The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 13.1761  Wednesday, 7 August 2002

From:           Sophie Masson <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date:           Wednesday, 7 Aug 2002 02:09:04 +1000
Subject:        James and Superstitions

I remember reading somewhere that James was also scared of weapons--of
swords and daggers especially--and would not allow people to carry them
in his presence. This was taken as a sign by some that he was a
changeling, as the inhabitants of the fairy world are traditionally
supposed to be afraid of cold iron!

Some people claimed that he was afraid of 'cold iron' because of the
stabbing of his mother's secretary, David Rizzio, when she was pregnant
with James(some also said that in fact Rizzio was James' true dad!) Some
kind of foetal resonance, perhaps! But as Martin pointed out about the
dates, anyone might be scared of weapons like that too if one had seen
all too many violent deaths of public figures due to stabbings and such!

Sophie Masson
Author site: http://www.northnet.com.au/~smasson

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