(1) It was not unusual to preserve for many years, I know not for what superstitious intent, pieces of "the Groaning Cake." Thus I read in Gayton's Festivous Notes upon Don Quixot, p. 17, "And hath a piece of the Groaning Cake (as they call it) which she kept religiously with her Good Friday Bun, full forty years un-mouldy and un-mouse

eaten."

Misson, in his Travels in England, translated by Ozell, p. 35, says: "The Custom here is not to make great Feasts at the Birth of their Children. They drink a Glass of Wine, and eat a Bit of a certain Cake, which is seldom made but upon these occasions."

In the Descriptive Account of Eastbourne in Sussex, p. 123, there is a very singular custom recited under the name of Sops and Ale, which still prevails in that place, after any lady, or respectable farmer or tradesman's wife, is delivered of a child.

(2) In other places the first cut of the sick wife's Cheese (so also they call the Groaning Cheese) is to be divided into little pieces, and tossed in the midwife's smock, to cause young women to dream of their lovers.

Slices of the first cut of the Groaning Cheese are in the North of England laid under the pillows of young persons for the above purpose.

In the old play of "The Vow-Breaker, or the Fayre Maid of Clifton," 4to. 1636, signat. H. in a scene where is discovered "a Bed covered with white, enter Prattle, Magpy, Long Tongue, Barren with a child, Anne in bed;" Boote says, " Neece, bring the Groaning Cheece, and all requisites; I must supply the Father's place, and bid God-fathers."

In "A Voyage to Holland, being an Account of the late Entertainment of King William the Third and the several Princes there, by an English Gentleman attending the Court of the King of Great Britain," 12mo. 1691, p. 23, we read: "Where the Woman lies in the Ringle of the Door, does pennance, and is lapped about with Linnen, either to

shew you that loud knocking may wake the Child, or else that for a month the Ring is not to be run at: but if the Child be dead there is thrust out a Nosegay tied to a stick's end, perhaps for an Emblem of the Life of Man, which may wither as soon as born; or else to let you know, that though these fade upon their gathering, yet from the same stock the next year a new shoot may spring."

So, in an old Translation of "Erasmus's Dialogues," by William Burton, 4to. b. l. in that of the Woman in Child-bed occurs the following passage. "Eut. By chaunce I (passing by these Houses) sawe the Crowe, or the Ring of the Doore bound about with a white linnen Cloth, and I marvelled what the reason of it should be. Fab. Are you such a stranger in this Countrey that you doe not know the reason of that? doe not you knowe that it is a Signe that there is a Woman lying in where that is?"

In "Poor Robin's Almanack" for the Year 1676, that facetious but very observing writer, noting the Expenses of breeding Wives to their Husbands, introduces the following Items:

"For a Nurse, the Child to dandle,

Sugar, Sope, Spic'd Pots, and Candle,
A Groaning Chair, (a) and eke a Cradle.-
Blanckets of a several scantling,
Therein for to wrap the bantling:
Sweetmeats from Comfit-maker's trade
When the Child's a Christian made-
Pincushions and such other knacks
A Child-bed Woman always lacks,
Caudles, Grewels, costly Jellies, &c."

(3) In his "Century of rare Anatomical Histories," p. 19, "Mulierculæ superstitiosæ nostrates statim antequam Infantem nuper natum in Cunis reponunt, huic Caprimulgo

(a) An Essayist in the Gent. Mag. for May 1732, vol. ii. p. 740, observes: "Among the Women there is the Groaning Chair in which the Matron sits to receive Visits of Congratulation. This is a kind of Female Ovation due to every good Woman who goes through such eminent perils in the service of her Country."

(a Spirit so called that is supposed to hurt Infants) occurrunt Allio, Sale, Pane et Chalybe, vel Instrumento incisorio ex Chalybe, sive in Cunis posito, sive supra Ostium."

We read also in Bartholinus's "Treatise de Puerperio Veterum," p. 157, "Pueris, sive ante lustrationem sive post, dormientibus Caprimulgus insidiatur et Lilith, item Sagæ seu Stryges variis fascinis, quæ vel Allio, vel Alysso, vel re turpi in Collo ex Annulo appensa abiguntur. Res illa turpis non Satyri fuit species, sed Priapi. Fascinus erat res turpicula e collo pueris appensa, teste Varrone." Lib. vi.

