A Golden Chain

Lastly, avoid all imprecations and cursings, either against men or other creatures: for God in judgement to punish such cursed speaking, often brings to pass such imprecations: as may appear in the Jews, who at the arraignment of Christ, cried, saying,¹ His blood be upon us and upon our children: which imprecation is verified upon them till this day. At Newburg in Germany a certain mother cursed her son, saying,² Get thee away, I would thou mightest never come again alive: the very same day he went into the water and was drowned. Again, a mother brought her child to the University of Wittenberg, by reason he was possessed with an unclean spirit: being demanded how it came to pass, she answered in the hearing of many, that in her anger she said, The devil take thee, and thereupon presently the child was possessed. And in our country men often wish the plague, the pox, the pestilence to their children, their servants, their cattle: and often it falls out accordingly.

Lastly, auoide all imprecations and cursings, either against men or other creatures: for God in iudgement to punish such cursed speaking, often brings to passe such imprecations: as may appeare in the Iewes, who at the arraignment of Christ, cried, saying,¹ His blood be vpon vs and vpon our children: which imprecation is verified vpon them till this day. At Newburge in Germanie a certaine mother cursed her sonne, saying,² Get thee away, I would thou mightest neuer come againe aliue: the very same day he went into the water and was drowned. Againe, a mother brought her child to the Vniuersitie of Wittenberge, by reason he was possessed with an vncleane spirit: beeing demaunded how it came to passe, shee answered in the hearing of many, that in her anger shee said, The deuill take thee, and thereupon presently the child was possessed. And in our countrey men often wish the plague, the poxe, the pestilence to their children, their seruants, their cattell: and often it falls out accordingly.

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