Evils which had befallen them formerly, would be burnt away, and that they should be more fuccefsful and lucky afterwards. Now about the Sitting of this Synod, there were fome of the Chriftians, who obferved this Custom upon the fame Accounts that the Heathens did, which occafioned it's being forbid by the Council; and that if a Clergyman was Guilty of it, he fhould be depofed; if a Lay-man, excommunicated. He alfo tells us, that on St. John Baptift's Eve, the Vulgar were wont to make on Fires for the whole Night, and leap over them, and draw Lots, and Divine about their good or evil Fortune.

But whatever Reason the Heathens had for kindling these Fires; whether as Durandus thinks, that the luftful Dragons might be driven away, or as the Canon, that their evil Fortune might be burnt, it is certain that the Custom was invented and practised by them; and because of the Superftition attending the Obfervation of it, was very justly forbidden by the Council. And undoubtedly was the Making of fuch Fires now, attended with any fuch Superftition, it would be equally criminal to obferve them. But when they are only kindled as Tokens of Joy, to excite in

* Rogos quos nos Angli Bonefires vocamus, & in publica lætitia & gaudiis adhibemus, non obftante isto canone. Mountag. P. 130.

nocent

nocent Mirth and Diverfion, and promote Peace and good Neighbourhood, they are lawful and innocent, and deserve no Cenfure. And therefore when on Midfummer-Eve, St. Peter's-Eve, and at fome other Times, we make Bonefires before Shops and Houses, there would be no Harm in doing fo; was it not, that fome continue their Diverfion to too late Hours, and others are guilty of exceffive Drinking.

*I fuppofe they were called Bonefires, because that generally they were made of Bones. For as Belithus tells us, Adverfus hæc ergo hujufmodi inventum eft remedium, ut videlicet rogus ex offibus conftrueretur, & ita fumus hujufmodi animalia fugaret. Belith. in Vigil. S. Joan. That to prevent the Infection before mentioned, they were wont to make on Fires of Bones, that the Smoke might drive away the Dragons.

OBSERVATIONS.

ON

CHAPTER

STO

XXVII.

TOW tells us in his Survey of London, “That "on the Vigil of St. John Baptist, every Man's "Door being Shadowed with green Birch, long Fen"nel, St. John's Wort, Orpin, white Lillies, and "fuch

T 2

The fubfequent Extract from the antient Calendar of the Romish Church, fhews what doings there were at Rome on this Eve. Junius.

"fuch like, 'garnished upon with Garlands of beautiful Flowers,* had alfo Lamps of Glass, with "Oil burning in them all the Night: Some hung "out Branches of Iron, curioufly wrought, con"taining Hundreds of Lamps lighted at once." He

Junius.

June,

men

23. Vigilia natalis Joannis Bap-123. The Vigil of the Nativity of

John Baptift.
Spices are given.
Fires made on.

A Girl with a little Drum, that
proclaims the Garland.
Boys are dreffed in Girls' Cloaths.
Carrols to the liberal, Impreca-

tions to the avarous.
Waters are fwum in during the
Night: They are fetched in
Veffels that hang for the Pur-
pofes of Divination.
Fern is of vulgar Estimation be-
cause of the Seed.
Herbs of different Kinds are
fought and many Things done.
Girls' Thiftle is gathered: a

hundred Croffes by the fame.
24. John Baptift's Birth Day: dew
and new Leaves in Eftimation.
The vulgar Solstice.

The following Extract from Dr. Morefin illuftrates not a little both thefe Obfervations in the antient Calendar, and Stow's Account. Apud noftros quoque Proavos, inolevit longa Annorum ferie perfuafio artemefiam in Feftis Divo Joanni Baptiftæ facris, ante domos fufpenfam, item alios frutices et plantas, atque etiam Candelas, facefque defignatis quibufdam diebus celebrioribus aqua luftrali rigatas, &c. contra Tempeftates, fulmina, Tonitrua & adverfus Diaboli poteftatem, &c.-quofdam incendere ipfo die Joannis Baptiftæ fafciculum luftratarum herbarum contra tonitrua, fulmina, &c. Deprav. Rel. Orig. p. 28.

