Names of Months, whence derived--January--First of
January, how kept--Heathens and Christians--New Year
Gifts--February--Sacrifices for purging Souls--Second
of February, how kept--Virtue of Candles--Shrove
Tuesday--Eating Pancakes--Partaking of Brose--Choosing
a Valentine--March--Prognostications observed in this
Month--April dedicated to Venus--First of May--Roman
Floral Games--Queen of the May--May Poles and May
Fires--Dispute between Men and Gods--Superstitious
Customs in Scotland--Superstitious Ceremonies in
England--June regarded as the most favourable Month
for Fruitful
Marriages--July--August--September--October--Hallow-e'en
Ceremonies--November--All Hallows--Souls in
Purgatory--St. Leonard--St.
Britius--December--Christmas Trees and Gifts--The
Misletoe--Privileges in Leap Year--Yule Log--Christmas
Festivities.
January, it is generally admitted, derived that appellation from the
Latin _Januarius_, in honour of Janus, one of the heathen divinities.
Janus was supposed to preside over the gates of heaven. The Saxons
originally called this month Wolf-monat, and afterwards it was called
Aefter-Yule--After-Christmas. The first of January having been
observed by the heathens as a day of great rejoicing, and offering up
profane and superstitious sacrifices to Janus, the early Christians
observed it as a fast to avoid the appearance of doing honour to a
heathen deity. The Grecians, at the commencement of every year, held
festive meetings to celebrate the completion of the sun's annual
course. From that people the Romans borrowed the custom of observing
the first of January; and from the Romans our forefathers received it.
In giving New Year gifts, we follow the example of the ancients; and
to receive such tokens of goodwill, was then, as now, considered
propitious.
The name of February is taken from _Februa_, _Februta_, or
_Februalis_, names of Juno, who presided over the purification of
women; or, according to other authors, from _Februis expiatoriis_,
sacrifices for purging souls, there having been a feast on the second
day of this month, when sacrifices were offered to Pluto for the souls
of the dead. This day was kept by certain Christians as a solemn
festival, in memory of the humiliation of the Virgin Mary, who
submitted to the injunction of the law under which she lived. They
offered up thanksgiving on this day, and paraded about with flambeaux
and candles--proceedings which some thought were too close imitations
of the Pagan customs of _brenning_--in honour of Juno. There is in
this instance a resemblance to the Pagan superstition; and from the
burning of candles on the day we are referring to, they were, and are
yet, lighted on occasions of danger, to avert evil. Persons in this
country have been known to light candles, as a charm against thunder
and lightning; and lighted candles, when once charmed (which it is
supposed can be done), are considered by the ignorant at home and
abroad, to possess virtue sufficiently powerful to frighten away evil
spirits. Such candles are sometimes placed in the hands of persons
while in the agonies of death, to protect them from the evil one.
Shrove Tuesday, or Fasten's Eve, is a day observed in many lands. In
olden times, after the people had made confession at this season, they
were permitted to indulge in festive amusements, although not allowed
to partake of any repast beyond the usual substitutes for flesh; and
hence arose the custom of eating pancakes and fritters, and partaking
of brose, in Scotland, at this time. The brose was then made of
oatmeal and butter, with a ring in it. The bicker of brose being set
in the middle of a table, the unmarried members of the family, and
invited friends who had not entered the matrimonial state, seated
themselves around and partook of the repast. They took spoonful about
till the ring was found, and then it was put into a second dish of
brose, and again into a third, and he or she who found the ring twice
left the table, assured of being married before another Fasten's Eve.
At a later hour of the evening, pancakes, sometimes called "sauty
bannocks," were made, and through their magical virtues future
husbands and wives were discovered. A large cake or bannock was
prepared, in which a ring or other small article was put, and the
young person whose lot it was to secure the piece of cake or bannock
with the concealed article was looked upon as being as lucky as the
individual who picked the ring twice out of the brose. While all this
was going on, unbounded mirth prevailed, and before the company broke
up, dreaming cakes or bannocks were prepared, that every one might
take one and place it under his or her pillow. To make the cakes of
any avail, the baker had to remain mute when preparing them, and the
receivers had, immediately after obtaining them, to slip off quietly
to bed, when, if all the preliminaries had been duly observed, the
sleeper's future companion in life appeared in a vision or dream of
the night.
