I just had to share this site with my colleague, La Maestra, and with every other librarian on this board.
-----------------
Of course to medieval librarians this was not a laughing matter, particularly since it took poor monks years to copy a manuscript!
----------------

A Curse on Book Thieves

It was traditional, particularly before the invention of the printing press when books were all hand written manuscripts, to letter a curse into the book to prevent theft. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to have worked very well, as the books also had to be chained into place. Even chains had limited effect. Witness the many ancient libraries where there are still chains in place -- but no books.

Here are a few examples...

Thys boke is one
And God's curse another;
They that take the one
God geve them the other.

He who steals this book
may he die the death
may he be frizzled in a pan...

This present book legible in scripture
Here in this place thus tacched with a cheyn
Purposed of entent for to endure
And here perpetuelli stylle to remeyne
Fro eyre to eyre wherfore appone peyn
Of cryst is curs of faders and of moderes
Non of hem hens atempt it to dereyne
Whille ani leef may goodeli hange with oder.

Steal not this Book my honest Friend
For fear the Galows should be your hend,
And when you die the Lord will say
And wares the Book you stole away?

This curse comes from the Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña, where supposedly El Cid lies buried!

For him that Stealeth a Book from this Library,

Let it change into a Serpent in his hand & rend him.

Let him be struck with Palsy, & all his Members blasted.

Let him languish in Pain crying aloud for Mercy,

Let there be no Surcease to his Agony till he sink to Dissolution.

Let Bookworms gnaw his Entrails in token of the
Worm that dieth not,

When at last he goeth to his final Punishment,

Let the flames of hell consume him for ever & aye.


But the best one is the one at the University of Salamanca, which promises Excommunication! : (I will post it later).

Yikes! Now WHERE is that library book I haven't turned in for 25 years? I REALLY don't want to be "frizzled in a pan, " let alone have all my "members" blasted!!

I think I will copy this and use it as an "Ex Libris" sticker!

Thanks for this priceless bit of protection.

Thanks, Booklady! I LOVE them! I just returned from a book shopping spree in London (had to buy some books that haven't been released in the US yet) and those curses may be what I need to keep kids from booknapping!

For an interesting, if macabre, medieval "curse" using books, read "The Name of the Rose," by Umberto Eco (hey, I spelled his name correctly the first time!).