Something like this obtained in England. Gregory, in his "Posthuma," p. 97, mentions "an ordinarie Superstition of the old Wives, who dare not intrust a Childe in a Cradle by itself alone without a Candle." This he attributes to their fear of Night-Hags.

(4) In the "Gentle Shepherd," Bauldy describing Mause as a Witch, says of her: "At midnight hours o'er the Kirk-yard she

raves,

And howks unchristen'd Weans out of

their Graves." Act ii. sc. 2.

(5) To this notion Shakspeare alludes when he makes King Henry the Fourth, speaking of Hotspur, in comparison with his own profligate son, say as follows:

"O that it could be prov'd

That some night-tripping Fairy had exchang'd,

In Cradle-clothes, our Children where they lay,

And call'd mine Percy, his Plantagenet! Then would have his Harry, and he mine." Hen. IV. P. I. act i. sc. 1. Spenser has the like thought: "From thence a Fairy thee unweeting reft There as thou slep'st in tender swadling band,

And her base Elfin brood there for thee left: Such men do CHANGELINGS call, so chang'd by Fairy theft."

Fairy Qu. B. i. c. x. 1. 35. See Grey's "Notes on Shakspeare," vol. i. p. 257.

It was thought that fairies could only change their weakly and starveling elves

for the more robust offspring of men before baptism, whence the above custom in the Highlands.

is

One of the methods of discovering whether a child belongs to the fairies or not, printed in a book entitled "A pleasant Treatise of Witchcraft." See Grose's Account.

The word CHANGELING, in its modern acceptation, implies one almost an idiot, evincing what was once the popular creed on this subject; for as all the fairy children were a little backward of their tongue and seemingly idiots, therefore stunted and idiotical children were supposed changelings. This superstition has not escaped the learned Moresin: "Papatus credit albatas Mulieres, et id genus Larvas, pueros integros auferre, aliosque suggerere monstruosos, et debiles multis partibus; aut ad Baptisterium cum aliis commutare, aut ad Templi introitum." Papatus, p. 139.

Mr. Pennant, in his "History of Whiteford," &c. p. 5, speaking of "the Fairy Oak," of which also he exhibits a portrait, relates this curious circumstance respecting it:

"In this very century, a poor Cottager, who lived near the spot, had a Child who grew uncommonly peevish; the parents attributed this to the Fairies, and imagined that it was a CHANGELING. They took the Child, put it in a Cradle, and left it all night beneath the Tree, in hopes that the tylwydd tèg, or Fairy family, or the Fairy folk, would restore their own before morning. When morning came, they found the Child perfectly quiet, so went away with it, quite confirmed in their belief."

Waldron, in his Description of the Isle of Man (Works, fol. 1731, p. 128), tells us: "The old story of Infants being changed in their Cradles is here in such credit, that Mothers are in continual terror at the thoughts of it. I was prevailed upon myself to go and see a Child, who, they told me, was one of these Changelings, and indeed must own was not a little surprised as well as shocked at the sight. Nothing under Heaven could have a more beautiful face: but tho' between five and six years old, and seemingly healthy, he was so far from being able to walk or stand, that he could not so much as move any one joint: his limbs were vastly long for his age,

but smaller than an Infant's of six months: his complexion was perfectly delicate, and he had the finest hair in the world: he never spoke nor cryed, eat scarce any thing, and was very seldom seen to smile; but if any one called him a Fairy-Elf he would frown, and fix his eyes so earnestly on those who said it, as if he would look them through. His Mother, or at least his supposed Mother, being very poor, frequently went out a Chairing, and left him a whole day together: the neighbours, out of curiosity, have often looked in at the window to see how he behaved when alone, which, whenever they did, they were sure to find him laughing, and in the utmost delight. This made them judge that he was not without Company more pleasing to him than any mortal's could be; and what made this conjecture seem the more reasonable, was, that if he were left ever so dirty, the woman, at her return, saw him with a clean face, and his hair combed with the utmost exactness and nicety."

He mentions, Ibid. p. 132, "Another woman, who, being great with Child, and expecting every moment the good hour, as she lay awake one night in her bed, she saw seven or eight little women come into her chamber, one of whom had an Infant in her arms. They were followed by a man of the same size, in the habit of a minister." A mock christening ensued, and "they baptized the Infant by the name of Joan, which made her know she was pregnant of a Girl, as it proved a few days after, when she was deÎivered."

