church Authorities' Instructions to Inquisitors—Killing by a Look or Wish—The King of Sweden and his Witches—Witches' Help in War—Witches causing a Plague—Cattle Poisoned—Various Charms—An Angel's Charm to Pope Leo—Physicians' Faith in Charms—Inescation—Insemination—Egyptian Laws—Curing the King's Evil421
Precious Stones regarded as Objects of Virtue—Extravagance in Jewellery accounted for—Abraham's Precious Stones—Altars called Living Stones—Rod of Moses—Sacred Rings and Belts—The Month of one's Nativity has connection with one or other of the Precious Stones—Kings of England hallowing Rings—Ring preserved in Westminster Abbey—Iona Relics—The Green Stone of Arran—A Crystal kept as a Charm—A Conjuring Beryl—Prophetic Stones—The Coronation Stone or Stone of Destiny429