afflicted with wens in the neck, with white swellings in the knees, &c., upon whose afflictions the cold clammy hand of the sufferer was passed to and fro for the benefit of his executioner." wor Sortiti fortunam oculis; manibusque paratis Expectant propriorem, intercipiuntque Compare what has been said under Golf. I have somewhere read, that the custom of kissing the hand by way of salutation is derived from the manner in which the ancient Persians shipped the sun which laying their hands upon their mouths, was by first and then lifting them up by way of adoration. A practice which receives illus-sio, quæ sit stipulata manu, sive cives tration from a passage in the Book of Job, a work replete with allusions to ancient manners- "If I beheld the sun, when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness; and my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand." Archæologia, xxxi., 26-7. In a paper in the Antiquary for 1891, on Handprints and Footprints on Stokes instances cases of hand-markings Stones, Margaret or impressions of hands or fingers sociated in the popular mind abroad or in the East with miraculous properties. provement. as Handball or Jeu de Paume. One of the most ancient games, perhaps, in the world, which was known to the Greeks under the name of Sphairisis, and to the Romans as Pila. It is introduced on some of the coins of Larissa in Thessaly (Head's Historia Numorum, 1887, p. 254). It was originally, even among the modern nations, played with the hand, which was protected by a thick glove; hence came the French jeu de paume; and the racket was a comparatively recent imFitzstephen seems to allude to this sport, where he says: ner, all the youths go into the fields, to "After dinplay at the ball. The scholars of every school have their ball, or bastion, in their hands. The antient and wealthy men of the city come forth on horseback, to see the sport of the young men, and to take part of the pleasure, in beholding their agility. See Halliwell in v., where Stowe's Survey, 1720, is cited for the custom of playing at this on Easter-day for a tansy cake. The following beautiful description in the "Mons Catharina" may almost equally be applied to hand-ball: Ast "His datur orbiculum quorum pedibus fiducia Aut volitantem altè longéque per aëra fidem suam principi spondeant, sive mutuum inter se matrimonium inituri, a phrasi fæsta hand, quæ notat dextram dextræ jungere." Ihre "Glossar, SuioGothicum," in v.; Ibid. in v. Bröllop. Brudkaup. In "The Christian State of Matrimony," 1543, p. 43 verso, we read: "Yet in thys thynge also must I warne they dyssemble not, ner set forthe any beware that in contractyng of maryage everye reasonable and honest parson, to ye. Every man lykewyse must esteme the parson to whom he is handfasted, none otherwyse than for his owne though as yet it be not done in the church spouse, ner in the streate.-After the handfastchurchgoyng and weddyng shuld not be ynge and makyng of the contracte ye differed to longe, lest the wickedde sowe hys ungracious sede in the meane season. Into this dysh hath the Dyvell put his foote and mengled it wythe many wycked ther is such a maner, wel worthy to be reuses and coustumes. buked, that at the handefasting ther is For in some places made a greate feaste and superfluous bancket, and even the same night are the two together, yea, certan wekes afore they go handfasted personnes brought and layed to the chyrch." Dumfries, mentioning an In 1794, the Minister of Eskdalemuir, of the Black and White Esks, now held time out of mind at the meeting annual fair entirely laid aside, reported: fair it was the custom for the unmarried "At that panion according to their liking, with persons of both sexes to choose a comyear. This was called hand-fasting, or whom they were to live till that time next hand in fist. If they were pleased with each other at that time, then they conrated, and were free to make another tinued together for life: if not they sepachoice as at the first. The fruit of the connection (if there were any) was always later times, when this part of the country attached to the disaffected person. In priest, to whom they gave the name of belonged to the Abbacy of Melrose, a in his bosom a Bible, or perhaps a regisBook i'bosom (either because he carried ter of the marriages), came from time to time to confirm the marriages. This place is only a small distance from the Roman encampment of Castle-o'er. May not the fair have been first instituted when the Romans resided there? And may not the 'hand-fasting' have taken its rise from their manner of celebrating marriage, ex usu, by which, if a woman, with the consent of her parents or guardians, lived with a man for a year, without being absent three nights, she became his wife? Perhaps, when Christianity was introduced the form of marriage may have been looked upon as imperfect, without confirmation by a priest, and therefore, one may have been sent from time to time for this purpose.' Compare Betrothal, Trothplight, &c., and Hazlitt's Monograph on Shakespear, 2nd edit. 1903, p. 9, where the case of the poet and his wife is treated. Handicap.