Dedication of the parochial Churches were highly esteemed among the primitive Christians, and originally kept on the Saint's Day to whose Memory the Church was dedicated: The Generosity of the Founder and Endower thereof was at the same Time celebrated, and a Service composed suitable to the Occasion. (This is still done in the Colleges at Oxford to the Memory of the respective Founders.) On the Eve of this Day Prayers were said, and Hymns were sung all Night in the Church; and from these Watchings the Festivals were stiled Wakes; which Name still continues in many Parts of England, though the Vigils have been long abolished. It being found very inconvenient, especially in Harvest Time, to observe the Parish Feast on the Saint's Day, they were by the Bishop's special Authority transferred to the following Sunday,

Speght in his Glossary to Chaucer, gives us a curious Description of Wakes.-It was the Manner in Times past, (says he) upon Festival Evens called Vigilia, for Parishioners to meet in their Church Houses or Church Yards, and there to have a drinking Fit for the Time.-Here they used to end many Quarrels between Neighbour and Neighbour: Hither came the Wives in comely Manner, and they which were of the better Sort had their Mantles carried with them, as well for Shew as to keep them from Cold at the Table. These Mantles also many did use in the Church at Morrow Masses and other Times.

In the 28 Canon given under King Edgar (preserved in Wheloc's Edition of Bede.) I find "decent Behaviour enjoined at "these "Church Wakes: The People are commanded to pray devoutly at "them, and not betake themselves to drinking or Debauchery."

28. And pe lænap man ær Cynic peccan грíþе gedreoh rý. georne gebidde. ænige drenc ne ænig unnir þarne dreoze. This seems to oppose the Opinion of Spelman, that Wakes are derived, as Bourne cites him, from the Saxon Word Wak, which signifies Drunkenness.

and

and at length, in the 28th Year of Henry VIII. it was injoined, that they should be always every where celebrated on the first Sunday in October, and no other Day: Which Injunction was never universally complied with, Custom in this Case prevailing against the Law of the Land.-These Feasts (he continues) have been much exclaimed against by those who do not duly distinguish between the Institution itself and the degenerate Abuse of it.

When the Order was made in 1627 and 1631, at Exeter and in Somersetshire, for their Suppression, both the Ministers and the People desired their Continuance, not only for preserving the Memorial of the Dedication of their several Churches, but for civilizing their Parishioners, composing Differences by the Mediation and Meeting of Friends, increasing of Love and Unity by these Feasts of Charity, and for the Relief and Comfort of the Poor.

Mr. Strutt gives us a pertinent Quotation on this Subject from Dugdale's Warwickshire, from an old MS Legend of St. John the Baptist: "And ye shall understond and know how the Eryns were furst found in old Time. In the Beginning of holi Churche, it was so that the Pepul cam to the Chirche with Candellys brennyng, and wold wake and coome with Light toward to the Chirche in their Devocions; and after they fell to Lecherie

"and

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 Eeyn. 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.

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.

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.

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