*

and Songs, Daunces, Harping, Piping, and also to Glotony and Sinne, and so turned the Holinesse to Cursydness: Whefore holy Faders ordeined the Pepul to leve that Waking, and to fast the Evyn. But hit is callyd Vigilia, that is Waking in Englishe, and it is called Evyn, for at Evyn they were wont to come to Chirche."

This Quotation also seems to overthrow the Etymology of Wake, given from Spelman by our Author.

This ingenious Antiquary deduces the Origin of our Fairs from these antient Wakes, where great Numbers attending, by Degrees less Devotion and Reverence were observed; till at length from Hawkers and Pedlars coming thither to sell their petty Wares, the Merchants came and set up Stalls and Booths in the Church-yards: And not only those, says Spelman, who lived in the Parish to which the Church belonged, resorted thither, but others from all the neighbouring Towns and Villages; and the greater the Reputation of the Saint, the greater were the Numbers that flocked together on this Occasion. Keeping these Fairs On Sundays was justly found Fault with by the Clergy: The Abbot of Ely, in John's Reign, preached much against such Prophanation of the Sabbath, but this irreli

* Bishop Hall in his Triumphs of Rome, alludes thus to these convivial Entertainments, "What should I speak of our merry Wakes, and May Games, and Christmass Triumphs, which you have once seen here, and may see still in those under the Roman Dition; in all which put together, you may well say, no Greek can be merrier than they." Triumph of Pleasure. P. 23.

J

gious Custom was not entirely abolished till the Reign of King Henry the Sixth. See Strutt's English Era, Vol. II. p. 98. See Article Fairs in the Appendix.

These Meetings are still kept up, under the Name of Hoppings*, in many of our northern Villages. We shall hope the Rejoicings on them are still in general restrained within the Bounds of innocent Festivity, though it is to be feared they sometimes prove fatal to the Morals of our Swains, and to the Innocence of our rustic Maids.

* Hopping is derived from the Anglo Saxon, poppan, to leap or dance, which Skinner deduces from the Dutch, Huppe. Coxendix, (whence also our Hip) hæc enim Saltitatio, quâ Corpus in altum tollitur, ope robustissimorum illorum musculorum, qui ossibus femoris et coxendicis movendis dicati sunt, præcipuè peragitur. Skinner in verb. Hop. Dancings are here vulgarly called Hops.The Word in its original Meaning is preserved in Grass-Hopper.

CHAP.

CHAP. XXXI.

Of the Harvest Supper: A Custom of the Heathens, taken from the Jewish Feast of Taber

nacles.

WHEN the Fruits of the Earth are gathered in, and laid in their proper Receptacles, it is common, in the most of Country Places to provide a plentiful Supper for the HarvestMen, and the Servants of the Family; which is called a Harvest-Supper, and in some Places a Mell-Supper, a Churn-Supper, &c. At this the Servant and his Master are alike, and every Thing is done with an equal Freedom. They sit at the same Table, converse freely together, and spend the remaining part of the Night in dancing, singing, &c. without any Difference or Distinction.

There was a Custom among the Heathens, much like this, at the gathering in of their Harvest, when Servants were indulg'd

* Antiquitus consuetudo fuit apud Gentiles, quod hoc mense servi pastores & ancillæ quadam libertate fruerentur: Et cum Dominis suis Dominarentur, & cum eiis facerent festa, & convivia, post Collectas Messes. Durand. Rat, Lib. 6. Cap. 86.

with Liberty and being on the Equality with their Masters for a certain Time.

Now the Original of both these Customs, is Jewish; and therefore Hospinian tells us, That the Heathens copy'd after this Custom of the Jews, and at the End of their Harvest, offer'd up their first Fruits to the Gods. For the Jews rejoyced and feasted at the getting in of the Harvest.

THEOPHYLACT in talking of this Feast, is undoubtedly mistaken, when he says, † That the Feast of Tabernacles was celebrated, that Thanks might be returned for the getting in of the Fruits of the Earth. For GOD himself tells his own People, it was instituted, ‡ that their Generations might know, that he had made the Children of Israel to dwell in Booths. But however, it is certainly true, that it was a Time of returning Thanks to GOD, for the Success of the Harvest, a Time of Festivity, and Joy, and Gladness. Thus the

* Et pro collectis frugibus Deo gratia agebantur. Quem morem Ethnici postea ab iis mutuati sunt. Hosp. de Orig. Fest. Jud. Stukius Antiq. Convival. P. 63.

+ Scenopegia, quod celebrant in Glatiarum Actionem propter convectas Fruges in Mense Septembri. Tunc enim gratias agebant Deo, convectis omnibus fructibus, &c. Theophylact. in 7 Cup. Joan.

₫ Levit. 23.

Scripture.

Scripture, * Thou shalt observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven Days, after thou hast gather'd in thy Corn and thy Wine. And thou shalt rejoyce in thy Feast, thou and thy Son and thy Daughter, and thy Man-Servant, and thy Maid-Servant; and the Levite, the Stranger, and the Fatherless and the Widow, that are within thy Gates.

Now as the Heathens have imitated the Jews in this Custom, so it is not improbable that we have had it from the Heathens; there being a very great Likeness between the Custom now, and that of the Heathens formerly. For Macrobius tells us, That the Masters of Families, when they had got in their Harvest, were wont to Feast with their Servants, who had labour'd with them in Tilling the Ground: Which is exactly answerable to the Custom now amongst us. But whatever Truth there is in this, it is certain this Custom was practised by the Saxons, and is at least as ancient among us, as their Days. For among

* Deut. 16.

+ Patres Familiarum, & frugibus & fructibus jam coactis, passim cum servis vescerentur, cum quibus patientiam labōris in colendo rure toleraverant. Macrob. Saturnal. Die prim. Cap.

10.

Z. 2

their