Mystic Charms, Spells and Incantations
By Lady Wilde

The ancient Druidic charms and invocations continued to hold their power over the people, who believed in them with undoubting faith. No doubt, in pagan times, the invocations were made in the names of Baal and Ashtaroth, and by the power of the sun, the moon, and the winds; but the Christian converts, while still retaining the form of the ancient charms, substituted the names of the Trinity and the words of the Christian Ritual as still more powerful in effecting cures. And in this mode they are used to the present day amongst the peasants, who consider them as talismans of magic power when said over the sick; and no amount of argument would shake their faith in these mystic formulas which have come down to them through centuries of tradition; nor would any one venture to laugh at them, or an evil fate would certainly fall on the scorner. For, above all things, fervent faith is necessary while the mystic words are uttered, or the charm will not work for good.

How to go invisible

Get a raven's heart, split it open with a black-hafted knife; make three cuts and place a black bean in each cut. Then plant it, and when the beans sprout put one in your mouth and say -

"By virtue of Satan's heart,
And by strength of my great art,
I desire to be invisible."

And so it will be as long as the bean is kept in the mouth.

How to Have Money Always

Kill a black cock, and go to the meeting of three crossroads where a murderer is buried. Throw the dead bird over your left shoulder then and there, after nightfall, in the name of the devil, holding a piece of money in your hand all the while. And ever after, no matter what you spend, you will always find the same piece of money undiminished in your pocket.

A Very Ancient Charm against Wounds or Poisons

"The poison of a serpent, the venom of the dog, the sharpness of the spear; doth not well in man. The blood of one dog, the blood of may dogs, the blood of the hound of Fliethas - these I invoke. It is not a wart to which my spittle is applied. I strike disease; I strike wounds. I strike the disease of the dog that bites, of the thorn that wounds, of the iron that strikes. I invoke the three daughters of Fliethas against the serpent. Benediction on him who casts out the disease. In the name of God. Amen.

Protection

Against the Plague

"O Star of Heaven, beloved of the Lord, drive away the foul constellation that has slain the people with the wound of dreadful death. O Star of the sea, save us from the poison-breath that kills, from the enemy that slays in the night. Amen.

Against Enemies

"Three things are of the Evil One -

An evil eye;
An evil tongue;
An evil mind.

"Three things are of God; and these three are what Mary told to her Son, for she heard them in heaven -

The merciful word;
The singing word;
And the good word

"May the power of these three holy things be on all the men and women of Erin for evermore."

Against Alectromantia

Should a person be bewitched by an evil neighbour, he must take two black cocks, lay charm over the head of one and let it loose; but the other must be boiled down, feathers and all, and eaten. Then the malice of the neighbour will have no effect on him or his.

Against the Evil Eye

This is a charm Mary gave to St. Bridget, and she wrote it down, and hid it in the hair of her head, without deceit - "If a fairy, or a man, or a woman hath overlooked thee, there are three greater in heaven who will cast all evil from thee into the great and terrible sea. Pray to them, and to the seven angels of God, and they will watch over thee. Amen.

The Dead Hand

To obtain the power and secrets of witchcraft, it is necessary to visit a churchyard at midnight, and cut off the hand of a recently buried corpse with your own hand. This is preserved by drying or smoking, and can then be used with great and fatal effect.

Stroking by the hand of a dead man can cure many diseases. It has also the power to bring butter to the churn, if the milk is stirred around nine times with it while a witch-prayer is recited. But many awful things must be done, and evil rites practised, before the witch-words can be learned and uttered.

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