modern antiquaries and glossarists when this study was placed on a very improved footing, but was still limited to superficial or prima facie evidence: and 3. the quite recent Folk-Lore movement, when in all these matters a latent sense is sought and sometimes found. Whatever view may be taken of a large proportion of the obsolete or moribund usages and superstitions, of which the following pages attempt to constitute a record, it is certain that on two broad and solid grounds they deserve and demand commemoration. For in the first place they very importantly illustrate the writings and policy of our ancestors alike in their absolute and in their relative aspects, and secondly they render it more possible for us to judge the amount and degree of progress in knowledge and culture, which have been attained in the intervening time, and of which we are in actual enjoyment. It is quite a moot question indeed, if not something more, whether the stricter scientific platform will ever extinguish or indeed seriously affect the public interest in this class of antiquities as described in the ordinary fashion on more or less uncultured lines. In reference to some of the authorities quoted it may be desirable to meet the allegation that they are too slight and untrustworthy, by pointing out that for the immediate and special purpose, authenticity and bona fides being presumed and granted, the minor popular writers are precisely the class of witnesses and vouchers, which we require to assist us in elucidating the statements and views of those of a higher reach. The authors quoted naturally and necessarily often belong to the school brought up side by side with the notions and beliefs, of which I am treating, and in not a few cases were partakers of them. It is necessary, however, to guard against accepting secondary or unscientific testimony for more than it is in its nature worth, and it is on that account that I have endeavoured, so far as it lay in my power, to arrange the text of this recension agreeably to the principle of proportion or degree of contributory weight. The governing aim has been to accumulate and arrange to the best advantage and in the most convenient shape as large a body as possible of real or supposed matters of fact on all branches of the subject, with which I deal; and in re-editing the 1870 book, to adapt it to an improved state of knowledge, I trust I have been fairly successful. It is to be remarked that the moral and conclusion derived from a perusal of the following pages are not perhaps likely to be of a very flattering nature, so far as regards either the opinions and intelligence of former ages or their educational progress. Amid a vast amount of material and detail, which can hardly fail to prove entertaining and valuable, there is much, too much, even as we draw near to our own epoch, which bespeaks a prevalence of low mental development arising, no doubt, in great measure from a faulty system of teaching both in a secular and clerical direction. Modern principles of instruction will gradually extinguish most, if not all, of the foolish prejudices and superstitions recorded here, and while it will be an unquestionable blessing, that such a change should occur, it also seems desirable that we should possess in a tolerably complete shape the means of comparison between the Older and the Newer Life of this Empire. It is hardly too much to say that, in scrutinizing many of the headings in the Dictionary, the average reader may have to reflect, before he is assured that the views or accounts contained under them refer to the country known as Great Britain; yet how many of these customs and corruptions yet survive! Barnes Common, Surrey, September, 1904. W. C. H. NATIONAL FAITHS AND POPULAR CUSTOMS. The Abbot of Bon Accord. Aberdeen name for the Lord of Misrule. Abbot of Unreason.