The practice of choosing a valentine on the 14th of February is well
known. The first person of the opposite sex who was seen by an
unmarried person on the morning of that day, was regarded as the
valentine for the year. Another way of finding out a valentine was to
cast into a receptacle small billets, with (if the consulters were
young women) bachelors' names on them, and then to draw them out
lottery-wise. The bachelor whose name appeared on a billet thus
extracted at random, became the valentine of the spinster to whose lot
it fell. In this way a bevy of young ladies ascertained, in a few
minutes, secrets they were most anxious should be disclosed. When the
gentlemen were anxious to discover their valentines, they proceeded in
the same way, taking care, however, that the ladies for whom they had
the greatest affection should be named on the billets. A lady's
valentine was her knight for the year, and not unfrequently he became
her husband. The amusements of Valentine's Day were very popular among
all classes in the fifteenth century. It was customary at one time for
both sexes to give each other presents, but the ladies, through
modesty, or some other cause best known to themselves, have ceased to
bestow gifts in their valentines. Many attempts have been made to
abolish the heathen custom of young men drawing the names of young
women, and _vice versa_, on this day, but without success.
March was called after Mars, the god of war; but the Anglo-Saxons knew
it as _Hraed-monat_, signifying rugged month, and _Hlyd-monat_,
meaning stormy month. Those who indulged in prognostications,
carefully observed the state of the weather in this month. Dry weather
at this time portended a plentiful season, while a rainy month
indicated scarcity of food.
The fourth month of the year, it is generally believed, derived its
name, April, in allusion to the buds then beginning to open; but the
old Anglo-Saxons called it _Eoster-monat_, in honour, some think, of
the goddess Easter. The Romans dedicated April to Venus, and
frequently called it _Mensis Veneris_ as well as _Aprilis_. The old
and general custom of sending people useless errands on the first of
April is so well known that we do not require to say anything more
about it, than that it is thought to have originated in the acts of
sending Christ backward and forward to various tribunals to secure His
condemnation.
On the first day of May the Romans offered sacrifices to Maia, the
mother of Mercury. Apollo was the tutelar deity of this month. This
day is observed with mirth, in imitation of the old Roman celebration
of the days when the goddess Flora was worshipped. The Roman floral
games began on the 28th April, and continued a few days. At one time
these celebrations were conducted with obscenity, but by degrees the
amusements became more moral. It was customary during the middle ages
for rich and poor to go out on May-day, with music and other signs of
joy and merriment, to gather flowers, and sip the dew before sunrise.
The people then decorated their houses with the flowers, conspicuous
amongst which was the hawthorn blossom. The most beautiful maid of the
district was chosen "Queen of the May," and crowned with flowers. So
general was the custom of observing May-day in the reign of Henry
VIII. that the Corporation of London went out a-Maying, and so did the
king and queen. In England, France, Germany, and elsewhere, every
village had its May-pole, till the May games were suppressed, or
rather discouraged, on the ground that they were remnants of heathen
superstition.
The Celts kindled their May-fires with much superstitious ceremony, a
custom which had its origin in the worship of Baal. The principal
festival of this worship was held in the beginning of May, but there
were similar ceremonies in November. On these occasions all the fires
in the district were extinguished, under the pain of death. Needfire
was then obtained by friction, and all the fires were rekindled from
what was regarded as the sacred flame. At times of public calamities
and distress, the practice of kindling needfire was resorted to. It
was supposed to counteract sorcery, and stay disease among cattle.
These superstitious operations remind one of the story of Prometheus.
