ters; and very nice guests, it is to be feared, will think that our famous old cook, Thomas Hearne himself, was but a very slovenly and greasy kind of Host." "I shall offer," he says, 66 many discoveries peculiarly my own, for there are not a few customs yet retained in the North, where I spent the earliest part of my life, of which the learned in the Southern parts of our Island have hardly once heard mention.". He requests the Reader who has never before considered this neglected subject, in perusing the Observations, to suspend his judgment till he has carefully examined all the evidence: "in the mean time Prejudice be forewarned; and it will apomay logize for many seemingly trivial reasons, assigned for the beginning and transmittal of this or that popular Notion or Ceremony, to reflect, that what may appear foolish to the enlightened understandings of men in the eighteenth Century, wore a very different aspect when viewed through the gloom that prevailed in the seventh or eighth."

"I am indebted for much additional matter to the partiality and kindness of Francis Douce, Esq. who, having enriched an interleaved copy of my edition of 1777 with many very pertinent Notes and Illustrations, furnished from his own extensive reading on the subject, and from most rare Books in his truly váluable Library, generously permitted me to make whatever Extracts from them I

should think interesting to my present purpose.- It were invidious also not to make my acknowledgements on this occasion to George Steevens, Esq. the learned and truly patient, or rather indefatigable Editor of Shakspeare, who had the goodness to lend me many scarce Tracts, which no Collection but his own, either public or private, that I know of, could have supplied me with."

"I own myself under particular obligations to Durand's Ritual of Divine Offices, a work inimical to every idea of rational worship; but to the Enquirer

into the Origin of our popular Ceremo nies, an invaluable magazine of the most interesting intelligence. I would style this performance the great Ceremonial Law of the Romanists, in comparison with which the Mosaic Code is barren of Rites and Ceremonies. This curious book was printed at Mentz so early as 1459. We stand amazed on perusing it, at the enormous weight of a new yoke, which Holy Church, fabricating with her own hands, had imposed on her antient Devotees*.-Yet the forgers of these shackles had artfully enough contrived to make them sit easy, by twisting flowers around them: dark as this picture, drawn by the pencil of gloomy Su perstition, appeared upon the whole, yet was its deep shade in many places contrasted with pleasing lights.-The Calendar was crowded with Red-letter Saints; but which, by the encourageDays, nominally indeed consecrated to ment of idleness and dissipation of manners, gave every kind of countenance to Sinners. A profusion of childish Rites, Pageants, and Ceremonies, diverted the attention of the people from the consideration of their real state, and kept them in humour, if it did not sometimes make them in love, with their slavish modes of worship."

He has translated, he continues, from an antient Roman Calendar in his possession, of singular curiosity, a variety of brief observations under the immoveable Feasts and Fasts, "contributing not a little to the elucidation of many of our popular Customs, and proving them to have been sent over from Rome, with Bulls, Indulgences, and other baubles, bartered, as it should seem, for our Peter Pence, by those who trafficked in spiritual merchandize from the Continent."

"A learned performance by a Physician in the time of King James the First, and dedicated to that Monarch, is also luckily in my Library: it is written in Latin, and entitled "The Popedom, or the Origin and Increase of Depravity in Religion + containing a very masterly parallel between the Rites, No

666

tions, &c. of Heathen, and those of Papal Rome. The copious extracts from this work, with which I shall adorn and enlighten the following pages, will form their truest commendation, and supersede my poor encomiums."

imagine his mind must have been perpetually employed on this his favourite pursuit. The mass of curious re search before us seems indeed to present the labour of a life; and were not the illustration of the subject in itself

"When I call Gray to remembrance, the Poet of Humanity, who, had he left no other works behind him, would have transmitted bis name to immortality by Reflections written among the little tomb-stones of the Vulgar in a Country Church-yard; I am urged by no false shame to apologize for the seeming unimportance of my subject.

"The Antiquities of the Common People cannot be studied without acquiring some useful knowledge of mankind. By the chemical process of Philosophy, even Wisdom may be extracted from the Follies and Superstitions of our Forefathers*. The People, of whom Society is chiefly composed, and for whose good all superiority of rank, indispensably necessary as it is in every Government, is only a grant, made originally by mutual concession, is a respectable subject to every one who is the friend of Man.- Pride, which, independent of the idea arising from the neces"sity of civil polity, has portioned out the human genus into such a variety of different and subordinate species, must be compelled to own, that the lowest of

these derives itself from an origin common to it with the highest of the kind. -The well-known beautiful sentiment of Terence:

Homo sum, humani nihil à me alienum puto,'

may be adopted therefore in this place, to persuade us that nothing can be foreign to our enquiry, much less beneath our notice, that concerns the smallest of the Vulgar; of those little ones who occupy the lowest place, though by no aneans of the least importance in the political arrangement of human beings."