-Under September 18, 1660, Pepys notes, that some of his party, at the Mitre in Wood Street, "fell to handicap, a sport that I never knew before, which was very good"; but unfortunately he has furnished no particulars. Was it an early anticipation of a table game of race-horses? Hand in and Hand Out.--Halliwell thus describes this amusement: "A company of young people are drawn up in a circle, when one of them, pitched upon by lot, walks round the band, and, if a boy, hits a girl, or if a girl, she strikes a boy whom she chooses, on which the party striking and the party struck run in pursuit of each other, till the latter is caught, whose lot it then becomes to perform the same part." It seems equally impossible to determine whether this was identical with the hand-out mentioned by Sir John Harington or with the Hand-in-Hand-out prohibited by 17 Edw. IV. c. 2. If the latter were the case, some licentious outgrowth from the original game has to be supposed, and it seems more logical to infer that the Edward statute had a different pastime in view, though Harington's Hand-out may very well have been the one objected to by the law, and still more or less pursued. Handkerchief. We gather from Howes's Additions to Stow's Chronicle that, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, was the custome for maydes and gentil"it women to give their favorites, as tokens of their love, little handkerchiefs of about three or four inches square, wrought round about, and with a button or a tassel at each corner, and a little one in the middle, with silk and threed: the best edged with a small gold lace or twist, which being foulded up in foure crosse foldes, so as the middle might be seene, 303 gentlemen and others did usually weare "Only this handkercher, a young gentle woman Wish'd me to acquaint you with her In one corner of the same, place wanton Drawing his bow, shooting an amorous Opposite against him an arrow in an In a third corner picture forth Disdain, Circled about with a ring of poesy." "The Vow Breaker," 1636, act i. sc. 1, Miles, a milIn Sampson's play of ler, is introduced telling his sweetheart, on going away to the wars: "Mistress Ursula, 'tis not unknowne that I have lov'd you; if I die, it shall be for your hand-kercher with you: 'tis wrought with sake, and it shall be valiantly: I leave an blew Coventry: let me not, at my returne, fall to my old song, she had a clowte of hang myself at your infidelity. mine sowde with blew Coventry, and so Hundred, Essex, is the following remark: In an account of Dunton Church, in Barnstable mind at the churching of a woman, for "Here has been a custom, time out of her to give a white Cambrick Handkerchief to the minister as an offering. rant's Essex, i., 219. This is observed by Thanet,' where the same custom is kept Mr. Lewis in his History of the Isle of up." Mo Handsel. The first money taken at here and abroad, to spit on it, and in Italy a market or fair. It is still usual, both and Portugal, in the case of an ordinary gift to the poor, the recipient will spit on self with the benefaction. Lemon's Dicit, press it to his forehead, and cross himtionary, 1783, explains "Handsell," "the first money received at market, which either to render it tenacious that it may many superstitious people will spit on, remain with them, and not vanish away like a fairy gift, or else to render it propitious and lucky, that it may draw more money to it." It is quoted in the "Ped or Handsel Monday and Tuesday." The minister of Moulin, in Perthshire, informs us, that beside the stated fees, the master (of the parochial school there) receives some small gratuity, generally two-pence or three-pence, from each scholar, on Handsel-Monday Shrove-Tuesday. It is worth mentioning that one William Hunter, a collier, was cured in the year 1758 of an invete rate rheumatism or gout, by drinking freely of new ale, full of barm or yest. The poor man had been confined to his bed for a year and a half, having almost entirely lost the use of his limbs. On the evening of Handsel Monday, as it is called, (i.e., the first Monday of the New Year, O.S.) some of his neighbours came to make merry with him. Though he could not rise, yet he always took his share of the ale, as it passed round