The myth runs thus:--"During the reign of Zeus, men and gods, once
upon a time, were disputing with one another. With the view of
outwitting Zeus, Prometheus cut up a bull and divided it into two
parts, hiding the meat and the intestines in the skin, and putting an
inferior piece on the top, while he heaped the bones together and
covered them with fat. Zeus was asked to choose either of the lots,
and, suspecting that an attempt was made to deceive him, he selected
the good portion; but, enraged at the stratagem, he took his revenge
on the mortals by withholding from them the fire necessary for the
cooking of meat. Prometheus by his cunning art obtained fire in a
hollow staff, and brought it to them; and he took from man the gift of
foreseeing future events, but gave him the better gifts of hope and of
fire." Down to a recent date, people in the north of Scotland cut a
trench in the ground; they then kindled a fire and dressed a repast of
milk and eggs, something like a custard. This being done, they kneaded
a cake of oatmeal, and toasted it before the fire. The custard was
then eaten, and the cake was broken into pieces and thrown into a bag,
not, however, before one of the pieces was burned black. Every one of
the company in turn was blindfolded, and drew out a piece of the cake;
and he who drew out the burned piece was dedicated to Baal, in order
to render the year fruitful. The person supposed to be devoted was
then compelled to leap three times over the fire, as symbolical of the
sacrifices offered to this god in former ages.
In England there were Ram Feasts. At one of these a ram was roasted in
its skin, and after it was cooked a great scramble took place for
pieces thereof, it having been thought good fortune would attend those
who secured a portion. Men and women partook of the feast.
The name of June was given in reverence to Juno, and was called
_Sear-monat_ by the Anglo-Saxons. Mercury was regarded by the Romans
as the deity who presided over this month. June is considered in the
present age as the most favourable period of the year for marriages.
July was originally called _Quintilis_, or fifth month, in honour of
Julius Caesar; but the Anglo-Saxons came to know this month as
_Maed-monat_, or mead month, in consequence of it being the usual
season of the year for securing honey and making mead.
St. Swithin's Day (15th July) is observed in commemoration of this wet
or rainy saint. He was of Saxon descent, and distinguished for his
piety and learning. St. Swithin was buried in the churchyard of
Winchester, and the consecrated spot where his remains rest has been,
we are told, the scene of frequent miracles. In consequence of the
virtues flowing from his body, it was resolved to convey his remains
to the choir of the cathedral, but, on the day appointed for the
removal of his sacred dust, violent rain commenced, which continued
without ceasing for forty days. From this circumstance, it was
inferred that the intended removal of his remains was displeasing to
St. Swithin, and the intention was for a time abandoned. Subsequently
his body was transferred to another resting place, without the
elements or the saint manifesting any displeasure. It is unnecessary
to do more than recall to memory the wide-spread opinion, that if it
rain on St. Swithin's Day, forty days wet weather will follow. Absurd
as this superstition may appear, it has been believed in from the time
of his death, in 862.
St. Margaret, whose festival falls to be held on the 20th July, was
the daughter of an idolatrous priest at Antioch. She became a convert
to the Christian religion, from which she was sought to be seduced by
Olybius, a ruler in the East who sought her hand in marriage. She
refused to forsake the true religion, or to become his wife; and her
refusal was fatal to her. The cruel monster put her to the most
dreadful torments he could invent, and afterwards ordered her to be
beheaded, about the year 275. St. Margaret has been worshipped by the
Eastern and Western Churches, from her supposed power to assist
females in childbirth. It is related that Satan, in the form of a
dragon, swallowed her alive, but that she escaped unhurt from the
monster. Her girdle was long preserved in the abbey of St. Germain, in
Paris; and females were, it was generally believed, undoubtedly
relieved in their hour of suffering by the application of the sacred
relic.
August, formerly called _Sextilis_, was named August in honour of the
Emperor Augustus. And September still retains its original Roman
name--that of the seventh month, though now really the ninth month--in
consequence of the change made by commencing the year in January
instead of March; but the Anglo-Saxons knew it by the name of
_Gerst-monat_, or barley month, because their barley crop was usually
gathered in in this month.