Mr. Brand's diligent application to study was confessedly great; and these volumes afford ample proof of it. Yet the reading it displays is so extensive and recondite, and the sources 1 from which his illustrations are derived are so various, that one would

It would occupy too much space to give an adequate account of the contents of this work. We therefore proceed only to make a few Selectons; in which if we fail to please, the Work itself, we must acknow ledge, contains variety which cannot fail to gratify the taste of all classes of Readers.

Under NEW YEAR'S EVE, Some curious particulars are given of the custom of Wasselling; accompanied by "A Carrol for a Wassel Bowl, to be sung upon Twelfth-day at Night-to the tune of Gallants, come away'," (printed in Ritson's Collection,) and "A Wassailer's Song on New Year's Eve," as still sung in Gloucestershire, communicated by Samuel Lysons, esq.

"Milner, on an antient cup (Archthat The introduction of Christianity æologia, vol. XI. p. 420), informs us,

amongst our ancestors did not at all contribute to the abolition of the practice of Wasselling. On the contrary, it began to assume a kind of religious aspect; and the Wasse! Bowl itself, which in the great Monasteries was placed on the Abbot's table, at the upper end of the Refectory, or Eating-hall, to be circulated among the community at his discretion, received the honourable appellation of" Poculum Charitatis." This in our Universities is called the Gracecup."

Under NEW YEAR'S DAY, among other observances, the custom of presenting New Year's Gifts is pleasingly illustrated.

"It appears from several passages in Mr. Nichols's Queen Elizabeth's Progresses, that it was antiently a custom at Court, at this season, both for the Sovereigns to receive and give New Year's Gifts. In the preface we read, The only remains of this custom at Court now is, that the two Chaplains in wait ing, on New Year's Day, have each a

crown

crown-piece laid under their plates at dinner. In a curious manuscript, lettered on the back Publick Revenue, Anno Quinto regni Edwardi Sexti,' I find 'Rewards given on New Year's Day, that is to say, to the King's officers and servants of ordinary, 1551. 5s, and to their servants that present the King's Matie with New Year's Gifts.' The custom, however, is, in part, of a date considerably older than the time of Edward the Sixth. Henry the Third, according to Matt. Paris, appears to have extorted New Year's Gifts from his subjects." See Matt. Paris, an. 1249, p. 757, ed. Watts, fol. 1641.

"It appears from a curious MS. in the British Museum, of the date of 1560, that the boys of Eton school used on the day of the Circumcision, at that time, to play for little New Year's Gifts before and after supper: and that the boys had a custom that day, for good luck's sake, of making verses, and sending them to the Provost, Masters, &c. as also of presenting them to each other. The very ingenious Buchanan presented to the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots, one of the above poetical kind of New Year's Gifts. History is silent concerning the manner in which her Majesty received it.

Ad Mariam Scotia Reginam.*

Do quod adest: opto quod abest tibi, dona darentur

Aurea, sors animo si foret æqua meo. Hoc leve si credis, paribus me ulciscere donis: [adest." Et quod abest opta tu mihi: da quod The following pithy observations are taken from å rare tract, intituled "Vox Graculi,” 1623, 4to.

"This month drink you no wine commixt with dregs; [legs. Eate capons, and fat bens,with dumpling "The first day of January being raw, colde, and comfortlesse to such as have lost their money at dice at one of the Temples over night, strange apparitions are like to be seene: Marchpanes marching betwixt Leaden-hall and the little Conduit in Cheape, in such aboundance that an hundred good fellowes may sooner starve then catch a corner, or a comfit to sweeten their mouthes. It

is also to be feared, that through frailty, if a slip be made on the messenger's default that carries them, for non-delivery at the place appointed; that unlesse the said messenger be not the more inward with his mistris, his master will give him rib-rost for his New Yeare's Gift the next morning.-This day shall be given

many more gifts then shall be asked for; and apples, egges, and orenges, shall be lifted to a lofty rate; when a pome-water, bestucke with a few rotten cloves, shall be more worth than the honesty of an hypocrite; and halfe a dozen of egges of more estimation than the vowes of a strumpet. Poets this day shall get mightily by their pamphlets: for an hundred of elaborate lines shall be lesse esteemed in London, than an hundred of Walfleet oysters at Cambridge."

The ceremonies of TWELFTH DAY are fully detailed, and are very entertaining.

Of ST. PAUL'S DAY, Mr. Brand remarks, "I do not find that any one has even hazarded a conjecture why prognostications of the weather, &c. for the whole year, are to be drawn from the appearance of this day.”