-The Scotish name for the Lord of Misrule, q.v. In Scotland, where the Reformation took a nore severe and gloomy turn than in England, the Abbot of Unreason, as he was called, with other festive characters, was thought worthy to be suppressed by the Legislature as early as 1555. Jamieson seems to have thought, however, that the abolition of these sports was due rather to the excesses perpetrated in connection with them than to the Reformation. Perhaps this may be considered almost as a distinction without a difference. Abingdon, Berks. For a custom after the election of a mayor here, see the Gentleman's Magazine for Dec., 1782. Abraham-Men, itinerant beggars, who ranged town and country after the Dissolution of Monasteries and the absence of any other system of poor-relief. There is some illustration of this subject in Hazlitt's Popular Poetry, 1864-6, iv, 17 et. sc., in Harman's Caveat, 1567, &c., Compare Tom of Bedlam. Advertisements and Bills. The Poster for a wide variety of purposes is known to have been in use in England, no less than in France and Germany, at an early period, and shared with the Cry and Proclamation the function of notifying approaching events or official ordinances. Hazlitt's Shakespear: The Man and the Writer, 2nd ed. 1903, pp. 102-3. This method of notification also prevailed toward the latter end of the reign of Elizabeth in respect to theatrical performances, which were announced on advertisements affixed to conspicuous places; but the modern play-bill was a much later comer. There is an Elizabethan broadside recently discovered among some old MSS., setting forth the particulars of a tilting match at Westminster, to be held in honour and vindication of a certain lady, whose beauty and accomplishments the challenger was prepared to defend against all opponents. Hazlitt's Collections and Notes, 1903, v. Gallophisus. Adventurer.-A partner in a voyage of discovery or colonization. Adventurers on return were persons who lent money before they started on one of these enterprizes, on condition that they should receive so much profit, if they returned home. Admiral of the Blue, a sobriquet for a tapster, from his blue apron. Compare, as to the blue apron, Hazlitt's Garden Literature, 1887, pp. 9-10. The gar dener and fruit-grower, however, still cling to blue paper, as a material for covering their baskets of produce. Adoption.-Several of our sovereigns adopted children offered to them, and then contributed toward their maintenance, but did not necessarily, or indeed usually, remove them from their parents' roof. Very numerous illustrations of this custom might be afforded. In the "Privy Purse Expenses of Elizabeth of York," May, 1502, we have, for instance, this entry: "Item the xijth day of May to Mawde Hamond for keping of hire child geven to the Quene for half a yere ended at Estre last past. viijs." Epiornis or Epiornis. An extinct bird of Madagascar, of which an egg was discovered in an alluvial deposit in 1850, by M. d'Abbadie. It is said to be 13 or 14 inches long, and to have six times the capacity of that of the ostrich. The Epiornis seems to be identifiable with the Roc or Rukh, which is mentioned by Marco Polo. But it is doubtful whether this enormous creature really exceeded in size the great apteryx or moa of New Zealand, also extinct. A specimen of the egg was sold in London (November, 1899) for £44, described as about a yard in circumference, a foot in length, and of the capacity of 150 hens' eggs. Compare Roc. Aërolites, the modern name and view given to the medieval and ancient fire-balls, firedrakes, dracones volantes, thunderbolts, &c. Their nature is at present generally better understood, although we have yet to learn their exact origin. A very intelligent writer says, speaking of the matter of falling stars:"Amongst our selves, when any such matter is found in the fields, the very countrey-men cry it fell from Heav'n and the starres, and as I remember call it the Spittle of the Starres." He adds: "An Ignis fatuus has been found fallen down in a slippery viscous substance full of white spots. They stay upon military ensigns and spears; because such are apt to stop and be tenacious of them. In the summer and hot regions they are more frequent, because the gcod concoction produces fatnesse." White's Peripatetical Institutions, 1656, p. 148. Compare Fire-drake. In an B official account of Bendothey, co. Perth, written in 1797, it is said: "The substance called shot stars is nothing else than frosted potatoes. A night of hard frost, in the end of autumn, in which those meteors called fallen stars are seen, reduces the potatoe to the consistence of a jelly or soft pulp having no resemblance to a potato, except when parts of the skin of the potato adhere below undissolved. This pulp remains soft and fluid, when all things else in Nature are consolidated by frost for which reason it is greedily taken up by crows and other fowls when no other sustenance is to be had, so that it is often found by man in the actual circumstance of having fallen from above, having its parts scattered