October, known by the Saxons as _Wyn-monat_, or wine month, has long
been regarded with peculiar interest, owing to the many superstitious
customs observed in it. In Rome, a horse, called October, was
sacrificed to Mars in this month; and the Greeks and Romans held many
Bacchanalian festivals in it, at which the people had recourse to
magic and divination. In the days of our ancestors the Hallow-e'en
ceremonies were more generally followed than they are by the present
generation, but still in various places, particularly in the north of
Scotland, people observe them with mirth, mixed with superstitious
fear of fairies, ghosts, and other supernatural beings, supposed to be
then at large, performing good and evil deeds. At this season,
however, the most diabolical fiends are supposed to be chained in
their abodes of darkness, or at all events prevented from venting
their full wrath against the human race. The worst thing that Satan,
assisted by all his emissaries, can do on Hallow-e'en, is to allot to
one an ill-looking, decrepit, or sour partner in life, or send him or
her a great swarm of children; or perhaps do what is worse--prevent
any offspring being given to loving married couples. Unmarried men and
women are accustomed to meet at the house of a friend, to spend this
evening in searching into futurity. Various are the charms and modes
of divination they have recourse to. The first spell they try is
pulling kail-stocks in the dark with their eyes closed. There must be
no attempt to pick what is thought the best stocks, but each person
should pull up the first plant that comes to hand. After every one has
obtained a root, the company returns to the house to examine the
stocks. A long straight plant denotes that the holder thereof is to
get a fine-looking husband or wife, as the case may be; whereas one
who has unfortunately pulled a crooked, ill-shaped stock, may expect
that his or her conjugal companion will be deformed and uncouth. In
proportion to the quantity of earth adhering to the root, so will the
riches of the possessor be; and according to the sweet or sour taste
of the stem's centre, so will the temper or disposition of the
expected partner be. The ceremony of pulling and tasting being over,
the stocks are deposited above the door, and careful notice is taken
of the strangers who come in when they are there. Favourites are
invited in, but those whose presence is not desired are prevented, if
possible, from crossing the threshold.
Those in pursuit of pleasure and fortune next proceed to the
stack-yard, and pull each a stalk of oats, and, by counting the grains
upon the stem, the puller will ascertain the number of little branches
that will shoot forth from the family tree. It is peculiarly fortunate
if the top grain be found on the stalk.
If a young man or single woman go to the barn three times to winnow
corn, an apparition resembling the future spouse will appear before
the chaff is separated from the third sieveful of grain. The like
result may be expected if one go unperceived to the peat-stack and sow
a handful of hempseed, or travel three times round it. Another way of
revealing one's husband or wife, is this:--Go to a ford through which
a funeral has passed, dip the sleeve of the shirt or chemise, and the
wearer, on returning home and going to bed, after hanging the garment
before the bedroom fire, will see the apparition of his or her object
of affection turn the sleeve to dry the other side. To find the name
of one's future spouse, one has nothing more to do than to go on
Hallow-e'en to a barn or kiln, throw into it a clew of blue thread,
which the person begins to wind up into another clew, having of course
kept hold of one end of the thread. Before the winding operation is
completed, some one will take hold of the thread, and on the question
being asked, "Who holds?" an answer will be returned, in which will
appear the name of him or her the fates have destined to be the
inquirer's partner in life.
These modes described of lifting the veil that conceals the future are
easy, and the objects aimed at pleasant; but even Hallow-e'en has both
its lights and shadows; and one has something more to do than to
inquire into the affairs of affection and domestic bliss. From
curiosity or some other cause, a person may wish to know whether he or
any of his neighbours will be taken away by the cold hand of death
before another year. If he has such a wish, let him repair to a public
highway which branches off in three directions, and take his seat (a
three-legged stool is thought the best) in the centre of the road, a
little before twelve at night. Simultaneously with the nearest clock
striking that hour, he will hear proclaimed the names of those who are
to die in the parish before the next Hallow-e'en. The curious
individual should not omit to take with him a good many articles of
wearing apparel. If he hear pronounced the name of any one whose life
he does not desire to prolong, he will do well to retain his property;
but if the name of one dear to him is sounded, he may rescue the
person from early doom by casting away one of the articles. The life
of esteemed friends is precious in one's sight, but his own life is
generally dearer, and therefore the listener should take care not to
cast away every rag he has, lest his own name should be called after
he has parted with his last garment.
