So pious a King, and so jealous of every prerogatory right, divine and human, could not fail to exercise this preternatural endowment[208]; and accordingly we find him regulating the manner and time that persons shall be admitted to the Royal Touch, by divers Proclamations[209]. One is dated soon after his Accession, in 1621[210]; another in 1626; and a third in 1628[211]. He cured by his words only[212].
One would naturally be surprized to read of such numbers who received the Royal Touch in the 17th century, when the disease is now so nearly worn out; but Mr. Browne tells us it raged remarkably at the period when he lived.
As to the giving of a piece of Gold, Mr. Browne says, "it only shews his Majestie's Royal well-wishes towards the recovery of those who come thus to be healed." In other parts of his book, however, he tells us that "some, losing their Gold[213], their diseases have seized them afresh; when, upon obtaining a second Touch, and new Gold, their diseases have been seen to vanish." Again, as to the virtue contained in the Gold, he relates a story of a father and a son, who both were afflicted with the Evil, for which the former was touched, and received a piece of Gold; but the latter never was touched, and had no Gold; upon which the son borrows the father's Gold, and received great relief from it. During this interval the father grew worse, received back his Gold, and, after wearing it a little time, became better; and this practice was pursued for several years. Mr. Browne likewise gives other examples of the operation of the Gold, on, persons who had never received the Touch.—Though we have called it Gold, which, in itself, was anciently reckoned to have a sanative quality in itself, yet Silver would do as well; for Mr. Browne does not deny but that a Silver two-pence has effectually done the business. The case was, that the King (Charles I.), who was the Operator, was then a Prisoner at Hampton Court, and perhaps had no Gold to spare; and therefore, in several instances, he used Silver, with which many were known to have been cured:—but, after all, by way of salvo, Mr. Browne adds, that such as failed of their cure—wanted Faith. From another passage in Mr. Browne's preface, one would be tempted to think that the virtue neither consisted in the Gold or the Silver, but in the Ribbon to which it was pendent; for he assures those who contended that a second piece of Gold was necessary on a second Touch, that the same Gold, newly strung upon a White Ribbon, would work as effectually as a fresh piece of Gold. Some, he tells us, have been cured with the Touch only, without Gold or Silver.
Among other salvos in case of failure of the Touch, added to the want of faith, is, that the disease was mistaken in many instances; and that the Patients did not labour under the Struma, or Evil, but some other similar disorder, over which the Royal Hand had no divine influence.
There was such sympathy between the Royal Hand and the part touched, that Mr. Browne seems to believe a case that had been sent to him, of a woman, at a distance from London, who had formerly been cured by King Charles I. and whose sores broke out afresh upon the day of the King's death, though she was so ignorant of the world as not to know that it was to take place. But she soon recovered her health.
The effect of this Divine Emanation has been said even to extend beyond the life of this unfortunate Monarch; for part of the blood of this King being preserved on a piece of linen dipped therein, was found to have the same effect as the Touch, or his Prayers, when he was living[214].
A wen is said to be cured by the hand of a dead man while hanging on the gallows. This is still a superstitious notion among the common people at this day; and a child's cawl is a preservative against drowning in the notions of sailors (who are extremely credulous in general): one often sees them advertised for sale; and, if bought at all, they find a vent, no doubt, at Wapping.