and dispersed by the fall, according to the law of falling bodies. This has given rise to the name and vulgar opinion concerning it.' Stat. Acc. of Scotl., xix., 351. Etites. The Etites, or Eagle Stone, was regarded as a charm of singular use to parturient women. Lemnius says: "It makes women that are slippery able to conceive, being bound to the wrist of the left arm, by which from the heart towards the Ring Finger, next to the little Finger, an artery runs and if all the time the woman is great with child, this jewel be worn on those parts, it strengthens the child, and there is no fear of abortior or miscarrying." Occult Miracles of Nature, 1658. Pi 270. Lemnius tells us elsewhere, that "the jewel called Etites, found in an eagle's nest, that has rings with little stones within it, being applied to the thigh of one that is in labour, makes a speedy and easy delivery; which thing I have found true by experiment." Lupton speaks of "Etites, called the Eagle's stone, tyed to the left arm or side; it brings this benefit to women with child, that they shall not be delivered before their time besides that, it brings love between the man and the wife: and if a woman have a painfull travail in the birth of her child, this stone tyed to her thigh, brings an easy and light birth." Elsewhere he says: "Let the woman that travels with her child, (is in labour) be girded with the skin that a serpent or snake casts off, and then she will quickly be delivered." Agatha's Letters, St.-Bishop Pilkington observes: "They be superstitíous that put holiness in S. Agathes Letters for burning houses, thorne bushes for lightnings." Burnynge of Paules Church in 1561, 88, 1563, I. 8 and G. i. Afternoon Music. In Brooke's "Epithalamium," inserted in England's Helicon, 1614, we read: "Now whiles slow Howres doe feed the Times delay, Confus'd Discourse, with Musicke mixt among, Fills up the Semy-circle of the Day." Agnes Day or Eve, St.-(Jan. 21.) St. Agnes was a Roman virgin and martyr, who suffered in the tenth persecution under the Emperor Diocletian, A.D. 306. In the office for St. Agnes' Day in the "Missale ad usum Sarum," 1554, this passage occurs: "Hec est Virgo sapiens. quam Dominus vigilantem invenit," The Gospel is the parable of the Virgins. The "Portiforium ad usum Sarum declares that Agnes was the daughter of immaculate parents, Cujus mater Virgo est, cujus pater fæminam nescit, and that she was so deeply versed in magic, that it was said that Christ was her spouse. The festival of St. Agnes was not observed with much rigour in Germany in the time of Naogeorgus; but he describes the celebration at Rome on this anniversary as very solemn. It was customary to offer two lambs in remembrance of the legend at the high altar; these were taken by the priest and kept till shearing time, when their fleeces were used for palls. The same practice was noticed by Jephson the traveller in Italy in 1794. The life of this Saint was written by L. Sherling (i.e.. Daniel Pratt), in prose and verse, and printed in 1677. On the eve of her day many kinds of divination are practised by virgins to discover their future husbands. It is called fasting St. Agnes' Fast. The following lines of Ben Jonson allude to this: "And on sweet St. Agnes' night Please you with the promis'd sight, Some of husbands, some of lovers, Which an empty dream discovers." She was condemned to be debauched in the public stews before her execution; but her virginity was miraculously preserved by lightning and thunder from Heaven. About eight days after her execution, her parents going to lament and pray at her tomb, they saw a vision of angels, among whom was their daughter, and a lamb standing by her as white as snow, on which account it is that in every graphic representation of her there is a lamb pictured by her side. Burton, in his "Anatomy," also speaks of this sort of divination, and Aubrey, in his " Miscellanies,' "directs that " Upon St. Agnes' Night you take a row of pins, and pull out every one, one after another, saying a Pater Noster, sticking a pin in your sleeve, and you will dream of him or her you shall marry." This anniversary is known in connection with the celebrated poem by Keats. In the bishopric of Durham, the country people have the following address in use: "Fair St. Agnes, play thy part, I have observed that in Cornwall, where we should speak of St. Agnes, they say St. Anne, as if the two names, if not persons, were the same. Yet females are sometimes christened Agnes Anne. Agues.