Another way of discovering one's future partner:--Let a person take up
a position before a mirror, eat an apple before it while combing his
or her hair, and now and again holding out the apple, as if offering
it to some one supposed to be standing on the right side. Before the
hair is properly arranged and the apple eaten, the person whose
presence is desired will appear in the attitude of accepting the
apple.
By the burning of nuts, it may be discovered whether lovers are to
prove true or false to each other. One nut is taken to represent the
gentleman, and another is named after the lady. Both nuts are laid in
the fire: if they consume quietly together, then it is learned that
fortune has appointed the lady and gentleman to spend their lives in
happy union; but if one of the nuts start away, or should they both
fly off in different directions, the individuals appealing to the
fates are to understand that they will never be united in wedlock.
November--gloomy November--was known as _Blot-monat_ (blood month) by
the Saxons, as it was the time when large numbers of sheep and cattle
were killed for sacrifices and for provisions.
The first day of November--All Saints or All Hallows--is a day of
general commemoration of all saints and martyrs in honour of whom no
particular days have been expressly assigned. The origin of this
festival is supposed to have been in 607, when Phocus, the emperor,
wresting the Pantheon from the heathens, gave the splendid edifice to
the Christians. Boniface IV. consecrated it to the Virgin Mary and all
the saints of both sexes. The Pagan dedication of it was to Cybele and
all the gods.
The second day of November is an important day in the eye of the
Church of Rome. On this day there are particular services in that
Church relative to the souls supposed to be in purgatory. Odilon,
abbot of Cluny, enjoined, in the ninth century, the ceremony of
praying for the dead. The practice became common after this, and the
next century a general festival was established, having for its object
the release of suffering souls. Persons dressed in black went round
the towns, ringing bells on the streets, every Sunday evening during
the month of November, calling upon the inhabitants to remember the
deceased suffering the expiatory flames of purgatory, and to join in
prayer for the repose of their souls. The practice is still continued
in some places, but an edict for its abolition was passed in the reign
of Elizabeth. Praying for the dead, and offering sacrifices at their
tombs, were early resorted to. Ovid ascribes the origin of the
ceremonies to AEneas; and Virgil favours this idea in his fifth book.
Certain saints declared that they heard the howlings of devils, as
they complained of the souls of men being taken away from them,
through the alms and prayers of holy people.
The Romans held a festival which lasted eleven days, during which
period they imagined that ghosts were not only relieved from
punishment, but were suffered to wander round their tombs. In the
Roman Catholic Church mass is performed for the repose of departed
souls; but it is requisite that those who desire to aid their deceased
friends should give substantial proof of sincerity. In the _Clavis
Calendaria_ we read, "When the Duke of Assuna was supplicated for
charity by a mendicant friar, he said, 'Put a pistole in this plate,
my lord, and you shall release that soul from purgatory, for which you
design it.' The duke complying, was assured his charity had been
effective. 'Say you so, holy man?' replied his grace; 'then I shall
take back my money for a future occasion, as you cannot, nor would
you, I am confident, if you were capable, again condemn the poor soul
to its former endurance.'"
Frederick the Great of Prussia, desirous of recovering the revenues of
one of his forests from a monastery, demanded of the prior by what
title it was held. To this question he received the prompt reply,
that the income had been given in consideration of the holy
brotherhood daily saying mass for the repose of the soul of one of his
Majesty's ancestors. "How much longer," said Frederick, "will that
holy work continue requisite?" "Sire," said the prior, whose
experience far surpassed that of the friar who had addressed the duke,
"it is not possible for me to speak of the precise time; but when it
shall have been effected, I shall instantly despatch a courier to
inform your Majesty."
