Curing the king's evil with a royal touch

摘要

Skimming through a book of extracts from John Evelyn's diaries I noted that his entry for 6 July 1660 - 350 years ago - includes the following: "His Majestie began first to Touch for the Evil according to costome: Thus, his Majestie sitting under his State in the Banqueting house: The Chirurgeons cause the sick to be brought or led up to the throne, who kneeling, the King strokes their faces or cheekes with both his hands at once."