"The prognostications on St. Paul's Day are thus elegantly modernized by Gay, in his Trivia:

year;

'All superstition from thy breast repel, Let cred'lous boys and prattling nurses How, if the Festival of Paul be clear, [tell Plenty from lib'ral horn shall strow the [rain, When the dark skies dissolve in snow or The lab'ring hind shall yoke the steer in vain; [roar, But if the threat'ning winds in tempests Then War shall bathe her wasteful sword in gore.' He concludes,

'Let no such vulgar tales debase thý mind, [and wind'." Nor Paul, nor Swithin, rule the clouds

Under CANDLEMASS DAY we meet with the following curious passages:

"It was antiently a custom for women in England to bear lights when they were churched, as appears from the following royal bon mot: William the Conqueror, by reason of sickness, kept his chamber a long time, whereat the French King, scoffing, said, 'The King of England lyeth long in child-bed :' which when it was reported unto King William, he answered, When I am churched, there shall be a thousand lights in France;' (alluding to the lights that women used to bear when they were churched :) and that he performed within a few daies after, wasting the French territories with fire and sword."

"In Bishop Bonner's Injunctions, A.D. 1555, printed that year by John Cawood, 4to. we read, that bearyng of Candels on Candelmasse Daie is doone in the

memorie

memorie of our Saviour Jesu Christe, the spirituall lyght, of whom Sainct Symeon dyd prophecie, as it is redde in the Church that day.' This ceremony, however, had been previously forbidden in the Metropolis: for in Stowe's Chronicle, edited by Howes, fol. 1631, p. 595, we read, 'On the second of February 1547-8, being the Feast of the Purification of our Lady, commonly called Candlemasse Day, the bearing of Candles in the Church was left off throughout the whole Citie of London'."

"In a most rare book intitled The Burnynge of Paules Church in London, 1561, and the 4 day of June by Lyghtnynge,' &c. 8vo. Lond. 1563, we read, In Flaunders everye Saturdaye betwixt Christmas and Candelmas they eate flesh for joy, and have pardon for it, because our Ladye laye so long in child-bedde say they. We here may not eat so: the Pope is not so good to us; yet surely it were as good reason that we should eat fleshe with them all that while that our

Lady lay in child-bed, as that we shuld bear our Candel at her Churchinge at Candlemas with theym as they doe. It is seldome sene that men offer Candels at women's Churchinges, savinge at our Ladies: but reason it is that she have some preferement, if the Pope would be so good maister to us as to let us eat fleshe with theym'."

The observations on the ceremonies of this day are agreeably varied by some elegant songs from Herrick's Hesperides.

"The purple-flowered Lady's Thistle," it is remarked in a Note, " the leaves of which are beautifully diversified with numerous white spots, like drops of milk, is vulgarly thought to have been originally marked by the falling of some drops of the Virgin Mary's milk on it, whence, no doubt, its name Lady's, i. e. Our Lady's Thistle. An ingenious little invention of the dark ages, and which, no doubt, has been of service to the cause of Superstition. - Marry, a term of asseveration in common use, was originally in Popish times a mode of swearing by the Virgin Mary; q. d. by Mary. So also Marrow-bones, for the knees. I'll bring him down upon his Marrowbones; i. e. I'll make him bend his knees as he does to the Virgin Mary."

VALENTINE'S DAY affords scope for many pleasing illustrations.

"The custom of chusing Valentines was a sport practised in the houses of the gentry in England as early as the year 1476. See Fenn's Paston Letters, vol. H. p. 211. Of this custom John Lydgate, the Monk of Bury, makes mention

MS. Harl. 2251. See Strutt's Manners

and Customs, vol. III. p. 179. "In the Catalogue of the Poetical De

vises, &c. done by the same Poet, in print and MS. preserved in Speght's Chaucer, 1602, occurs one with the title of Chusing Loves on S. Valentine's Day.' 'Lydgate,' says Warton (Hist. Engl. Poet. vol. II. p. 53), "was not only the Poet of his Monastery, but of the World in general. If a Disguising was intended by the Company of Goldsmiths, a Mask before his Majesty at Eltham, a Maygame for the Sheriffs and Aldermen of London, a Mumming before the Lord Mayor, a Procession of Pageants from the Creation for the Festival of Corpus Christi, or a Carol for the Coronation, Lydgate was consulted, and gave the Poetry. The above Catalogue mentions also, by Lydgate, a Disguising before the Mayor of London by the Mercers; a Disguising before the King in the Castle of Hartford; a Mumming before the King at Eltham; a Mumming before the King at Windsore; and a Ballade given to Henry VI. and his mother, on New Yeare's Day, at Hartford'."

"The following is one of the most elegant jeu d'esprits on this occasion that I have met with:

'To Dorinda, on Valentine's Day. Look how, my dear, the feather'd kind, By mutual caresses joyn'd, Bill, and seem to teach us two, What we to love and custom owe. Shall only you and I forbear To meet and make a happy pair? Shall we alone delay to live? This day an age of bliss may give. But ah! when I the proffer make, Still coyly you refuse to take; My heart I dedicate in vain, The too mean present you disdain. Yet since the solemn time allows To choose the object of our vows; Boldly I dare profess my flame, Proud to be yours by any name."

Satyrs of Boileau imitated, 1696, p.101." We shall resume our examination of these volumes at an early opportunity.

2. Memoirs