THE PREFACE. THE following Sheets are a few of that vast Number of Ceremonies and Opinions, which are held by the Common People; such, as they solely or generally observe. For tho' some of them have been of National and others perhaps of universal Observance, yet at present they would have little or no Being, if not observed among the Vulgar. I would not be thought a Reviver of old Rites and Ceremonies to the Burdening of the People, nor an Abolisher of innocent Customs, which are their Pleasures and Recreations: I aim at nothing, but a regulation of those which are in Being amongst them, which they themselves are far from thinking burdensome, and abolishing such only as are sinful and wicked. Some of the Customs they hold, have been originally good, tho' at present they retain little of their primitive Purity; the true Meaning and Design of them, being either lost, or very much in the Dark through Folly and Superstition. To wipe off therefore the Dust they have contracted, to clear them of Superstition, and make known their End and Design, may turn to some Account, and be of Advantage: whereas observing them in the present Way, Way, is not only of no Advantage, but of very great Detriment. Others they hold, are really sinful, notwithstanding in outward Appearance they seem very harmless, being a Scandal to Religion, and an encouraging of Wickedness. And therefore to aim at abolishing these, will I hope be no Crime, tho' they be the Diversions of the People. As to the Opinions they hold, they are almost all superstitious, being generally either the Produce of Heathenism: or the Inventions of indolent Monks, who having nothing else to do, were the forgers of many silly and wicked Opinions, to keep the World in Awe and Ignorance. And indeed the ignorant Part of the Word, is so still aw'd, that they follow the idle Traditions of the one, more than the Word of GOD; and have more dependence upon the lucky Omens of the other than his Providence, more Dread of their unlucky ones, than his Wrath and Punish ment. The regulating therefore of these Opinions and Customs, is what I proposed by the following Com positions, whatever has been suggested to the contrary: And as to the Menaces of some, and the Censures of others, Ineither fear nor regard them, I shall be always ready to own any Mistake, and in what I justly may, to vindicate myself. CONTENTS OF THR F the Soul Bell; its Antiquity; the Reason of its Institu- Of following the Corpse to the Grave; what it is an Emblem of: Of carrying Greens in our Hand; what it may signifie; Of Garlands in Country Churches: Of strawing Flowers on the Of Bowing towards the Altar at the first coming into the Church: Of Church-Yards; why the Vulgar are generally afraid of pass ing through them at Nights: The Original of this Fear; that Of visiting Wells and Fountains: The Original of this Custom: Of the Country Conversation in a Winter's Evening: Their Opinions of Spirits and Apparitions: Of the Devil's appear- Of Saturday Afternoon; how observed of old, by the Ancient Christians, the Church of Scotland, and the old Church of Of the Yule-Clog and Christmas-Candle; what they may sig- nifie; their Antiquity; the like Customs in other Places. 172 Of New-Year's Days Ceremonies: The New-Year's Gift an Of St. Paul's-Day: The Observation of the Weather, a Custom of the Heathens, and handed down by the Monks: The Of Shrove-tide; what it signifies: The Custom of the Papists at Of Palm-Sunday; why so called; How observed in the Popish |