Before the Reign of Edward the Confessor, the parochial Divisions in this Kingdom were so far advanced, that every Person might be traced to the Parish to which he belonged.-This appears by the Canons published in the Time of Edgar and Canute. The Distinction of Parishes as they now stand, appears to have been settled before the Norman Conquest: In Doomsday Book, the Parishes agree very near to the modern Division. See Collier's Eccl. Hist. Vol. I. p. 231.-Camden tells us, that this Kingdom was first divided into Parishes by Honorius, Archbishop of Canterbury, A. D. 636, and eounts 2984 Parishes.-The Lateran Council made some such Division as this: It compelled every Man to pay Tythes to his Parish Priest; Men before that Time payed them to whom they pleased; since then, it has happened that few, if they could be excused from doing it, would care to pay them at all.

Blount tells us, that Rogation Week, (Saxon Gangdagas, i. e. Days of Perambulation*) is al

ways

* J. Boëmus Aubanus tells us, that in Franconia, in his Time, the following Rites were used on this Occasion, some of which are still retained at Oxford.

، Tribus illis diebus, quibus Apostolico Instituto, majores lita"niæ passim per totum orbem peraguntur, in plurimis Franconiæ "locis multæ cruces (sic enim dicunt Parochianos Cætus, quibus "tum sanctæ Crucis Vexillum præferri solet) conveniunt. In sa"crisque ædibus non simul et unam melodiam, sed singulæ sin gulam per choros seperatim canunt; et puellæ & adolescentes "mundiori quique habitu amicti frondentibus sertis caput coronati omnes & scipionibus salignis instructi. Stant sacrarum ædium "sacerdotes

ways the next but one before Whitsunday : And so called, because on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of that Week, Rogations and Litanies were used: And Fasting, or at least Abstinence, then enjoined by the Church to all Persons, not only for a devout Preparative to the Feasts of Christ's glorious Ascension, and the Descent of the Holy Ghost shortly after, but also to request and supplicate the Blessing of God upon the Fruits of the Earth. And in this Respect, the Solemnization of Matrimony is forbidden, from the first Day of the said Week, till Trinity Sunday.

The Dutch call it Erups Week, i. e. Cross Weak, and so it is called in some Parts of England, hecause of old (as still among Roman Catholics) when the Priests went on Procession this Week, the Cross was carried before them*.

In

"sacerdotes diligenter singularum cantus attendentes: et quamcunque suaviùs cantare cognoscunt, illi ex veteri more aliquot vini "conchos dari adjudicant." P. 269.

* At Oxford, at this Time, the little Crosses cut in the Stones of Buildings, to denote the Division of the Parishes, are whited with Chalk. Great Numbers of Boys, with pilled Willow Rods in their Hands, accompany the Minister, &c. in the Procession.

On Ascension-day the Magistrates, River Jury, &c. of the Corporation of Newcastle upon Tyne, according to an antient Custom, make their annual Procession by Water in their Barges, visiting the Bounds of their Jurisdiction on the River, to prevent Encroachments, &c.-Cheerful Libations are offered on the Occasion to the Genius of our wealthy Flood, which Milton calls the coaly Tyne: Tyne,

The sable Stores, on whose majestic Strand, More Tribute yield than Tagus' golden Sand. In the painted Hall at Greenwich Hospital the Genius of the Tyne is represented pouring forth his Coal in great Abundance.~

There

In the Inns of Court, he adds, it is called Grass Week, because the Commons of that Week consist much of Salads, hard Eggs, and green Sauce upon some of the Days.-The Feast of the old Romans called Robigalia and Ambarvalia, (quod Vietima arva ambiret) did in their heathenish Way somewhat resemble these Institutions, and were kept in May, in Honour of Robigus.

There is the Severn with her Lampreys, and the Humber with his Pigs of Lead, which with Thames and the Tyne, compose the four great Rivers of England.

AN

CHAP.

CHAP. XXVII.

Of Midsummer-Eve: Of kindling Fires, their Original: That this Custom formerly was superstitious, but now may be used with Innocence.

ON the Eve of St. John Baptist, commonly called Midsummer Eve, it is usual in the most of Country Places, and also here and there in Towns and Cities, for both Old and Young to meet together, and be Merry over a large Fire, which is made in the open Street. Over this they frequently leap and play at various Games, such as Running, Wrestling, Dancing, &c. But this is generally the Exercise of the younger Sort; for the Old ones, for the most Part, sit by as Spectators, and enjoy themselves and their Bottle. And thus they spend the Time till Mid-night, and sometimes. till Cock-Crow.

Belithus tells us, * That it was a Custom to carry lighted Torches on Midsummer-Eve,

* Consuetum item hac vigilia ardentes deferri faculas, quod Joannes fuerit ardens lucerna & qui domini vias præparaverit. Belith. Explicat. Div. Offic. C. 137. P. 556. & Durand. Cap. 14. Lib. 7,

1

as

as an Emblem of St. John Baptist, who was a burning and a shining Light, and the Preparer of the Way of CHRIST. But if this was the Reason of this Custom formerly, as its probable it was, (it having been a common Thing, to shadow out Times and Seasons by Emblems;) yet the Custom still continued among us, was originally instituted upon another Bottom.

And indeed the * Original of this Custom is Heathenish. For in ancient Times the Dra gons, being incited to Lust through the Heat of the Season, did frequently, as they flew through the Air, Spermatize in the Wells and Fountains. By this Means the Water became infected, and the Air polluted; so that whoever drank the Waters, was either tormented with a grievous Distemper, or lost his Life. As soon as the Physicians perceived this, they ordered Fires to be made every where about the Wells and Fountains, and those Things

*Habent hoc a gentibus, antiquitus enim dracones hoc tempore ad libidinem propter calorem excitati, volando per aerem frequenter in puteos & fontes spermatizabant, ex quo, &c. Hoc animadvertentes medici, ignes frequenter & passim circa fontes fieri; & quæcunque magnum & immundum redderint fumum ibi cremari, &c. Et quia talia hoc tempore maxime fiebant, ideo hoc adhuc ab aliquibus observatur. Durand. L. 7. C. 14. & Belith. in eodem Fest. 9

which