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recover'd from the Servants of Abimeleck, He *called Beer-feba, or the Well of the Oath, because there they fware both of them. Thus also Isaac, when his Herdfmen had found a Well, and the Herdfmen of Gerar had a Contest with them about the Right of it, † called the Name of the Well Efeck, that is, Strife: because they ftrove with him. And he digged another Well, and ftrove for that also, and he called the Name of it Sitnah, that is, Hatred. And he removed from thence, and digged another Well, and for that they ftrove not; and he called the Name of it Rehoboth, that is, Room. And he faid for now the LORD hath made Room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the Land. And we read it was at Jacob's Well where JESUS talked with the Woman of Samaria. To give Names therefore to Wells, is of an ancient Standing; but to pay Homage and Worship to them, was never heard of among the People of GoD, till they funk into grofs Idolatry, and became Worshippers of Stocks and Stones: When the creature became worshipped instead of the Creator, then was this Custom first introduced, in the Ages of Popish Ignorance and Idolatry.

There need be no Question, but as this Custom is practically Heathenifh, so it is alfo originally: For the Heathens were wont to * Gen. xxi. 31. +Ibid. 26.

worship

worship Streams and Fountains, and to fuppofse that the Nymphs, whom they imagin'd the Goddeffes of the Waters, prefided over them. As the Papifts have borrowed many of their filly and fuperftitious Ceremonies from the Religion of the Heathens, fo this in particular, a fottifh, ftupid, and abominable Custom, they could borrow no where else. For we had no fuch Custom, neither at any Time the Churches of GOD.

OBSERVATIONS

I

ON

CHAPTER

VIII.

Find little that may be added to our Author's Account of the fuperftitious Adoration of Wells and Fountains. There are Interdictions of this Superftition in the Laws of King Canute alfo, preserved in Wheloc's Edition of Bede's Church Hiftory.*

This

I have frequently obferved. Shreds, or Bits of Rags, upon the Bushes that over-hang a Well, in the Road to Benton, a Village in the Neighbourhood of Newcastle. It is called the Rag Well. Name is undoubtedly of a very long ftanding: The Spring has been vifited for fome Disorder or other, and these Rag-offerings are the Reliques of the then prevailing popular Superftition. Thus Mr. Pennant tells us, they vifit the Well of Spey, in

* pædenrcype bid. p man peorpige oppe flodрæter. pýllar. oppe rtanar. &c. 5. Leges Canuti Regis. p. 108.

G 3

Scot

Scotland, for many Diftempers, and the Well of Drachaldy for as many, offering fmall Pieces of Money and Bits of Rags*. Pennant's Add. P.

18.

Fitzstephen, Monk of Canterbury, in his Defcription of the antient City of London, has these Words, "There are on the North Part of London, "principal Fountains of Water, fweet, wholfome, "and clear, ftreaming from among the gliftering "Pebble Stones. In this Number, Holy Well, "Clerken Well, and St. Clement's Well, are of "moft Note, and frequented above the Reft, when "Scholars and the Youth of the City take the Air "abroad in the Summer Eveningst." Stow. p. 710.

A Well was a moft valuable Treasure in thofe hot and dry Countries which composed the Scene of the Patriarchal History, and therefore we find in Genefis that it was a frequent Subject of Contention.

* The Cuftom of affixing Ladles of Iron, &c. by a Chain, to Wells, is of great Antiquity. Mr. Strutt, in his Anglo-Saxon Æra, tells us, that Edwine caufed Ladles or Cups of Brafs to be fastened to the clear Springs and Wells, for the Refreshment of the Paffengers. Venerable Bede is his Authority.-This Custom is ftill retained in many Places in the North.

+ Mr. Shaw, in his Hiftory of the Province of Moray, tells us, that true rational, christian Knowledge, which was almost quite loft under Popery, made very flow Progrefs after the Reformation;that the prevailing Ignorance was attended with much Superftition and Credulity; Heathenish and Romish Customs were much practifed; Pilgrimages to Wells and Chapels were frequent, &c.-We had a remarkable Well of this Kind at Jesmond, at the Distance of about a Mile from Newcastle.-One of our principal Streets is faid to have its name from an Inn that was in it, to which the Pilgrims, that flocked hither for the Benefit of the Suppofed holy Water, ufed to refort.

Fontinalia, in Roman Antiquity, was a religious Feaft, celebrated on the 13th of October, in Honour of the Nymphs of Wells and Fountains.-The Ceremony confifted in throwing Nosegays into the Fountains, and putting Crowns of Flowers upon the Wells.

CHAP.

CHA P. IX.

Of Omens: Their Original: The Obfervation of them finfull.

*

MENS and Prognoftications of Things are still in the Mouths of all, though only observed by the Vulgar. In Country Places especially, they are in great Repute, and are the Directors of feveral Actions of Life; being looked on by them as Prefages of Things future, or the Determiners of prefent Good or Evil: If a Hare crofs their Way it is an Omen of ill Luck: If † a Crow cry, it portends fomething Evil: If an Owl, which they reckon a moft abominable and unlucky Bird, fends forth its hoarfe and dismal Voice, it is an Omen of the Approach of fome terrible Thing; that fome dire Calamity, and fome great Misfortune is near at Hand. If Salt fall towards them, to be fure fomething has happened to one in the Family, or is fhortly to happen to themselves: Such alfo is the Chat

*

Lepus quoque occurrens in via, infortunatum iter præfagit & ominofum. Alex. ab Alex. Lib. 5. G. 13. P. 685. † Sæpe finiftra cava prædixit ab ilice cornix. Virg. Bucol 1. Maxime vero abominatus eft bubo triftis & dira avis, voce funefta & gemitu, qui formidolofa, dirafque neceffitates, & magnos moles inftare portendit. Alex. ab Alex. Lib. 5. G. 13. P. 680.

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tering of a Mag-pye, the Cry of Ravens, the Dead-watch, Crickets, &c.

This is a Copy of the Omens of the Heathens, * who never went upon any Enterprize, nor undertook any Business of Moment, without confulting the Augurs and Wife-Men, and being guided by Omens and Prefages of Things. Hence it was that they confulted the Intrails of Beafts, the Flights of Birds, and several other Things: And that the very Things above-mentioned, as the Authorities there declare, have been obferved by them; yea, they have obferv'd them, even in the remoteft Ages, beyond the Days of the oldeft Records. The Heathen World therefore was full of them, and without all doubt they have been handed down to us from thefe Times.

And as it is not to be question'd, but we had them from the Heathens, fo in all Probability the Heathens have taken them from the People of GOD, and built many of their Folies and ominous Superftitions on a Custom which they alone were indulged in. For in the earlieft Age of the World, when a Matter of any great Confequence was depending, and the Servants of GOD would know what the Event would be, they asked a Sign of God, by de

* Deinde auguribus & reliqui reges ufi: Et exactis regibus, nihil publice fine aufpiciis nec domi nec militiæ gerabatur. Cic. de Divin. Lib. 1.

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