* Toral, feu Toralium antiquo tempore dicebatur florum et herbarum fuaveolentium manipulus, feu plures in reftim colligati, qui fufpendebantur ante Thalamorum & Cubilium fores: et in papatu

ad

1

mentions alfo the Bone-fires* in the Streets, every Man beflowing Wood or Labour towards them.He seems to hint that these were kindled to purify the Air.

Dr. Morefin feems to be of Opinion, that the Custom of leaping over thefe Fires is a Veftige of the Ordeal, where paffing through Fires with Safety, was accounted an Indication of Innocence. There really feems to be Probability in this Con

ad S. Joannis mutuato more fufpendunt ad Oflia & januas hujuf modi Serta et reftes & fæpius ad aras. Morefini Deprav. Rel. Orig. 171.

* Mr. Bourne fupposes these to have been called Bone-Fires, because they were generally made of Bones.-Stow in the cited Paffage above, tells us of Men's finding Wood or Labour towards them. This feem to oppofe his Opinion.-The learned Dr. Hickes also gives a very different Etymon. He defines a Bone-Fire to be a Festive or triumphant Fire. In the Iflandic Language, fays he, Baal fignifies a Burning. In the Anglo Saxon, Bæl-fyr by a Change of Letters of the fame Organ is made Bæn-fyr, whence our Bone-Fire. See that stupendous Monument of learned Industry his Thefaurus.

+ Flammam tranfiliendi mos videtur etiam prifcis Græciæ temporibus ufurpatus fuiffe, deque eo verfus Sophoclis in Antigone quofdam intelligendos putant: Cum enim rex Creen Polynicis cadaver humare prohibuiffet, Antigone autem ipfius Soror illud humo contexiffet, cuftodes, ut mortis pœnam à rege conftitutam vitarent, dicebant fe paratos effe ferrum candens manibus contrectare & per pyram incedere. Hotom. difput. de Feudis. Cap. 44. hic mos Gallis, Germanis, et poft Chriftianifmum remanfit etiam Pontificibus: et adulteria uxorum ferro candente probant Germani. Emil. lib. 4, &c.— Et Vafcones accenfis ignibus in Urbium vicis vidi per medios faltare ad feftum Joanni facrum in Æftate: et qui funus antiquitus profequuti fuerant, ad proprios lares reverfi, aqua afperfi, ignem fupergradiebantur, hoc fe piaculo ex funere expiari arbitrati, &c. Deprav. Rel. Orig. 61.

So alfo in another Paffage:-Majores vero natu ad Feftum D. Johanni facrum accenfis vefpere in Platea ignibus, flammam tranfiliunt framineam mares et Fœminæ, Pueri, Pupæque, ac fieri vidi in Galliis inter Cadurcos ad Oppidulum Puy la Rocque. Ibid. 72.

jecture, for not only the Young and Vigorous used to leap over them, but even thofe of grave Characters: There was an Interdiction of ecclefiaftical Authority to deter Clergy-men (as Mr. Bourne has told us) from this fuperftitious Inftance of Agility.

This Author tells us of a remarkable Custom, which he himself was an Eye-witness of in Scotland: "They take, fays he, the new-baptized Infant, and vibrate it three or four Times gently over a Flame, faying and repeating thrice, "Let the Flame con"fume thee now or never? ""

This too feems to favour his Suppofition that paffing over Fires was accounted expiatory.

There was a Feaft at Athens kept by private Families, called Amphidromia, on the 5th Day after the Birth of the Child, when it was the Custom for the Goffips to run round the Fire with the Infant in their Arms, and then having delivered it to the Nurfe, they were entertained with Feafting and Dancing.

Mr. Borlafe in his Account of Cornwall tells us, "The Cornish make Bonefires in every Village on "the Eve of St. John Baptift's and St. Peter's "Days, which I take to be the Remains of Part of "the Druid Superftition.

* Atque hodie recens baptizatos infantes (ut vidi fieri ab Anicula in Scotia olim, quæ fui Papatus reliquias faperet) ftatim atque domum redierint in limine oblatis eduliis bene venire dicunt, ftatimque importatos, anicula, five Obftetrix fuerit, fafciis involutos accipit & per flammam ter quaterve leniter vibrant, verbis his additis, jam te flamma, fi unquam, abfumat, terque verba repetunt. Ibid.

Mr. Pennant informs us, that in the Highlands Midwives give new-born Babes a fmall Spoonful of Earth and 'Whisky, as the firft Food they taste.

Ge