1801. The peace of Amiens between France and England was signed in
France.
[Illustration: ~Palm Sunday.~]
This is the first Sunday before Easter, and is sometimes called
_Passion_ Sunday. It is denominated _Palm Sunday_, because on this day
the Roman catholic church ordains boughs or branches of palm trees to be
carried in procession, in imitation of those strewed before Christ when
he rode into Jerusalem. In this monkish procession the host was carried
upon an ass, branches and flowers were strewed on the road, the richest
cloths were laid down, and others were hung up. The palms were
consecrated by the priest, and after they were used they were preserved
to be burned for holy ashes, to lay on the heads of the people on _Ash_
Wednesday in the following year, as before-mentioned (see p. 261,) on
that day.
On _Palm Sunday_, the palm flowers and leaves to be consecrated by the
officiating prelate or priest were laid upon the high altar, and those
for the poor _laity_ being placed upon the south _step_ of the altar the
priest arrayed in a red cope proceeded to consecrate them by a prayer,
commencing “I conjure thee, thou creature of flowers and branches, in
the name of God the Father,” &c. This was to displace the devil or his
influences, if he or they lurked or were hidden in or about the
“creature of flowers and branches.” Then followed a prayer wherein he
said, with crosses, “We humbly beseech thee that thy truth may +
sanctify this creature of flowers and branches, and slips of palms, or
boughs of trees, which we offer,” &c. Then the “creature of flowers and
branches” was fumed with smoke of frankincense from the censers, and
there were other prayers with crossings, and they were sprinkled with
holy water with this supplication: “Bless + and sanctify + these
branches of palms, and other trees and flowers,” &c. Then the sacrists
distributed the palms to the abbots, priors, and nobler persons, and the
flowers and leaves to the others. When this was done the procession
moved, and afterwards made a stand while two priests brought a _Pascal_
in which the crucifix was laid; afterwards the banner and cross-bearers
filed off to the right and to the left, and the boys and monks of the
convent arranged themselves, and, after a short service, the priests
with the tomb, headed by the banner and cross, passed between the monks,
who knelt as they passed. When they came to the city-gates they divided
again on two sides, and the shrine being put on a table, was covered
with cloth. Above the entrance of the gates, in a place handsomely
prepared with hangings, were boys with other singers whom the chanter
had appointed, and these sang, “Gloria, Laus,” “Glory, praise,” &c.
After having made a procession through the city, they returned to the
convent-gate, where the shrine was laid on the table and covered with
cloth, and a religious service was performed. The monks then returned to
the church, and stood before the crucifix uncovered, while mass was
performed; and after they had communicated, the deacon first and the
rest afterwards, they offered their palms and flowers, at the altar.[39]
It was also an old Roman catholic custom on Palm Sunday, to draw about
the town a wooden ass with a figure on it, representing Christ riding
into Jerusalem, and the people strewing palms before it. Googe’s
_Naogeorgus_ says:--
A _woodden Asse_ they have, and _Image great_ that on him rides,
But underneath the Asse’s feete a table broad there slides,
Being borne on wheeles, which ready drest, and al things meete
therfore,
The Asse is brought abroad and set before the churche’s doore:
The people all do come, _and bowes of trees and Palmes they bere,
Which things against the tempest great the Parson conjures there_,
And straytwayes downe before the Asse, upon his face he lies,
Whome there an other Priest doth strike with rodde of largest sise:
He rising up, two lubbours great upon their faces fall,
In straunge attire, and lothsomely, with filthie tune, they ball:
Who, when againe they risen are, with stretching out their hande,
They poynt unto the wooden knight, and, singing as they stande,
Declare that that is he that came into the worlde to save,
And to redeeme such as in him their hope assured have:
And even the same that long agone, while in the streate he roade,
The people mette, and Olive-bowes so thicke before him stroade.
This being soung, the people _cast the braunches as they passe_,
Some part upon the Image, and some part upon the Asse:
Before whose feete a _wondrous heape of bowes and braunches ly_:
This done, into the Church he strayght is drawne full solemly:
The shaven Priestes before them marche, the people follow fast,
Still striving who shall gather first the bowes that downe are cast:
For falsely _they beleeve that these have force and vertue great,
Against the rage of winter stormes and thunders flashing heate_.
In some place wealthie citizens, and men of sober chere,
For no small summe doe hire this Asse with them about to bere,
And manerly they use the same, not suffering any by
To touch this Asse, nor to presume unto his presence ny.
