Part 18
Lilly elsewhere relates, “that the next Sunday but one after Charles I. was beheaded, Robert Spavin, secretary unto lieutenant-general Cromwell at that time, invited himself to dine with me, and brought Anthony Pierson, and several others, along with him to dinner. Their principal discourse all dinner-time was, who it was beheaded the king: one said it was the common hangman; another, Hugh Peters; others also were nominated, but none concluded. Robert Spavin, so soon as dinner was done, took me by the hand, and carried me to the south window; saith he, ‘These are all mistaken, they have not named the man that did the fact; it was lieutenant-colonel Joice: I was in the room when he fitted himself for the work, stood behind him when he did it; when done, went in again with him. There is no man knows this but my master, viz. Cromwell, commissary Ireton, and myself.’--‘Doth not Mr. Rushworth know it?’ said I. ‘No, he doth not know it,’ saith Spavin. The same thing Spavin since hath often related unto me when we were alone.”
MOVEABLE FEASTS.
SHROVE TUESDAY regulates most of the moveable feasts. _Shrove Tuesday_ itself is the next after the first new moon in the month of February. If such new moon should happen on a Tuesday, the next Tuesday following is Shrove Tuesday. A recently published volume furnishes a list, the introduction of which on the next page puts the reader in possession of serviceable knowledge on this point, and affords an opportunity for affirming, that Mr. Nicolas’s book contains a variety of correct and valuable information not elsewhere in a collected form:--
MOVEABLE FEASTS
FROM
“_Tables, Calendars, &c. for the use of Historians, Antiquaries, and the Legal Profession, by N. H. Nicolas, Esq._”
_Advent Sunday_, is the nearest Sunday to the feast of St. Andrew, November 30th, whether before or after.
_Ascension Day_, or _Holy Thursday_, is the Thursday in Rogation week, i. e. the week following Rogation Sunday.
_Ash Wednesday_, or the first day in lent, is the day after Shrove Tuesday.
_Carle_, or _Care Sunday_, or the fifth Sunday in lent, is the fifth Sunday after Shrove Tuesday.
_Corpus Christi_, or _Body of Christ_, is a festival kept on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday; and was instituted in the year 1264.
_Easter Day._ _The Paschal Sabbath._ _The Eucharist_, or _Lord’s Supper_, is the seventh Sunday after Shrove Tuesday, and is always the first Sunday after the first full moon, which happens on or next after the 21st of March.
_Easter Monday_ { are the Monday and { Tuesday following _Easter Tuesday_ { Easter day.
_Ember Days_, are the Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, after the first Sunday in lent; after the Feast of Pentecost; after Holy-rood Day, or the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, viz. 14th September; and after St. Lucia’s day, viz. 15th December.
_Ember Weeks_, are those weeks in which the Ember days fall.
_The Eucharist._ See Easter day.
_Good Friday_, is the Friday in Passion Week, and the next Friday before Easter day.
_Holy Thursday._ See Ascension day.
_Lent_, a Fast from Ash Wednesday, to the Feast of Easter, viz. forty days.
_Lord’s Supper._ See Easter day.
_Low Sunday_, is the Sunday next after Easter day.
_Maunday Thursday_, is the day before Good Friday.
_Midlent_, or the fourth Sunday in Lent, is the fourth Sunday after Shrove Tuesday.
_Palm Sunday_, or the sixth Sunday in Lent, is the sixth Sunday after Shrove Tuesday.
_Paschal Sabbath._ See Easter day.
_Passion Week_, is the week next ensuing after Palm Sunday.
_Pentecost_ or _Whit Sunday_, is the fiftieth day and seventh Sunday after Easter day.
_Quinquagesima Sunday_, is so named from its being about the fiftieth day before Easter. It is also called _Shrove Sunday_.
_Relick Sunday_, is the third Sunday after Midsummer-day.
_Rogation Sunday_, is the fifth Sunday after Easter day.
_Rogation Days_ are the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday following Rogation Sunday.
_Shrove Sunday_, is the Sunday next before Shrove Tuesday. It is also called _Quinquagesima Sunday_.
_Septuagesima Sunday_, so called from its being about the seventieth day before Easter, is the third Sunday before Lent.