0,

See Dr. Whitaker's "History of Craven," p. 220, where Master John Norton "gate leave of my old Lord to have half a Stagg for his Wife's Churching :" on which he observes in a note, "Hence it appears that Thanksgivings after Child-birth were antiently celebrated with feasting." For this custom I have a still older authority: "In iibus Hogsheveds Vini albi empt' apud Ebor. erga purificationem Dominæ, tam post partum Mag'ri mei nuper de Clifford, quam post partum Mag'ri (a) mei nunc de Clifford. Ixvis. viijd." (Compotus Tho. Dom. Clifford ao 15 Hen. VI. or 1437.)

(a) Master is here used in the Scottish sense for the heir apparent of the family.

Harrison, in his Description of Britain in "Holinshed's Chronicles," complains of the excessive feasting, as well at other festive meetings, as at "Purifications of Women."

In "the pleasant Historie of Thomas of Reading," 4to. Lond. 1632, b.l. signat. H. iii. we read: "Sutton's Wife of Salisbury, which had lately bin delivered of a Sonne, against her going to Church prepared great cheare: at what time Simon's Wife of Southampton came thither, and so did divers others of the Clothiers Wives, onely to make merry at this Churching Feast."

In "The Batchellor's Banquet," Lond. 1677, the Lady (A. 3) is introduced telling her Husband: "You willed me (I was sent for) to go to Mistress M. Churching, and when I came thither I found great Cheer and no small company of Wives." And at c. 2, Ibid. the Lady is asked: "If I had ever a new Gown to be churched in."

Among Shipman's Poems, 8vo. Lond. 1683, is one dated 1667, and entitled "The Churching Feast, to Sir Clifford Clifton for a fat Doe," p. 123. I have, in my library, a printed CHURCHING SERMON.

a

The Poem entitled "Julia's Churching, or Purification," however, in "Herrick's Hesperides," p. 339, makes no mention of the Churching Entertainment:

"Put on thy Holy Fillitings and so

To th' Temple with the sober Midwife go.
Attended thus (in a most solemn wise)
By those who serve the Child-bed misteries,
Burn first thine Incense; next, when as
thou see'st

The candid Stole thrown o'er the pious
Priest,

With reverend Curtsies come, and to him bring

Thy free (and not decurted) offering.
All Rites well ended, with faire auspice

is preserved an original one, printed in black letter, and dated the 16th of November, 30 Hen. VIII. in which, among many "laudable Ceremonies and Rytes" enjoined to be retained, is the following: "Ceremonies used at Purification of Women delyvered of Chylde, and offerynge of theyr Crysomes."

In a most rare book, entitled "A Parte of a Register, contayninge sundrie memorable Matters, written by divers godly and learned in our time, which stande for and desire the Reformation of our Church, in Discipline and Ceremonies, accordinge to the pure Worde of God and the Lawe of our Lande," 4to. said by Dr. Bancroft to have been printed at Edinburgh by Robert Waldegrave (who printed most of the Puritan books and libels in the latter end of Queen Elizabeth's reign), p. 64, in a list of "grosse poyntes of Poperie, evident to all Men," is enumerated the following: "The Churching of Women with this Psalme, that the Sunne and Moone shall not burne them :" as is Ibid. p. 63, "The Offeringe of the Woman at hir Churching."

Lupton, in his first Book of "Notable Things," edit. 1660, p. 49, says: "If a Man be the first that a Woman meets after she comes out of the Church, when she is newly churched, it signifies that her next Child will be a Boy; if she meet a Woman, then a Wench is likely to be her next Child. This is credibly reported to me to be true."

In "Sir John Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland," vol. xxi. p. 147, Parish of Monquhitter, it is said: "It was most unhappy for a Woman, after bringing forth a Child, to offer a visit, or for her Neighbours to receive it, till she had been duly churched. How strongly did this enforce gratitude to the Supreme Being for a safe delivery! On the day when such a Woman was Churched, every family, favoured with a call, were bound to set Meat and Drink before her: and when they omitted to do so, they and theirs were to be loaded with her hunger. What was this but an obligation on all who had it in their power to do the needful to prevent a feeble woman from fainting for want?"

THE learned Dr. Moresin informs us of a remarkable custom, which he himself was an eye-witness of in Scotland: they take, says he, on their return from church, the newlybaptized infant, and vibrate it three or four times gently over a flame, saying, and repeating it thrice, "Let the flame consume thee now or never." (1)

Grose tells us there is a superstition that a child who does not cry when sprinkled in baptism will not live. (2) He has added another idea, equally well founded, that children prematurely wise are not long-lived, that is, rarely reach maturity:(3) a notion which we find quoted by Shakspeare, and put into the mouth of Richard the Third.

