A Protective Prayer Against Fairies
Faery-spirits—also known as “faeries/fairies/fayres”, or the “fair folk”—were not always considered “benevolent”. They were viewed at best as unpredictable, uncanny, as well as—at sometimes—downright malevolent in nature.
Below is an old protection against the whiles of “faery-spirits”, which I only recently found in the given source of historical magic:
A prayer against fayres
[Name] N. thou art stricken with ye fayres. I praye God & ye blessed Lady, blesse thee againe & againe 9 times & be present health vnto [unto] thee for sweet saint [holy] charitye. Say soe 3 times together & the partye then make a + [sign of the cross] let yt [it] be for yow [you] or on [one of] the partye [party/group], & say 3 times more then make another crosse + [sign of the cross] say In nomine patris etc. then say ye lorde Iesu blesse thee [Name] N. & be present health vnto [unto] thee & defend thee from all pinchinges strikinges & from all evill tounges Lord Iesu + [sign of the cross] 3 tymes + [sign of the cross] for thy precious bloude, & soe in ye honour & worship of thee o God & for the health of thee will I saye 9 pr nr. [Pater Nosters] & one creede [Credo] & then say by God healpe he shalbe well presentlye + [sign of the cross].
--Making Magic in Elizabethan England, edited by Frank Klaassen, copyright 2019.
Hence “witches” in England were frequently accused of trafficking with the faery-spirits or sprites. This belief also explains why witches allegedly attended the faery-revels.
The concept of the “Good Fairy” entered into literature when fanciful tales about imaginary beings interacting with human beings were deemed suitable fodder for amusing or controlling children.
Originally, faeries were not viewed as being necessarily “well disposed” towards humanity, any more than wild and potentially dangerous creature. If you are living in Florida and you spy a baby alligator, do not go over and attempt to pick it up, because it looks “cute” and “little”.
1. A baby gator doesn’t want you to pick it up. It will identify you as “food” to eat or a “preditior” who might eat it
2. Make no mistake; it is little, but a baby gator’s teeth are sharp and it is possible you could lose a piece of a finger, and as a wild reptile this critter likely has a bunch of bactreia in its mouth that will cause a truly, nasty infection.
3. Yet, the most important fact is Mama Gator might still be around. If baby gator makes a distress cry—and Mama Gator hears it—you are in for a whole heap of trouble.
I have always perceived faeries to be spirits dwelling within nature. They are often described as uncanny meaning they are difficult to understand. It is wise to either a) politely ignore them, or b) politely acknowledge them with some occasional minor offering so that they view you somewhat kindly.
According to quite a lot of European and English folklore, many faeries were down right hostile and malevolent towards humans.
The spell above is a piece of historical magic illustrating that perception.
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