the company, and, in the end, became much intoxicated. The consequence was, that he had the use of his limbs the next morning, and was able to walk about. He lived more than twenty years after this, and never had the smallest return of his old complaint." Handy-Dandy. By far the most copious and satisfactory account of this ancient English game is to be found in Mr. Halliwell's Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales," 1849, to which I must beg to refer the reader. The earliest allusion to it yet discovered is the passage in "Piers Ploughman," cited by Mr. Halliwell. Browne, in the fifth song of "Britannia's Pastorals," 1614, describes it as a boy's game: "Who so hath seene young lads (to sport themselues), Run in a low ebbe to the sandy shelues: Where seriously they worke in digging wels, Or building childish forts of cockle shels; Or liquid water each to other bandy; Or with the pibbles play at handydandy-" This game is mentioned in the dedication to Mr. William Lilly, by Democritus Pseudomantis, of Pantagruel's Prognostication, about 1645. But Halliwell (Archaic Dictionary, in v.) cites the Nomenclator of Adrianus Juníus for some description of handy-dandy different from the ordinary game, the play called handie dandie or the casting or pitching of the barre." Perhaps this was some foreign variety. 66 Cornelius Scriblerus, in forbidding certain sports to his son Martin till he is better informed of their antiquity, says: Neither cross and pile, nor ducks and drakes, are quite so ancient as handy-dandy, tho' Macrobius and St. Augustine take notice of the first, and Minutius Foelix describes the latter; but handy-dandy is mentioned by Aristotle, Plato, and Aristophanes." The appearance of a besom on the top of Hanging out the Besom. a ship's mast is certainly not always an indication of the vessel being for sale, as it is also usual to place it there, when the craft is in port being cleaned or under repair. To hang out a besom from a house is in some places received as a sign that the master is from home. Comp. Broom. Hangman's Wages. In a letter to Edward King, Esq., President of the Society of Antiquaries, Dr. Pegge has entered with some minuteness and care into this question, and into the origin of the old, but now obsolete, practice of presenting the public executioner with thirteen pence halfpenny (the Scotish merk, minus two placks), as his wages for performing the unenviable task. Pegge's paper ought to be read as it stands without curtailment. But it is certainly strange that Brand and his editor should, both of them, have overlooked this point, which was worth at least a reference to the place, where it is discussed. It is generally known, that the hangman is ex-officio the sheriff's deputy, and that, in default of a person to execute the office, the sheriff himself would even now be obliged to act. It is observable, as regards the wages of the executioner, that by Halifax Law no man could be punished capitally for a theft not exceeding thirteenpence halfpenny the coincidence is curious; but it may be nothing more than a coincidence. The earliest example of the grant of a prisoner's clothes to anyone is not to the executioner, but to the person whom the authorities chose to dig the grave. Thus in Adam Bel, 1536 : The Justice called to hym a ladde, It reads as if the Justice himself performed the office in this particular case; yet the sheriff was present. Happy Foot. In a statistical account of the parish of Forglen, co. Banff, drawn up about 1795, it is said: "" There are happy and unhappy feet. Thus they wish bridegrooms and brides a happy foot, and to prevent any bad effect, they salute those they meet on the road with a kiss. It is hard, however, if any misfortune happens when you are passing, that you should be blamed, when neither you nor your feet ever thought of the matter." Stat. Acc. xiv., 541. Hare. The ancient Romans made use of hares for the purposes of divination. They were never killed for the table. Borlase tells us of " a remarkable way of divining related of Bonduca or Boadicea Queen of the Iceni-when she had harangued her soldiers to spirit them up against the Romans, she opened her bosom and let go a hare, which she had there concealed, that the augurs might thence proceed to divine. The frighted animal made such turnings and windings in her course, as, according to the then rules of judging, prognosticated happy success. The joyful multitude made loud huzzas, Boadicea seized the opportunity, approved their ardour, led them straight to their enemies, and gained the victory.' Antiq. of Cornwall, p. 135. 