_Sexagesima Sunday_, is the second Sunday before Lent, or the next to Shrove Sunday, so called as being about the sixtieth day before Easter.
_Trinity Sunday_, or the _Feast_ of the _Holy Trinity_, is the next Sunday after Pentecost or Whitsuntide.
_Whit Sunday._ See Pentecost.
_Whit Monday_ { are the Monday and { Tuesday following _Whit Tuesday_ { Whit Sunday.
_Whitsuntide_, is the three days above-mentioned.
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_The Vigil or Eve_ of a feast, is the day before it occurs. Thus the Vigil of the feast of St. John the Baptist is the 23d of June. If the feast-day falls upon a Monday, then the Vigil or the Eve is kept upon the Saturday preceding.
_The Morrow_ of a feast, is the day following: thus the feast of All Souls, is November 2d, and the Morrow of All Souls is consequently the 3d of November.
_The Octave_ or _Utas_ of each feast, is always the eighth day after it occurs; for example, the feast of St. Hillary, is the 13th of February, hence the Octave of St. Hillary, is the 20th of that month.
_In the Octaves_, means within the eight days following any particular feast.
SEPTUAGESIMA
Is the _ninth_ Sunday before Easter Sunday.
SEXAGESIMA
Is the _eighth_ Sunday before Easter.
QUINQUAGESIMA
Is the _seventh_ Sunday before Easter.
QUADRAGESIMA
Is the _sixth_ Sunday before Easter, and the first Sunday in Lent, which commences on Ash Wednesday.
“The earliest term of Septuagesima Sunday is the 18th of January, when Easter day falls on the 22d of March; the latest is the 22d of February, when Easter happens on the 25th of April.”
_Butler._
Shepherd in his “Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer” satisfactorily explains the origin of these days:
“When the words _Septuagesima_, _Sexagesima_, and _Quinquagesima_ were first applied to denote these three Sundays, the season of _Lent_ had generally been extended to a fast of six weeks, that is, thirty-six days, not reckoning the Sundays, which were always celebrated as festivals. At this time, likewise, the Sunday which we call the first Sunday in Lent, was styled simply _Quadragesima_, or the fortieth, meaning the fortieth day before Easter. _Quadragesima_ was also the name given to Lent, and denoted the _Quadragesimal_, or forty days’ fast. When the three weeks before Quadragesima ceased to be considered as weeks after the Epiphany, and were appointed to be observed as a time of preparation for Lent, it was perfectly conformable to the ordinary mode of computation to reckon backwards, and for the sake of even and round numbers to count by decades. The authors of this novel institution, and the compilers of the new proper offices, would naturally call the first Sunday before Quadragesima, Quinquagesima; the second, Sexagesima; and the third, Septuagesima. This reason corresponds with the account that seems to be at present most generally adopted.”
There is much difference of opinion as to whether the fast of _Lent_ lasted anciently during forty days or forty hours.
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FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Common Maidenhair. _Asplenium trichomanes._ Dedicated to _St. Martina_.
~January 31.~
King George IV. proclaimed. Holiday at the Exchequer.
_St. Peter Nolasco_, A. D. 1258. _St. Serapion_, A. D. 1240. _St. Cyrus and John._ _St. Marcella_, A. D. 410. _St. Maidoc_, or _Maodhog_, alias _Aidar_, otherwise _Mogue_, Bishop of Ferns, A. D. 1632.
_St. Peter Nolasco._
Ribadeneira relates, that on the 1st of August 1216, the virgin Mary with a beautiful train of holy virgins appeared to this saint at midnight, and signified it was the divine pleasure that a new order should be instituted under the title of Our Blessed Lady of Mercy, for the redemption of captives, and that king James of Aragon had the same vision at the same time, and “this order, therefore, by divine revelation, was founded upon the 10th, or as others say, upon the 23d of August.” Then St. Peter Nolasco begged for its support, and thereby rendered himself offensive to the devil. For once taking up his lodging in private, some of the neighbours told him, that the master of the house, a man of evil report, had lately died, and the place had ever since been inhabited by “night spirits,” wherein he commended himself to the virgin and other saints, and “instantly his admonitors vanished away like smoke, leaving an intolerable scent behind them.” These of course were devils in disguise. Then he passed the sea in his cloak, angels sung before him in the habit of his order, and the virgin visited his monastery. One night he went into the church and found the angels singing the service instead of the monks; and at another time seven stars fell from heaven, and on digging the ground “there, they found a most devout image of our lady under a great bell,”--and so forth.