The 6th November is sacred to St. Leonard. He was the friend of
captives and all others in distress. If monkish legends can be
credited, the mere mention of his name by one bound in fetters was
sufficient to break the chains wherewith he was secured, and cause the
prison doors to open, seemingly of their own accord, that the captive
might go free. St. Leonard died in the year 500.
On festive and holy days at this period of the year, people strewed
the graves of their relatives and the churchyards with evergreens.
Martinmas, now regarded in Scotland as the winter term-day, is
observed by Roman Catholics in honour of St. Martin, born in Pannonia
in or about the year 316, who is reported to have performed many
miracles. Formerly, St. Martin's Day was one of great festivity.
Sports were entered into at the market cross and village green, and
kept up till a late hour, when, by the ringing of a bell, the people
were warned to retire to their homes. It has been supposed that the
Martinmas feeing markets, for the engagement of agricultural and other
servants, originated at these sports. At those merry gatherings there
was invariably a large concourse of people, either taking part in or
witnessing the games; consequently the opportunity was taken advantage
of by masters requiring servants, and by servants seeking employment.
The 13th of November is St. Britius's Day. He was a pupil of St.
Martin, who prophesied that his youthful scholar would be subjected to
many severe afflictions, but that he would be appointed a bishop some
day. The latter part of the prediction was fulfilled in 399, by the
election of St. Britius to the see of Jaurs, on the death of his
master. The other part of St. Martin's prophecy also came to pass.
Grievous slanders were circulated concerning St. Britius; and among
other offences he was accused of being the father of a child by his
laundress. The people, enraged at the incontinence of their bishop,
threatened to put him to death; and they would have carried their
threat into execution, but for most extraordinary evidence coming from
the lips of a child only one month old. Holy St. Britius adjured the
infant, on the thirtieth day of its existence on earth, to tell who
was its father. Whether the infant revealed the name of its paternal
parent, we are not informed; but this we are told, that it clearly and
audibly testified that it had not sprung from the bishop's loins. This
miracle did not satisfy certain wicked people--they attributed the
strange occurrence to sorcery; and to give another test of his
innocence, St. Britius had recourse to the fiery ordeal. He, to show
that he was free from guilt, carried burning coals on his head to the
shrine of St. Martin, without the cap he wore being burned or a hair
of his head singed. This second miracle was also attributed to his
intimacy with Satan, and he was expelled from the city for seven
years. At the end of that time he was restored to his dignities, which
he enjoyed until his death, in the year 444.
St. Britius was among the first who submitted to a fiery ordeal, but
others had been subjected to this mode of trial before him. The first
appeal of this nature, we are informed, was that of Simplicius, a
bishop of distinction, in the fourth century. Having been married
before attaining his high ecclesiastical position, he was charged with
continuing to partake of matrimonial indulgences. To prove his
innocence, the bishop's wife not only held burning coals in her lap
without injury, but applied the coals to her breast without receiving
hurt. He, too, submitted to various forms of fiery ordeal, and came
out scatheless; and as their innocence was in this way manifested,
they were acquitted.
From the strange custom of ordeal by water originated the practice of
ducking witches, but to the witch either sinking or swimming proved
alike fatal. If she sank she was permitted to drown, and if she swam
it was regarded as a proof of guilt, and was therefore forced below
the water and drowned. Sometimes the ordeal was by hot water. The bare
legs and arms were immersed in boiling liquid, and if they sustained
no injury the accused was considered innocent.