'Tis perhaps hence that they have been accounted ominous by the vulgar. Cæsar's Comment., p. 89. An opinion was formerly entertained both in England and abroad, that a hare crossing the path of any one was a portent of misfortune, and a warning to return, or retrace one's steps; and of this almost universal superstition our own early writers, and those of the Continent, abound in confirmations. Sir Thomas Browne tells us, "if an hare cross the highway, there are a few above three score years that are not perplexed thereat, which, notwithstanding, is but an augurial terror, according to that received expression Inauspicatum dat iter oblatus lepus. And the ground of the conceit was probably no greater than this, that a fearful animal, passing by us, portended unto us something to be feared: as, upon the like consideration, the meeting of a fox presaged some future imposture. These good or bad signs sometimes succeeding according to fears or desires, have left impressions and timorous expectations in credulous minds for ever.' Home adds: “. In so much as some in company with a woman great with childe have upon the crossing of such creatures, cut or torn some of the clothes off that woman with childe, to prevent (as they imagined) the ill luck that might befall her. I know I tell you most true; and I hope in such a subject as this, touching these superstitions, I shall not offend in acquainting you with these particulars.' Demonolo gie, 1650, p. 50. Among the Forfarshire fishermen, the portent of the hare crossing the path, which in many other places is regarded as unlucky, has sufficient influence to deter any one from going out. See Machin's "Dumb Knight," 1608, Hazlitt's Dodsley, x; Hall's "Characters of Vertues and Vices," 1608; Melton's "Astrologaster," 1620, p. 45; Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy," 1621, p. 214; Ellison's Trip to Benwel," p. lx.; Mason's "Anatomie of Sorcery," 1612, p. 85; Gaule's "Mag-Astromancer Posed, etc., p. 181; Ramsey's "Elminthologia," 1668, p. 271. Alexander ab Alexandro, Geniales Dies," vol. v. p. 13; Bebelius, "Facetime," 1516, sign. E 3; Townson's "Travels in Hungary." Pepys seems to have believed in the virtues of a hare's foot as a preservative against the colic; but he did not at first apply it properly; for in the Diary, January 20, 1664-5, there is this odd entry: "Homeward, in my way buying a hare, and taking it home, which arose upon my discourse to-day with Mr. Batten, in Westminster Hall, who showed me my mistake, that my hare's foot hath not the joynt to it, and assures me he never had his cholique since he carried it about with him; and it is a strange thing how fancy works for I no sooner handled his foot, but I became very well, and so continue." Hare and Hounds. An out-door sport, where a youth (the hare) starts in advance, and traverses a line of country, dropping, as he proceeds, something to indicate his route, and is followed by the others the hounds, who have to get up to him, and capture him. All are dressed in jerseys, and the amusement seems to have nothing to recommend it, as the exercise is too violent to suit many boys or young men. Saturday afternoons during all seasons of the year are occupied in this way by seekers of active recreation. Harper. Puttenham speaks of "blind harpers or such like tauerne minstrels that give a fit of mirth for a groat, and their matters being for the most part stories of old time, as the Tale of Sir Topas, the Reportes of Bevis of Southampton, Guy of Warwicke, Adam Bell, and Clymme of the Clough, and such other old romances, or historicall rimes, made purposely for recreation of the common people at Christmasse diners and Brideales, and in tauernes and ale-houses, and such other places of base resort." There is the tract by Martin Parker, 1641, entitled The Poet's Blind Man's Bough'; or, Have among You, my Blind Harpers, Possibly the blindness, real or supposed, was found remunerative. Harvest. Macrobius tells us that, among the ancients, the masters of families, when they had got in their harvest, were wont to feast with their servants, who had laboured for them in tilling the ground. In exact conformity to this, it is common among us, when the fruits of the earth are gathered in laid in their proper repositories, to provide a plentiful supper for the harvest and men and the servants of the family. At this entertainment all are in the modern revolutionary idea of the word perfectly equal. Here is no distinction of persons; but master and servant sit at the same table, converse freely together, and spend the remainder of the night in dancing, singing, &c., in the most easy familiarity. Saturn. Conviv, cap. 10. Durandus mentions that it was formerly usual among the Gentiles for the servants, both male and