Written amulets, including "ligatures" bound to the body, are quite
common throughout the Middle Ages, both references to them and surviving
amulets. I recall seeing the Virgin Mary prayer for childbirth, but
cannot quite put my finger on where. However, I can offer some leads
from my bibliography:
Bozóky, Edina, "From matter of devotion to amulets," Medieval Folklore
3 (1994), 91-107. discusses life of St. Margaret so used (one surviving
amulet). contains a prayer at end where she prays to God for protection
for those who carry her book. Margaret is the protector of women in
childbirth.
Fanger, Claire, ed., Conjuring Spirits: Texts and Traditions of
Medieval Ritual Magic University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State
University Press, 1998), pp. 64-65. Book of Angels (edited and
discussed by Juris Lidaka) excerpt has written amulet for childbirth
using planets.
Shinners, John, ed., Medieval Popular Religion, 1000-1500: A Reader
(Peterborough, Ont.: Broadview Press, 1997), 289-90, has a narrative
protection charm appealing to St. Quiricus and Julitta, ME and Latin;
cross on parchment used as amulet.
Bühler, Curt F., "Prayers and charms in certain Middle English
scrolls," Speculum, 39 (1964), 274-75 discusses written amulets with
measure of Christ's body, the nails, or spear of Longinus.
Gaster, Moses, Studies and Texts in Folklore, Magic, Mediaeval Romance,
Hebrew Apocrypha and Samaritan Archaeology, (London, 1925-28, repr. New
York: Ktav, 1971). Samaritan, Jewish, and other middle eastern
traditions, including written amulets.
In general, you might try references in:
Thorndike, Lynn, A History of Magic and Experimental Science
during the First Thirteen Centuries of our Era, 2 vols. (New York:
Columbia University Press, 1923).
Kieckhefer, Richard, Magic in the Middle Ages (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 1990).
I see that John Shinners has replied before I could hit send--his
references may be more on the mark.
Karen Jolly
--
Dr. Karen Jolly
Associate Professor, History
University of Hawai`i at Manoa
[log in to unmask]
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~kjolly
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