-Aubrey furnishes an infallible receipt for the cure of an ague: Write this following spell in parchment, and wear it about your neck. It must be writ triangularly: ABRACADABRA ABRACADABR ABRACADAB ABRACADA ABRACAD ABRACA ABRAC ABRA ABR Ав A With this the writer affirms that one at Wells in Somersetshire had cured above a hundred of the disease. He gives another specific for the same purpose a little further on: "Gather cinquefoil in a good aspect of to the and let the moone be in the mid-heaven, if you can, and take of the powder of it in white wine. If it be not thus gathered according to the rules of astrology, it hath little or no virtue in it." Other superstitious cures follow for the thrush, the toothache, the jaundice, bleeding, &c.-Miscellanies, ed. 1857, 133, 134, 137, where farther information may be found. Blagrave prescribes a cure of agues by a certain writing which the patient weareth, as follows: When Jesus went up to the Cross to be crucified, the Jews asked Him, saying, Art thou afraid? or hast thou the ague? Jesus answered and said, I am not afraid, neither have I the ague. All those which bear the name of Jesus about them shall not be afraid, nor yet have the ague. Amen, sweet Jesus, Amen, sweet Jehovah, Amen." He adds: "I have known many who have been cured of the ague by this writing only worn about them; and I had the receipt from one whose daughter was cured thereby, who had the ague upon her two years." To this charact, then, may be given, on the joint authority of the old woman and our doctor, "Probatum est." Astrological Practice d'Physic, p. 135. In Ashmole's Diary, 11 April, 1681, is preserved the following curious incident:"I took early in the morning a good dose of elixir, and hung three spiders about my neck, and they drove my ague away. Deo Gratias " Ashmole was a judicial astrologer, and the patron of the renowned Mr. Lilly. Par nobile fratrum. In Pope's Memoirs of P. P. Clerk of the Parish, is the following :"The next chapter relates how he discovered a thief with a Bible and key, and experimented verses of the Psalms that had cured agues." Douce notes that, in his day, it was usual with many persons about Exeter, who had the ague, "to visit at dead of night the nearest cross road five different times, and there bury a new-laid egg. The visit is paid about an hour before the cold fit is expected; and they are persuaded that with the egg they shall bury the ague. If the experiment fail, (and the agitation it occasions may often render it successful) they attribute it to some unlucky accident that may have befallen them on the way. In the execution of this matter they observe the strictest silence, taking care not to speak to any one, whom they may happen to meet.Gentleman's Magazine, 1787, p. 719. I shall here note another remedy against the ague mentioned as above, viz., by breaking a salted cake of bran and giving it to a dog, when the fit comes on, by which means they suppose the malady to be transferred from them to the animal." Compare St. Germanus. Aldate, St.-Hearne, in his Diary, informs us that this personage was a bishop of Gloucester, living in the time of Hengist, whom he slew; and a part of Oxford is still named after him. But his existence is questionable. Diary, 1869, ii., 285. Ale.-Ale, or eale, A.-S. (a form not yet obsolete) seems to be considered as significant in the present connection of nothing, more or less, than a merry-making. "That ALE is festival appears from its sense in composition," says Warton; as amongst others, in the words Leet-ale, Lamb-ale, Whitsun-ale, Clerk-ale, and Church-ale. Leet-ale, in some parts of England, signifies the dinner at a court-leet of a manor for the jury and customary tenants. Lambale is still used at the village of Kirtlington in Oxfordshire, for an annual feast or celebrity at lamb-shearing. Clerk-ale occurs in Aubrey's History of Wiltshire,' printed in 1847. Church-ale was a feast celebrated for the repair of the church, or in honour of the church saint. In Dodsworth's Manuscripts, there is an old indenture, made before the Reformation, which not only shews the design of the Churchale, but explains this particular use and application of the word ale. But Mr. Astle had a curious record about 1575, which proves the Bride-ale synonymous with the Weddyn-ale.* Among Bishop Tanner's MSS. additions to Cowel's Law Glossary,' in the Bodleian Library, is the following note from his own collec |