conquered all the World, they were so proude, that they forgat God, and made them divers Gods after their own Lust. And so among all they had a God that they called Mars, that had been tofore a notable Knyght in Battayle. And so they prayed to hym for Help, and for that they would speed the better of this Knyght, the People prayed, and did great Worship to his Mother, that was called Februa, after which Woman, much People have Opinion, that the Moneth February is called. Wherefore the 2d Day of thys Moneth is Candlemass Day.

The Romaines this Night, went about the City of Rome, with Torches and Candles brenning in Worship of this Woman Februa, for hope to have the more Helpe and succoure of her Sonne Mars.

Then was there a Pope, that was called Sergius, and when he saw Christian People draw to this false Maumetry and untrue Belief; he thought to undo this foule Use and Custom, and turn it into God's Worship, and our Lady's, and gave Commandment that all Christian People should come to Church, and offer up a Candle brennyng, in the Worship that they did to this Woman Februa, and do Worship to our Lady, and to her Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ. So that now this Feast is solemnly hallowed thorowe all Christendome. And every Christan Man and Woman of covenable Age, is bound to come to Church, and offer up their Candles, as though they were bodily with our Lady,

hopyng for this Reverence and Worship that they do to our Ladye to have a great Reward in Heaven, &c."

Ray, in his Collection of Proverbs, preserves one that relates to this Day:

"On Candlemas-day throw Candle and Candlestick away."

Somerset.

CHAP.

CHAP. XX.

Of Valentine-Day; its Ceremonies; what the Council of Trullus thought of such Customs; that they had better be omitted.

IT is a Ceremony, never omitted among the Vulgar, to draw Lots, which they Term Valentines, on the Eve before* Valentine-duy. The Names of a select Number of one Sex, are by an equal Number of the other put into some Vessel; and after that, every one draws a Name, which for the present is called their Valentine, and is also look'd upon as a good Omen of their being Man and Wife afterwards.

There is a rural Tradition, that on this Day every Bird chuses its Mate. From this †

perhaps

Valentine a Presbyter of the Church was beheaded under

Claudius the Emperor.

† Mature the icare of the Almightie Lord

That hote, colde. hevie, light, moiat. and drie

hath knit, by even nomber of Accord,

In easie Woice, began to speak and lay,

foules take hede of my Sentence I pray,

And for your own eale, in fordring of your need.
as faft as I may sprak, I ivill me spezd.

perhaps the youthful Part of the World hath first practised this Custom, so common at this Season..

*

In the Trullan Council we have Lots and Divinations forbid, as being some of those Things which provoked the LORD to anger against King Manasses, who used Lots and Divinations, &c. upon which the Scholiast hath these Words. +The Custom of drawing Lots was after this Manner; on the 23d Day of June, which is the Eve of St. John Baptist, Men and Women were accustomed to gather together in the Evening by the Sea-side, or in some certain Houses, and there adorn a Girl, who was her Parents first-begotten Child, after the Manner of a Bride. Then they feasted and leaped after the Manner of Bacchanals, and danced and shouted as they were wont to do on their Holy-days: After this they poured into a narrow-neck'd Vessel some of the SeaWater, and put also into it certain Things be

Pe know well, how on St. Ualentine's Day
By my Statute, and through my governaunce
Pe doe these your makes, and after fille away
with hem, as Í prlcke you with Pleafaunce.

* 2 Lib. Kings, Chap. 21.

† Can. 65. in Syn. Trul. in Bals. P. 440.

Chaucer.

longing

longing to each of them.

+

Then as if the

Devil gifted the Girl, with the Faculty of

telling future Things; they would enquire with a loud Voice, about the good or evil Fortune that should attend them: Upon this the Girl would take out of the Vessel, the first Thing that came to Hand, and shew it, and give it to the Owner; who upon receiving it, was so foolish as to imagine himself wiser, as to the good or evil Fortune that should attend him,

This Custom, as he tells us a little after, is altogether diabolical: And surely it was so, being used as a presage of what was future. Was the Custom of the Lots now mention'd, used as among the Heathens, they would no Doubt be as worthy of Condemnation; but as far as I know, there is but little Credit given to them; tho' that little is too much, and ought to be laid aside. But if the Custom was used without any Mixture or Allay of Superstition, as I believe it is in some Places, yet it is often attended with great Inconveniences and Misfortunes, with Uneasinesses to Families, with Scandal, and sometimes with Ruin.

OBSER