Observations on Popular Antiquities Chiefly Illustrating the Origin of Our Vulgar Customs, Ceremonies, and Supersititions |
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Page 14
... Hath brought about that day which is the prime To the slow - gliding months , when every eye Wears symptoms of a sober jollity ; And every hand is ready to present Some service in a real compliment . Whilst some in golden letters write ...
... Hath brought about that day which is the prime To the slow - gliding months , when every eye Wears symptoms of a sober jollity ; And every hand is ready to present Some service in a real compliment . Whilst some in golden letters write ...
Page 26
... hath grace Your houses to renew , Again- Grown old , surrender must his place Unto the crisped Yew . When Yew is out , then Birch comes in , And many flowers beside ; Both of a fresh and fragrant kinne To honour Whitsontide . Green ...
... hath grace Your houses to renew , Again- Grown old , surrender must his place Unto the crisped Yew . When Yew is out , then Birch comes in , And many flowers beside ; Both of a fresh and fragrant kinne To honour Whitsontide . Green ...
Page 28
... hath first practised this custom , so common at this season . It was once thought this custom might have been the remains of an ancient practice in the Church of Rome on this day , of choosing patrons for the ensuing year ( and that ...
... hath first practised this custom , so common at this season . It was once thought this custom might have been the remains of an ancient practice in the Church of Rome on this day , of choosing patrons for the ensuing year ( and that ...
Page 33
... hath offered to make them believe that it was chiefly for their sakes , for the refreshment of their sadder and more restrained spirits , that this free and lawless Festivity was taken up . " Shrove - Tide , says Warton , " was formerly ...
... hath offered to make them believe that it was chiefly for their sakes , for the refreshment of their sadder and more restrained spirits , that this free and lawless Festivity was taken up . " Shrove - Tide , says Warton , " was formerly ...
Page 34
... hath ben acus- tomed in ony Cite or Burgh thorowe alle this reame , on Tuesday in the last ende of Cristemesse [ 1440 ] , viz . Fastyngonge Tuesday , made a disport with hys neyghbours , havyng his hors trappyd with tynn- soyle and ...
... hath ben acus- tomed in ony Cite or Burgh thorowe alle this reame , on Tuesday in the last ende of Cristemesse [ 1440 ] , viz . Fastyngonge Tuesday , made a disport with hys neyghbours , havyng his hors trappyd with tynn- soyle and ...
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Common terms and phrases
Account of Scotland ancient antiquity appears bells boy bishop Bride Bridegroom cake called celebrated ceremony Christian Christmas Christmass Church Churchwardens Cock curious custom dance daunce dayes door doth dressed drink eggs England fair feast festival fire flowers fool funeral garlands Gentleman's Magazine give goose hand Harvest hath head Henry Henry VIII Hobby Horse holy honour horns Horse Hudibras husband John King Lady London Lord Lord of Misrule Maid marriage married master mentions merry morning Morris Dance neighbours Newcastle-upon-Tyne night observed occasion parish passage Payd person play pole Polydore Vergil poor present Queen reign ring Romans Rosemary round Saint says Scotland Shrove Shrove Tuesday signifies singing solemnity sport St Mary-at-Hill St Nicholas St Stephen's Day St Swithin Statistical Account strewed Sunday superstition tells thou town unto Wakes Wedding wine woman women word writes young
Popular passages
Page 321 - And then it started, like a guilty thing Upon a fearful summons. I have heard The cock, that is the trumpet to the morn, Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat Awake the god of day; and at his warning. Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air, The extravagant and erring spirit hies To his confine; and of the truth herein This present object made probation.
Page 120 - Now the bright morning star, day's harbinger, Comes dancing from the East, and leads with her The flowery May, who from her green lap throws The yellow Cowslip and the pale Primrose.
Page 569 - Sometime she driveth o'er a soldier's neck, And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades, Of healths five fathom deep ; and then anon Drums in his ear, at which he starts, and wakes ; And, being thus frighted, swears a prayer or two, And sleeps again. This is that very Mab, That plats the manes of horses in the night ; And bakes the elf-locks in foul sluttish hairs, Which, once untangled, much misfortune bodes...
Page 567 - When in one night, ere glimpse of morn, His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn That ten day-labourers could not end; Then lies him down, the lubber fiend, And, stretched out all the chimney's length, Basks at the fire his hairy strength; And crop-full out of doors he flings, Ere the first cock his matin rings.
Page 207 - Two hazel nuts I threw into the flame, And to each nut I gave a sweetheart's name ; This with the loudest bounce me sore amaz'd, That in a flame of brightest colour blaz'd. As blaz'd the nut, so may thy passion grow ; For 'twas thy nut that did so brightly glow.
Page 515 - LITTLE tube of mighty power, Charmer of an idle hour, Object of my warm desire, Lip of wax and eye of fire ; And thy snowy taper waist, With my finger gently braced ; And thy pretty swelling crest, With my little stopper prest, And the sweetest bliss of blisses, Breathing from thy balmy kisses.
Page 515 - ... a custom loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, dangerous to the lungs, and in the black stinking fume thereof nearest resembling the horrible Stygian smoke of the pit that is bottomless.
Page 372 - Did they, for this, draw down the rabble, With zeal and noises formidable, And make all cries about the town Join throats to cry the bishops down...
Page 571 - Or Ciss to milking rose, Then merrily went their tabor, And nimbly went their toes. Witness those rings and roundelays Of theirs which yet remain, Were footed in Queen Mary's days On many a grassy plain. But since...
Page 269 - First, in the feast of Christmas, there was in the king's house, wheresoever he was lodged, a lord of misrule, or master of merry disports, and the like had ye in the house of every nobleman of honour or good worship, were he spiritual or temporal.