female, to take their masters' or employers' places after the gathering-in of the harvest, and usurp their authority for a time. Rationale. vi., 86. Bourne thinks the original of both these customs is Jewish, and cites Hospinian, who tells us that the heathens copied this custom of the Jews, and at the end of their harvest, offered up their first fruits to the gods. For the Jews rejoiced and feasted at the getting in of the harvest. This festivity is undoubtedly of the most remote antiquity. In the Roman Calendar" I find the following observation on the eleventh of June: (the harvests in Italy are much earlier than with us). "The season of reapers, and their custom with rustic pomp.' Theophylact mentions "Scenopegia, quod celebrant in gratiarum actionem propter convectas Fruges in Mense Septembri. Tunc enim gratias agebant Deo, convectis omnibus fructibus, &c."Theoph. in 7 cap. Joan. Vacuna, so called, as it is said, à vacando, among the ancients, was the name of the goddess to whom rustics sacrificed at the conclusion of harvest. That men in all nations where agriculture flourished should have expressed their joy on this occasion by some outward ceremonies, has its foundation in the nature of things. Sowing is hope; reaping, fruition of the expected good. To the husbandman, whom the fear of wet, blights, &c., had harrassed with great anxiety, the completion of his wishes could not fail of impart ing an enviable feeling of delight. Festivity is but the reflex of inward joy, and it could hardly fail of being produced on this occasion, which is a temporary suspension of every care. The respect shown to servants at this season seems to have sprung from a grateful sense of their good services. Every thing depends at this juncture on their labour and dispatch. In Carew's "Survey of Cornwall," p. 20, verso, an ill kerned or saved harvest" occurs. We do not recognise among more modern European societies any analogue to the Roman Fornacalia or rites to the goddess Fornax for the happy taking of the corn, which concluded, with the harvest itself and other early local institu tions, with a period of licence, known as Stultorum Feria. The Fornacalia, traditionally established by Numa, was held on the 18th of February. Harvest in Scotland.-Moresin tells us that Popery, in imitation of this, brings home her chaplets of corn, which she suspends on poles, that offerings are made on the altars of her tutelar gods, while thanks are returned for the collected stores, and prayers are made for future ease and rest. Images too of straw or stubble, he adds, are wont to be carried about on this occasion; and that in England he himself saw the rustics bringing home in a cart a figure made of corn, round which men and women were singing promiscuously, preceded by a drum or piper. Papatus, p. 173, v. l'acona. Johnson tells us,in his "Tour to the Hebrides," that he saw the harvest of a small field in one of the Western Islands. The strokes of the sickle were timed by the modulation of the harvest song, in which all their voices were united. They accompany, in the Highlands, every action which can be done in equal time with an appropriate strain, which has, they say, not much meaning, but its effects are regularity and cheerfulness. The ancient proceleusmatic song, by which the rowers of gallies were animated, may be supposed to have been of this kind. There is now an oar song used by Hebridians. In the "Statistical Account of Scotland," it is said, "There is one family on the Cupar-Grange Estate, which has been there a century. mer tenant in that family kept a piper to play to his shearers all the time of harvest, and gave him his harvest-fee. The slowest shearer had always the drone behind him. In Henry IV.'s time, the French peasants were accustomed to regale after the getting in of the harvest, on what was called a harvest Gosling. Armstrong says: "Their harvests are generally gathered by the middle of June: and, as the corn ripens, a number of boys and girls station themselves at the edges of the fields, and on the tops of the fence walls, to fright away the small birds with their shouts and cries. This puts one in mind of Virgil's precept in the first book of his Georgicks, 'Et sonitu terrebis aves'and was a custom, I doubt not, among the Roman farmers, from whom the ancient Minorquins learned it. They also use, for the same purpose, a split reed; which makes a horrid rattling, as they shake it with their hands. Hist. of Minorca, 177. A personal friend of the writer saw a farmer near Edinburgh, about ten years ago, personally superintending the inning process, assisted by his daughter; and he was a man of large fortune. The for Harvest Doll. An old woman, |