Now from nine double, to eight double,
From eight double, to seven double,
From seven double, to six double,
From six double, to five double,
From five double, to four double,
From four double, to three double,
From three double, to two double,
From two double, to one double,
Now! no double hath he.”
The words of charms must be muttered (they lose their efficacy if recited aloud), and the charmer must never communicate them to one of the same sex, for that transfers the power of charming to the other person. Of superstitious rites practised for the cure of whooping-cough, etc., I will speak a little further on. Cornishmen in the last century from their cradles to their graves might have been guided in their actions by old women’s “widdles” (superstitions), some as already shown are still foolishly followed; but I hope that few people are silly enough at the present day to leave their babies’ heads a twelvemonth unwashed, under the mistaken notion that it would be unlucky to do it.