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FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Hartstongue. _Asplenium Scolopendium._ Dedicated to _St. Marcella_.
[Illustration: FEBRUARY.]
------- Then came cold February, sitting In an old waggon, for he could not ride, Drawne of two fishes, for the season fitting, Which through the flood before did softly slyde And swim away; yet had he by his side His plough and harnesse fit to till the ground, And tooles to prune the trees before the pride Of hasting prime did make them burgeon round.
_Spenser._
This month has Pisces or the fishes for its zodiacal sign. Numa, who was chosen by the Roman people to succeed Romulus as their king, and became their legislator, placed it the second in the year, as it remains with us, and dedicated it to Neptune, the lord of waters. Its name is from the _Februa_, or Feralia, sacrifices offered to the manes of the gods at this season. Ovid in his _Fasti_ attests the derivation:
In ancient times, purgations had the name Of _Februa_, various customs prove the same; The pontiffs from the _rex_ and _flamen_ crave A lock of wool; in former days they gave To wool the name of Februa. A pliant branch cut from a lofty pine, Which round the temples of the priests they twine, Is Februa called; which if the priest demand, A branch of pine is put into his hand; In short, with whatsoe’er our hearts we hold Are purified, was Februa termed of old; _Lustrations_ are from hence, from hence the name Of this our month of February came; In which the priests of Pan processions made; In which the tombs were also purified Of such as had no dirges when they died; For our religious fathers did maintain Purgations expiated every stain Of guilt and sin; from Greece the custom came, But here adopted by another name; The Grecians held that pure lustrations could Efface an impious deed, or guilt of blood Weak men; to think that water can make clean A bloody crime, or any sinful stain.
_Massey’s Ovid._
Our Saxon ancestors, according to Verstegan, “called February _Sprout-kele_, by kele meaning the kele-wurt, which we now call the colewurt, the greatest _pot-wurt_ in time long past that our ancestors used, and the broth made therewith was thereof also called kele; for before we borrowed from the French the name of potage, and the name of herbe, the one in our owne language was called _kele_, and the other _wurt_; and as this kele-wurt, or potage-hearbe, was the chiefe winter-wurt for the sustenance of the husbandman, so was it the first hearbe that in this moneth began to yeeld out wholesome yong sprouts, and consequently gave thereunto the name of _Sprout-kele_.” The “kele” here mentioned, is the well-known kale of the cabbage tribe. But the Saxons likewise called this month “Solmonath,” which Dr. Frank Sayers in his “Disquisitions” says, is explained by Bede “mensis placentarum,” and rendered by Spelman in an unedited manuscript “_pan-cake_ month,” because in the course of it, cakes were offered by the pagan Saxons to the sun; and “Sol,” or “soul,” signified “food,” or “cakes.”
In “The Months,” by Mr. Leigh Hunt, he remarks that “if February were not the precursor of spring, it would be the least pleasant season of the year, November not excepted. The thaws now take place; and a clammy mixture of moisture and cold succeeds, which is the most disagreeable of wintry sensations.” Yet so variable is our climate, that the February of 1825 broke in upon the inhabitants of the metropolis with a day or two of piercing cold, and realized a delightful description of January sparkled from the same pen. “What can be more delicately beautiful than the spectacle which sometimes salutes the eye at the breakfast-room window, occasioned by the hoar-frost dew? If a jeweller had come to dress every plant over night, to surprise an Eastern sultan, he could not produce any thing like the ‘pearly drops,’ or the ‘silvery plumage.’ An ordinary bed of greens, to those who are not at the mercy of their own vulgar associations, will sometimes look crisp and corrugated emerald, powdered with diamonds.”
THE SEASON.
