Words for Wellbeing: Charms, Caregiving and Health in England, 1300–1550

In late-medieval England, charms acted as prophylactic and curative tools for Christian devotees who rationalised words’ therapeutic efficacy according to the period’s dominant medical theories, “vernacular physics” and their own devotional habits. Through an investigation of the caregiving and medical treatments available to different social groups, I reveal how charms were widely accessible and up-to-date therapies, whilst arguing that class, occupation and gender created unique approaches and obstacles to healthcare. Situating my research in England, I focus on the years roughly 1300 to 1550, reconstructing how formally and informally trained healers could incorporate charms into their broader curative regimes.