REMARKS. — This has been discovered by a Christian Gypsy King of
Egypt. Anno 1740, on the 10th of June, six gypsies were executed on the
gallows in the kingdom of Prussia. The seventh of their party was a man of
eighty years of age and was to be executed by the sword on the 16th of the
same month. But fortunately for him, quite unexpectedly, a conflagration
broke out, and the old Gypsy was taken to the fire to try his arts, which he
successfully did to the great surprise of all present, by bespeaking the
conflagration in a manner that it wholly or entirely ceased and disappeared
in less than ten minutes. Upon this, the proof having been given in daytime,
he received pardon and was set at liberty. This was confirmed and attested
by the government of the King of Prussia, and the General Superintendent
at Koenigsberg, and given to the public in print. It was first published at
Koenigsberg in Prussia, by Alexander Bausman, Anno 1745. Whoever has
this letter in his house will be free from all danger of fire, as well as from
lightning. If a pregnant woman carries this letter about her, neither
enchantment nor evil spirits can injure her or her child. Further, if anybody
has this letter in his house, or carries it about his person, he will be safe from
the injuries of pestilence. While saying these sentences, one must pass three
times around the fire. This has availed in all instances.
TO PREVENT CONFLAGRATION.
Take a black chicken, in the morning or evening, cut its head off and
throw it upon the ground; cut its stomach out, yet leave it altogether; then
try to get a piece of a shirt which was worn by a chaste virgin during her
terms, and cut out a piece as large as a common dish from that part which is
bloodiest. These two things wrap up together, then try to get an egg which
was laid on maunday Thursday. These three things put together in wax;
then put them in a pot holding eight quarts, and bury it under the threshold
of your house, with the aid of God, and as long as there remains a single
stick of your house together, no conflagration will happen. If your house
should happen to be on fire already in front and behind, the fire will
nevertheless do no injury to you nor to your children. This is done by the
power of God, and is quite certain and infallible. If fire should break out
unexpectedly, then try to get a whole shirt in which your servant-maid had
her terms or a sheet on which a child was born, and throw it into the fire,
wrapped up in a bundle, and without saying anything. This will certainly
stop it.