Sunk in the vale, whose concave depth receives The waters draining from these shelvy banks When the shower beats, yon pool with pallid gleam Betrays its icy covering. From the glade Issuing in pensive file, and moving slow, The cattle, all unwitting of the change, To quench their customary thirst advance. With wondering stare and fruitless search they trace The solid margin: now bend low the head In act to drink; now with fastidious nose Snuffing the marble floor, and breathing loud, From the cold touch withdraw. Awhile they stand In disappointment mute; with ponderous feet Then bruise the surface: to each stroke the woods Reply; forth gushes the imprisoned wave.
~February 1.~
_St. Ignatius._ _St. Pionius_, A. D. 250. _St. Bridget._ _St. Kinnia._ _St. Sigebert II._ _King._
_St. Bridget._
St. Bride, otherwise St. Bridget, confers her name upon the parish of St. Bride’s, for to her its church in Fleet-street is dedicated. Butler says she was born in Ulster, built herself a cell under a large oak, thence called Kill-dara, or cell of the oak, was joined by others of her own sex, formed several nunneries, and became patroness of Ireland. “But,” says Butler, “a full account of her virtues has not been transmitted down to us, together with the veneration of her name;” yet he declares that “her five modern lives mention little else but wonderful miracles.” According to the same author, she flourished in the beginning of the sixth century, her body was found in the twelfth century, and her head “is now kept in the church of the Jesuits at Lisbon.” This writer does not favour us with any of her miracles, but bishop Patrick mentions, that wild ducks swimming in the water, or flying in the air, obeyed her call, came to her hand, let her embrace them, and then she let them fly away again. He also found in the breviary of Sarum, that when she was sent a-milking by her mother to make butter, she gave away all the milk to the poor; that when the rest of the maids brought in their milk she prayed, and the butter multiplied; that the butter she gave away she divided into twelve parts, “as if it were for the twelve apostles; and one part she made bigger than any of the rest, which stood for Christ’s portion; though it is strange,” says Patrick, “that she forget to make another inequality by ordering one portion more of the butter to be made bigger than the remaining ones in honour of St. Peter, the prince of the apostles.”
BURIAL OF ALLELUIA.
In Mr. Fosbroke’s “British Monarchism,” the observation of this catholic ceremony is noticed as being mentioned in “Ernulphus’s Annals of Rochester Cathedral,” and by Selden. From thence it appears to have taken place just before the octaves of Easter. Austin says, “that it used to be sung in all churches from Easter to Pentecost, but Damasus ordered it to be performed at certain times, whence it was chanted on Sundays from the octaves of Epiphany to Septuagesima, and on the Sundays from the octaves of Pentecost and Advent. One mode of burying the Alleluia was this: in the sabbath of the _Septuagesima_ at Nones, the choristers assembled in the great vestiary, and there arranged the ceremony. Having finished the last ‘Benedicamus,’ they advanced with crosses, torches, holy waters, and incense, carrying a turf (Glebam) in the manner of a coffin, passed through the choir and went howling to the cloister, as far as the place of interment; and then having sprinkled the water, and censed the place, returned by the same road. According to a story (whether true or false) in one of the churches of Paris, a choir boy used to whip a top, marked with _Alleluia_, written in golden letters, from one end of the choir to the other. In other places _Alleluia_ was buried by a serious service on Septuagesima Sunday.”
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FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Lesser Water Moss. _Fontinalis minor._ Dedicated to _St. Ignatius_. Bay. _Laurus nobilis._ Dedicated to _St. Bridget_.
~February 2.~
Holiday at the Public Offices, except Excise, Stamps, and Customs.
_The Purification._ _St. Laurence_, Archbishop of Canterbury, A. D. 619.
CANDLEMAS DAY.
This being the festival which catholics call the Purification of the virgin, they observe it with great pomp. It stands as a holiday in the calendar of the church of England. Naogeorgus thus introduces the day; or rather Barnaby Googe, in his translation of that author’s, “Popish Kingdom:”
“Then comes the Day wherein the Virgin offred Christ unto The Father chiefe, as Moyses law commaunded hir to do. Then numbers great of Tapers large, both men and women beare To Church, being halowed there with pomp, and dreadful words to heare. This done, eche man his Candell lightes where chiefest seemeth hee, Whose Taper greatest may be seene and fortunate to bee; Whose Candell burneth cleare and bright, a wondrous force and might Doth in these Candels lie, which if at any time they light, They sure beleve that neyther storme or tempest dare abide, Nor thunder in the skies be heard, nor any Devil’s spide, Nor fearefull sprites that walke by night, nor hurts of frost or haile.”--
According to “The Posey of Prayers, or the Key of Heaven,” it is called _Candlemas_, because before mass is said this day, the church _blesses her candles for the whole year_, and makes a procession with hallowed or blessed candles in the hands of the faithful.