It appears to have been anciently the custom, at christening entertainments, for the guests not only to eat as much as they pleased, but also, for the ladies at least, to carry away as much as they liked in their pockets. (4)

Hutchinson, in his "History of Northum

berland," tells us that children in that county, (3) when first sent abroad in the arms of the nurse to visit a neighbour, are presented with an egg, salt, and fine bread. (®)

It was anciently the custom for the sponsors at Christenings to offer gilt spoons as presents to the child: these spoons were called Apostle Spoons, because the figures of the Twelve Apostles were chased or carved on the tops of the handles. Opulent sponsors gave the whole twelve. Those in middling circumstances gave four; and the poorer sort contented themselves with the gift (7) of one, exhibiting the figure of any saint in honour of whom the child received its name. (8)

It is in allusion to this custom, that when Cranmer professes to be unworthy of being sponsor to the young Princess, Shakspeare makes the King reply, "Come, come, my Lord, you'd spare your spoons." Hen. VIII., act v. sc. 2.

66

(1) Atque hodie recens baptizatos Infantes (ut vidi fieri ab Anicula in Scotia olim qui sui papatus reliquias saperet) statim atque Domum redierint in limine oblatis eduliis bene venire dicunt, statimque importatos, Anicula, sive Obstetrix fuerit, fasciis invoIntos accipit, et per flammam ter quaterve leniter vibrant, verbis his additis, Jam te flamma, si unquam, absumat, terque verba repetunt."". Papatus, p. 72.

Borlase, from "Martin's Western Islands," p. 117, tells us: "The same lustration, by carrying of fire, is performed round about women after child-bearing, and round about children before they are christened, as an effectual means to preserve both the mother and infant from the power of evil spirits."

It is very observable here, that there was a feast at Athens, kept by private families, called Amphidromia, on the fifth day after the birth of the child, when it was the custom for the gossips to run round the fire with the infant in their arms, and then, having delivered it to the nurse, they were entertained with feasting and dancing.

(2) In "Memorable Things noted in the Description of the World," 8vo. p. 113, we read: About children's necks the wild Irish hung the beginning of St. John's Gospel, a crooked nail of a horse-shoe, or a piece of a wolve's-skin, and both the sucking child and nurse were girt with girdles finely plated with woman's hair: so far they wandered into the ways of errour, in making these arms the strength of their healths." (a)

Ibid. p. 111, it is said: "Of the same people Solinus affirmeth, that they are so given to war, that the mother, at the birth of a man child, feedeth the first meat into her infant's mouth upon the point of her husband's sword, and with heathenish imprecations wishes that it may dye no otherwise then

(a) See also Gough's edit. of Camden, fol. Lond. 1789, vol. iii. p. 658. Camden relates, in addition to this, that "if a child is at any time out of order, they sprinkle it with the stalest urine they can get."

VOL. II.

in war, or by sword." (a) Giraldus Cambrensis saith, "At the baptizing of the infants of the wild Irish, their manner was not to dip their right arms into the water, that so as they thought they might give a more deep and incurable blow." Here is a proof that the whole body of the child was anciently commonly immersed in the baptismal font.

In "The Statistical Account of Scotland," 8vo. Edinb. 1793, vol. vii. p. 560, Parishes of Kirkwall and St. Ola, we read that the inhabitants "would consider it as an unhappy omen, were they by any means disappointed in getting themselves married, or their children baptized, on the very day which they had previously fixed in their minds for that purpose."

Ibid. vol. xiv. p. 261, 8vo. Edinb. 1795, Parish of Kilfinan, Argyleshire, we read: "There is one pernicious practice that prevails much in this parish, which took its rise from this source, which is, that of carrying their children out to baptism on the first or second day after birth. Many of them, although they had it in their option to have their children baptized in their own houses, by waiting one day, prefer carrying them seven or eight miles to church in the worst weather in December or January, by which folly they too often sacrifice the lives of their infants to the phantom of superstition."

Ibid. vol. xv. p. 311. The Minister of the parishes of South Ronaldsay and Burray, two of the Orkney Islands, describing the manners of the inhabitants, says: "Within these last seven years the Minister has been twice interrupted in administering Baptism to a female child, before the male child, who was baptised immediately after. When the service was over he was gravely told he had done very wrong, for, as the female child was first baptised, she would, on her coming to