CHARMS AND AMULETS (Christian)
The development in the West was similar. I t
is true that the decrees of the Councils were ratified
and continued (cf. above, § l ; Fulgentius Ferrandus
[PL lxxxviii. 824]; Crisconius Africanus [ib.
876]; Sehmitz, 312 tf.), and Pope Nicolaus I.
forbade the manufacture of ligattirae among the
Bulgarians. But it was always heathen charms
alone that were meant [ Christian charms were in
continual use. The Western clergy, too, wore
crosses, and by no means for mere ornament.
The presents sent from Gregory to Theodelind all
have the character of amulete ; some of them are
still preserved in the treasury at Monza—a cross-
pendant with a relic of the Holy Cross, a Gospel
iectionary in a Persian case, three rings with hya­
cinth and albula stones {Ep. xiv, 2 [PL lxxvii.
1316]). Gregory of Tours wore such a cross, and
periodically changed the relic it contained. The
Lives of the Saints are full of miracles wrought by
these phylacteria.
In the later Middle Ages the practice of in­
dulgences extended the working of charms to a
new province—the fate in Purgatory—and there­
with gave them an enhanced interest; many things
intended to effect indulgence became eharms in
popular use (see 5 C (8)).
Here, too, mention must be made of the scapu-
lary. introduced by the Carmelites in 1287 and
supported by Papal privileges [PrivUegium. sab-
bahwum, 1320), it was to enjoy so great a popu­
larity as to arouse the competition of other monastic
orders. The scapulary is a strip of cloth, suggest­
ing the cowl, which is wrapped round the dying in
order to ensure him a blessed death and immediate
freedom from Purgatory. A comparison may be
drawn with the legend t h a t Pilate was protected
against the Emperor's wrath as long as he wore
Christ's seamless coat {Lea. Aurea, liii,).
Modern Roman Catholicism, with the numer­
ous insignia of its brotherhoods, its medals struck
in commemoration of ecclesiastical festivals, its
medallions in memory of different shrines, and
especially of pilgrimage-centres, has done much to
encourage this faith. To all these objects, which
enerally take the form of crosses or medallions to
f e worn round the neck, the consecration of the
Church and contact with sacred things (relics
and images) impart protective power ; and in the
popular regard far more weight is laid upon this
than upon the purely memorial significance. The
present writer met at Nancy in 1909 a driver who
was firmly persuaded t h a t the safety of his horse
and carriage was guaranteed by a little medallion
showing the portrait of the Madonna du Bon
Secours which he had in his pocket.
But even in Protestant circles, especially among
the country-folk, there is no lack of amulets.
There exists in Germany a great quantity of
Schwertbriefe (also called Himmelsbriefe, from
the belief t h a t they have fallen from heaven},
containing an abundance of prayers, formula,
names, and characters, and lavishly decorated
with crosses, which are worn round the neck οτ in
the pocket, for protection against sword-cuts. In
Tecent waTs many soldiers are said to have put
their trust in the protective power of such papers,
or of coins and otlier objects, as they went into
the field (see Schindler, Aberglaiibe des Mittel·
alters, 1858, p. 131).
Amulets are used for the protection not only of
men but also of cattle, which form to some extent
assurance of life, for the health of soul and body, for healing in
uickness, aod for the averting of attacks by unclean spirits.
The Emperor and high Imperial officials also wore such phylae-
teria; and they were seot as pledges of safe conduct (ol·,
AnELstsaiue Sinait& in Ps. vi. [PG Lxxxix. Ilia], of Emperor
Jflauricius; paeudo-Symeon, p. 031, Ξ, and Qeorgius Men. Cant.
p. 796, 3 [ed. Bonn.'], of Emperor Theophilus; see, further,
bucange on Alexias, 1L [PG exxxi. 2U4]).
VOL. III.—27
417
man's most valuable possession, and are as liable
as he to the attacks of demons. The application
of ligattirae to cattle is mentioned, among others,
by Eligius and Ebendorfer (see below, 5, introd.).
In later times the so-called A n ton ins medallions
found special favour, for Antony of Padua has
been the patron of horses and asses ever since the
adoration by an ass of the Host which the saint
held in his hand. To swine Antony's greater
namesake, the ancient Egyptian hermit, afibrds
protection. Cowbells, like the bells hung on in­
fants, had originally a protective significance, and
were intended to frighten away evil spirits ; their
use as a means of recognition by the herdsman is
a later idea.
The same purpose as that of amulets or talis­
mans worn on the person is served by apotropseic
inscriptions on buildings [cf. Dt 69 l l 1 0 ; pseudo·
Aristeas, Ep. § 158, ed. Wendland; Euseb. Frcep,
Evang. VIII. ix. 27; see, for further details, 5 C (6)).
Men desire to protect not only their bodies, but
their houses. Even individual pieces of furniture
and household ware are equipped with their in­
scriptions and magic characters (Chrysostom, in
1 Cor. hom. 43 [PG lxi. 373], mentions a t6a.fy{Kwv
hanging on the couch}.
(2) Counter-charms.— The use of charms is not
only protective : a demonic enchantment must be
removed by a counter-charm. In such cases the
first business is to determine the nature of the
enchantment in question (aveupmris ψαρμ^καϋα ήτοι
payeiHv), and then to nullify its operation {κάβαροΊΐ
•γοητίίΰν · Zonaras on Ancyra, can, 24 [PG exxxvii.
1192]). This procedure, however, was held to be
heathen. Christians were concerned mostly with
the thwarting of demonic miracles through Divine
power. Simon Magus, borne heavenwards through
the aiT by demons, was brought to earth by the
Apostles' prayers; i.e. the power of the demons
was removed, and thereupon the magician fell
headlong and was dashed to pieces {Acta Aposto-
lorv/ra, Apocrypha, ed. Lipsius and Bonnet, i. 82,
166; cf, Arnobius, adv. Gentes, U. 12). The
apocryphal Acts of the Apostles are full of such
miracles. That they were ascribed to the action of a
holy magic, and not merely to the power of prayer,
is shown by the ease of St, Peter, who caused
Simon's demoniacal hounds to vanish by means of
some pieces of consecrated bread lying hidden in
the sleeve of his cloak [Mart. Petri et Pauli, 24 ff.).
Some heretics, who by the assistance of demons
were walking over a river, were made to sink, not
by prayer or by conjuration, but by Hosts thrown
into the stream (Ctesarius of Heisterbaeli, Dial.
Mirac. ix. 12). In isolated instances the sanction
of the Church was obtained even for the resistance
of black magic by black magic. A German bishop
on a journey back from Rome was bewitched by
his mistress, and lay siek unto death until he
gained the consent of the Pope to allow him to
call in another witch, who turned the enchantment
upon its author ; then the bishop immediately re­
covered, and the mistress died {Malleus malef.
ii. 2), But in general the Church tolerated such
counter-magic, which was practised only by those
who made a trade of it, as little as she tolerated
witchcraft itself [cf. Ferraris, Bibliotheca Canonica,
s.v. ' Superstitio,* £ 74). The only licensed form
was that contained in the magic working of the
Church's sacramentalia (see$C(I0)>.
(3) Curative charms.—Akin to counteT-charms
is a use of charms which is both more extensive
than any other and more fully illustrated by the
literary records of antiquity, namely, t h a t for the
purpose of healing. Sickness was held to be the
working of a demonic power, of some magic—an
alien spirit has taken possession of the man and
must be driven out. To this end, besides the