A Medieval Love Charm: Christianity, Magic and A Humble Herb
The Pervinca Charm: A Medieval Love Spell Hidden in a Humble Herb From the Hedgewitch Journal There are secrets hidden in the plants that grow beneath our feet. Some were gathered for healing, others for protection, and a few were believed to possess powers that reached far beyond the physical world. In the medieval garden, a humble flowering vine might serve as more than a remedy. It might become an instrument of magic. Such is the case with periwinkle, known as pervinca in Latin , the small evergreen plant at the heart of a curious fifteenth-century charm that blends herbal magic, Christian prayer, and the desire to bind another person's affections. It is a reminder that the boundary between medicine, religion, and magic was not always as clear to our ancestors as we might imagine. I researched this charm for my next book, THE NIGHT WITCH, which I am currently writing as part of my Midsummer Women Series. Although it was a German charm, I’ve used it in my Scottish setting. The...