Edmund, the king and martyr, to whose memory the 20th of November is
sacred, was the last titular of the East Angles. When the Danes first
landed in his district, in England, they defeated him, and when he
fell into their hands they scourged him, bound him to a tree, pierced
him with many arrows, and afterwards beheaded him. Before being
captured, Edmund offered to surrender himself to the Danes, provided
they would spare his subjects, and permit them to enjoy the privileges
of Christians; but the invaders refused to listen to the proposition,
hence the Church has regarded him as a martyr. His head was thrown
into a thicket, and lay there for twelve months, at the end of which
time the Christians found it in a perfect state, guarded by a wolf,
which held the precious caput between its paws. Probably it never
would have been seen, but for the departed saint being heard uttering
the words, "Here, here, here!" Fifty years after the head was
discovered, the body was found near the same spot. The remains of
Edmund were buried in a remote place in the year 903, but in 1010 they
were exhumed and translated to London. In 1012 this human dust was
removed to the place whence it was taken.
The Danish invasion and murder of Edmund are ascribed to Bearn, a
dissolute English nobleman. The story runs that Lodebrock, king of
Denmark, having been alone in a boat, was driven by a tempest from the
Danish coast to the Yare, in Suffolk. The inhabitants brought him to
Edmund, who treated him with so much mildness and consideration, that
his affections were alienated from his own country. Among other
pastimes, the Dane was in the habit of hawking with Bearn, the king's
huntsman, who at length murdered him. A favourite hound belonging to
Lodebrock never quitted the body of its murdered master, except when
compelled by hunger. This being noticed, and Bearn being found guilty
of the murder, he was sentenced to be put in Lodebrock's boat, without
food or instrument of navigation, and committed to the mercies of the
sea. By a strange providence, he was carried to the very place in
Denmark from which Lodebrock had been driven. The Danes, who knew the
boat, and who had heard of the murder, examined Bearn on the rack as
to his guilt. To avoid the just punishment of his crime, he affirmed
that Edmund was the author of the horrid deed. On hearing the false
declaration, wrung from Bearn by torture, Hinguar and Hubba, sons of
Lodebrock, to avenge their father's death, sailed for East Anglia,
where they killed Edmund.
St. Cecilia's Day is the 22d of November. She was a native of Rome,
and suffered martyrdom in consequence of her embracing the Christian
religion. Her story is a remarkable one. It is related that she made a
vow of chastity, but that nevertheless her parents compelled her to
marry a young nobleman named Valerianus, a heathen. On the evening of
their wedding day, Cecilia told her husband that he must not enter her
chamber, as she was nightly visited by an angel, who would destroy him
were he found in it. Surprised at the statement, but not alarmed, he
sought an interview with the spirit, but she told him that could not
be unless he first became a Christian. He consented to change his
religion, and he and his brother Tibertius were baptized. Shortly
afterwards the husband found his wife at prayers in her closet with an
angel, like a beautiful youth, clothed with brightness, by her side.
The angel informed Valerianus that he and his brother would soon be
beheaded, and that Cecilia would be thrown into a cauldron of boiling
water, and scalded to death. All the predictions were fulfilled.
Cecilia's martyrdom took place about the year 230, though some
authorities suppose it happened earlier.
The 30th November is the anniversary of St. Andrew, the patron saint
of Scotland. There is a wonderful legend regarding St. Andrew's Cross.
The cross, we are informed, appeared in heaven to Achaius, king of
Scots, and Hungus, king of the Picts, to encourage them to engage in
battle with Athelstane, king of England. Achaius and Hungus led on
their forces, and were victorious. In acknowledgment of this wonderful
manifestation, they vowed to bear St. Andrew's Cross for ever on their
ensigns and banners.
November was considered a good month for invalids being bled or
physicked, but every day was not considered equally lucky for applying
the lance or swallowing the draught. Almanacs were therefore sold,
with directions how to avoid the inauspicious times.