From catholic service-books, quoted in “Pagano Papismus,” some particulars are collected concerning the blessing of the candles. Being at the altar, the priest says over them several prayers; one of which commences thus: “O Lord Jesu Christ, who enlightenest every one that cometh into the world, pour out thy benediction upon these Candles, and sanctifie them with the light of thy grace,” &c. Another begins: “Holy Lord, Father Almighty, Everlasting God, who hast created all things of nothing, and by the labour of bees caused this liquor to come to the perfection of a wax candle; we humbly beseech thee, that by the invocation of thy most holy name, and by the intercession of the blessed virgin, ever a virgin, whose festivals are this day devoutly celebrated, and by the prayers of all thy saints, thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless and sanctifie these candles,” &c. Then the priest sprinkles the candles thrice with holy water, saying “Sprinkle me with,” &c. and perfumes them thrice with incense. One of the consecratory prayers begins: “O Lord Jesu Christ, bless this creature of wax to us thy suppliants; and infuse into it, by the virtue of the holy cross, thy heavenly benediction; that in whatsoever places it shall be lighted, or put, the devil may depart, and tremble, and fly away, with all his ministers, from those habitations, and not presume any more to disturb them,” &c. There is likewise this benediction: “I bless thee, O wax, in the name of the holy trinity, that thou may’st be in every place the ejection of Satan, and subversion of all his companions,” &c. During the saying of these prayers, various bowings and crossings are interjected; and when the ceremonies of consecration are over, the chiefest priest goes to the altar, and he that officiates receives a candle from him; afterwards, that priest, standing before the altar towards the people, distributes the candles, first to the priest from whom he received a candle, then to others in order, all kneeling (except bishops) and kissing the candle, and also kissing the hand of the priest who delivers it. When he begins to distribute the candles, they sing, “A light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” After the candles are distributed, a solemn procession is made; in which one carries a censer, another a crucifix, and the rest burning candles in their hands.
The practice is treated of by Butler in his notice of the festival under this head, “On blessing of Candles and the Procession.” It is to be gathered from him that “St. Bernard says the procession was first made by St. Joseph, Simeon, and Anne, as an example to be followed by all the earth, walking two and two, holding in their hands candles, lighted from fire, first blessed by the priests, and singing.” The candle-bearing has reference to Simeon’s declaration in the temple when he took Jesus in his arms, and affirmed that he was a light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of Israel. This was deemed sufficient ground by the Romish church, whereon to adopt the torch-bearing of the pagans in honour of their own deities, as a ceremony in honour of the presentation of Jesus in the temple. The pagans used lights in their worship, and Constantine, and other emperors, endowed churches with land and various possessions, for the maintenance of lights in catholic churches, and frequently presented the ecclesiastics with coffers full of candles and tapers. Mr. Fosbroke shows, from catholic authorities, that light-bearing on Candlemas day is an old Pagan ceremony; and from Du Cange, that it was substituted by pope Gelasius for the candles, which in February the Roman people used to carry in the Lupercalia.
Pope Innocent, in a sermon on this festival, quoted in “Pagano Papismus,” inquires, “Why do we (the catholics) in this feast carry candles?” and then he explains the matter by way of answer. “Because,” says he, “the gentiles dedicated the month of February to the infernal gods, and as, at the beginning of it, Pluto stole Proserpine, and her mother, Ceres, sought her in the night with lighted candles, so they, at the beginning of this month, walked about the city with lighted candles; because the holy fathers could not utterly extirpate this custom, they ordained that Christians should carry about candles in honour of the blessed virgin Mary: and thus,” says the pope, “what was done before to the honour of Ceres is now done to the honour of the Virgin.”