For they suppose that in this thing, they Christ do lightly serve,
And well of him accepted are, and great rewardes deserve.
When the wooden ass had performed in the church procession, the boys
hired him:
The Sexten pleasde with price, and looking well no harme be done:
They take the Asse, and through the streets and crooked lanes they
rone,
Whereas they common verses sing, according to the guise,
The people giving money, breade, and egges of largest sise.
Of this their gaines they are compelde the maister halfe to give,
Least he alone without his portion of the Asse should live.
On the Romish processioning on Palm Sunday, it is observed by an old
writer that, “Among x thousand, scarce one knew what this meant. They
have their laudable dumme ceremonies, with _Lentin crosse_ and _Uptide
crosse_, and these two must justle til lent break his necke. Then cakes
must be caste out of the steple, that al the boyes in the parish must
lie scambling together by the eares, tyl al the parish falleth a
laughyng. But, lorde, what asses-play made they of it in great cathedral
churches and abbies. One comes forth in his albe and his long stole (for
so they call their girde that they put about theyr neckes,) thys must be
leashe wise, as hunters weares their hornes.--This solempne Syre played
Christe’s part, a God’s name. Then another companye of singers, chyldren
and al, song, in prick-song, the Jewe’s part--and the Deacon read the
middel text. The Prest at the Alter al this while, because it was
tediouse to be unoccupyed, made Crosses of Palme to set upon your doors,
and to beare in your purses, to chace away the Divel.”[40]
Dr. Fulke, opposing the Catholics, observes on their carrying of the
host on Palm Sunday,--“It is pretty sport, that you make the priests
carry this idol to supply the room of the ass on which Christ did ride.
Thus you turn the holy mystery of Christ’s riding to Jerusalem to a
May-game and pagent-play.” In the accounts of St. Andrew Hubbard’s
parish, there are Palm Sunday charges for the following items: In 1520,
eightpence for the hire of an angel. In 1535-7, another eightpence for a
priest and a child that played as a messenger: in that year the angel
was hired for fourpence. By the churchwardens of St. Mary-at-hill, in
1451, fourpence was paid to one Loreman for playing the prophet on Palm
Sunday. Though Roman catholic ceremonies were generally disused under
Henry VIII., yet he declared that the bearing of palms on Palm Sunday
was to be continued and not cast away; and it appears, that they were
borne in England until the second year of Edward VI. In “Stowe’s
Chronicle,” by Howes, the practice is said to have been discontinued in
1548.[41]
It was likewise a Roman catholic custom to resort to “our lady of
Nantswell,” at Little Conan, in Cornwall, with a cross of palm; and the
people, after making the priest a present, were allowed to throw the
cross into the well; if it swam, the thrower was to outlive the year; if
it sunk, he was not.[42]
Recently, it is related, that on the Saturday before Palm Sunday, the
boys of the grammar-school at Lanark, according to ancient usage, parade
the streets with a palm, or, its substitute, a large tree of the willow
kind, _salix cafrea_, in blossom, ornamented with daffodils, mezereon,
and box-tree. This day there is called Palm Saturday, and the custom is
supposed to be “a popish relic of very ancient standing.”[43] Mr. Douce,
in a manuscript note, cited by Mr. Ellis, says “I have somewhere met
with a proverbial saying, that he that hath not a palm in his hand on
Palm Sunday, must have his hand cut off.”
According to Stowe, in the week before Easter, there were great shows in
London for going to the woods, and fetching into the king’s house a
twisted tree, or _withe_; and the like into the house of every man of
note or consequence.
Palm Sunday remains in the English calendars. It is still customary with
men and boys to go a palming in London early on Palm Sunday morning;
that is, by gathering branches of the willow or sallow with their grey
shining velvet-looking buds, from those trees in the vicinity of the
metropolis: they come home with slips in their hats, and sticking in the
breast button holes of their coats, and a sprig in the mouth, bearing
the “palm” branches in their hands. This usage remains among the
ignorant from poor neighbourhoods, but there is still to be found a
basket woman or two at Covent-garden, and in the chief markets with this
“palm,” as they call it, on the Saturday before Palm Sunday, which they
sell to those who are willing to buy; but the demand of late years has
been very little, and hence the quantity on sale is very small. Nine out
of ten among the purchasers buy it in imitation of others, they care not
why; and such purchasers, being Londoners, do not even know the tree
which produces it, but imagine it to be a “real” palm tree, and “wonder”
they never saw any “palm” trees, and where they grow.
* * * * *