December, it is generally believed, was consecrated to Saturn; others,
however, think it was sacred to Vesta. In ancient times the Saxons
called it _Midwinter-monat_ and _Yule-monat_. This last-mentioned name
points to the far-back period and high festivals held this month by
the Northern nations in honour of the sun. The evergreens with which
houses are decked, and Christmas trees with their gifts, are relics of
the symbols by which our heathen ancestors exhibited their belief in
the power of the sun to deck the earth anew with green, and to laden
the trees with rich fruit. The misletoe, exhibited at Christmas and
the New Year in almost every house, is looked upon as a semi-sacred
thing, that possesses charms and confers privileges on people
possessed of it, or who may come under the support from which it is
suspended. In olden times the ancient Britons believed their gods were
in the oaks. When the misletoe berries were ripe, the Druids invited
the people to a great feast, and the oldest Druid, dressed in white,
climbed up the trees where the misletoe grew, and with a golden sickle
cut it down, while the other Druids sang and prayed. We have various
accounts of the misletoe, and of the strange superstitious proceedings
in gathering it. The misletoe is supposed to be the golden bough which
AEneas made use of, to introduce himself to the Elysian regions. It is
often worn about the neck of children, to prevent convulsions and pain
when getting their teeth.
New Year's gifts and Christmas boxes were given by friends to friends
in ancient times. Both the Greeks and Romans gave presents and
entertainments during their annual superstitious meetings. Masses and
prayers were offered for the safety of persons and ships, but more
particularly for vessels that went on long voyages. A box, devoted to
each ship, was kept by the priest, into which money might be dropped,
in order to give efficacy to the supplications of the Church; and
these boxes being opened at Christmas in each year, acquired the name
of Christmas boxes. In course of time all presents given at this
season of the year were familiarly called boxes. Poor people begged
box money to enable them to supply the priest's box, that they might
have the benefit of his prayers.
The old salutation of "a merry Christmas," like that of wishing "a
happy New Year," adverted to the hospitality of the rich, whose
spacious halls, crowded with tenants and neighbours, were scenes of
boundless hospitality. Boar's-head is sometimes served on Christmas
Day, to give expression of the abhorrence of Judaism. Plum-puddings
are emblematical of the offerings of the wise men; and mince-pies,
with their pieces of paste over them in the form of a hay rack,
commemorate the manger in which the Saviour was first laid. Dancing
and gambols have been among the Christmas amusements for a long series
of years.
The wassail bowl was the vessel out of which our Saxon ancestors took
such copious draughts, that legislative measures were adopted with the
view of enforcing temperance. Wassail not only refers to a certain
liquid preparation, but it is a term applied to drinking songs, which
in the cider-producing counties were sung on the eve of the Epiphany,
when libations were poured out to the apple-trees for a fruitful
season--a custom evidently followed in example of the heathen
sacrifices to Pomona, the goddess of fruit-trees and orchards.
Dunstan, to check the vicious habit of excessive indulgence in
intoxicating liquors, introduced the custom of marking or pegging
drinking-cups at certain places, to restrain the draught to a limited
quantity. But the contrivance, instead of being attended with good
effects, led to greater excess; for those who formerly strove to avoid
intoxication, were now, they thought, obliged to drink to the "pegs,"
it being understood that it was imperative to drain the vessel to the
pin.
From the use of peg or pin-cups or tankards, may be traced phrases yet
repeated. When a person is in a cheerful mood, he is said to be in a
merry pin. Speaking of bringing a man "down a peg," refers to a
regulation which deprived a troublesome fellow of his turn of
drinking. When a person is dull, he is described as being "a peg too
low." "Getting on peg by peg," means that a man is gradually emptying
his cup.
Anciently, confectionery was presented to the Fathers of Rome, made
up in the forms of crosses, infants, etc., to which has been ascribed
the origin of bakers presenting their customers with cakes, or, as
they are sometimes called, "Yule dough." It is supposed that the New
Year's ode composed by the Poet Laureate was originally regarded as a
Yule song or Wassail song. For such verses Christmas carols were
substituted, as being more appropriate for the season of the year,
observed with joy in honour of Christ's birth in Bethlehem.
MIRACLES PERFORMED BY SAINTS AND OTHER HOLY PERSONS, AND THE INFLUENCE
OF SACRED RELICS.