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There was antiently a profane * Sport, among the Heathens on the Kalends of January, when they used to roam about in Disguises, resembling the Figures of wild Beasts, of Cattle and of old Women. The Christians adopted this: Faustinus, the Bishop, inveighs against it with great warmth.-They were went to be covered with Skins of Cattle, and to put on the Heads of Beasts, &c.

Doctor Johnson tells us in his Journey to the Western Islands, that a Gentleman informed him of an odd Game: At New Year's Eve, in the Hall or Castle of the Laird, where at festal Seasons, there may be supposed a very numerous Company, one Man dresses himself in a Cow's Hide, upon which other, Men beat with Sticks. He runs with all this Noise round the House, which all the Company quits in a counterfeited Fright; the Door is then shut. At New Year's Eve, there is no great pleasure to be had out of Doors in the Hebrides, They are sure soon to recover from their Terror enough to solicit for Re-admission; which for the Honour of Poetry, is not to be obtained but by re

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qui Cervulum facientes, in ferarum se velint habitus commutari ? "Alii vestiuntur pellibus pecudum, alii assumunt Capita bestiarum, gaudentes & exultantes, si taliter se in ferinas Species transforma"verint, ut homines non esse videantur." Du Cange: in Cervula.

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* Ludi profani apud Ethnicos et Paganos-solebant ii Kalendis Januarii belluarum, pecudum, et Vetularum assumptis formis huc et illuc discursare et petulantiùs se se gerere: quod a Christianis non modò proscriptum, sed & ab iis postmodum inductum constat, ut ea die ad calcandam Gentilium Consuetudinem privatæ fierent Litaniæ et jejunaretur, &c. Ibid.

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peating a Verse, with which those that are knowing and provident, take care to be furnished.

This is no doubt a Vestige of the Festival * of Fools above described.-Se Du Cange's Glossary in Verbo. Kalendæ, &c. &c. The "vestiuntur "pellibus pecudum" and "a Man's dressing him"self in a Cow's Hide," both too on the first of January, are such Circumstances as leave no Room for Doubt, but that, allowing for the Mutilations of Time, they are one and the same Custom↑.

* Affirmant se vidisse annis singulis in Romana Urbe & juxta Ecclesiam S, Petri, in die, vel nocte, quando Calendæ Januarii intrant, Paganorum consuetudine choros ducere per plateas & acclamationes ritu Gentilium & Cantationes sacrilegas celebrare. & mensus illas die vel nocte dapibus onerare, et nullum de domo sua, vel ignem, vel ferramentum, vel aliquid commodi vicino suo præstare velle. Ibid.

The learned Traveller tells us, that they who played at this odd Game, gave no Account of the Origin of it, and that he described it, as it might perhaps be used in other Places, where the Reason of it is not yet forgot.—I am persuaded that if Dr. Johnson will take the Trouble of consulting Du Cange's Glossary in Verb. Çervula & Kalenda, he will no longer remain ignorant of the Original of this singular Custom.

CHAP.

CHAP. XV.

Of the Christmas Carol, an ancient Custom: The common Observation of it very unbecoming.

As

*

soon as the Morning of the Nativity ap pears, it is customary among the common People to sing a Christmas-Carol, which is a Song upon the Birth of our Saviour, and generally sung with some others, from the Nativity to the Twelfth-Day, the Continuance of Christmas. It comes, they say, from Cantare, to sing, and Rola, which is an Interjection of Joy: For in ancient Times, the Burden of the Song, when Men were Merry, was Rola, Rola.

This kind of Songs is of an ancient standing They were sung early in the Church itself, in memory of the Nativity, as the many HYMNS for that Season manifestly declare: Tertullian says, + it was customary among the

* Such are, The New-Year's Songs, and that whose Burden is Hagmena. The Word Hagmena is the same as Hagiameene, or the Holy Month. Angli, says Hospinnian, Halegmonath, quasi sacrum mensem vocant. Hosp. de Orig. Eth. P. 81.

+ Ut quisque de scripturis sanctis vel de proprio ingenio potest, provocatur in medium Deo cantare. Tertul. Advers. Gent. C. 39.

Christians,

Christians, at their Feasts, to bring those, who were able to sing, into the Midst, and make them sing a Song unto GOD; either out of the Holy Scripture, or of their own Composing and Invention. And as this was done at their Feasts, so no doubt it was observed at the great Feast of the Nativity; which Song, no Question of it, was to them, what the Christmas-Carol should be to us. In after ages we have it also taken Notice of: For Durand tells us, * That on the Day of the Nativity, it was usual for the Bishops of some Churches to sing among their Clergy, in the Episcopal House, which Song was undoubted a Christmus-Carol.

The Reason of this Custom seems to be an Imitation of the Gloria in Excelsis, or Glory be to GOD on High, &c. which was sung by the Angels, as they hovered o'er the Fields of Bethlehem, in the Morning of the Nativity. For even that Song, as the learned Bishop Taylor observes, was a Christmas-Carol. As soon, says he, as these blessed Choristers had sung their Christmas-Carol, and taught the

* In quibusdam quoque locis. -In natali Prælati cum suis clericis ludant, vel in domibus episcopalibus: Ita ut etiam descendant.-Ad cantus. Durand. Rat. Lib. 6. C. 86. §. 9.

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Church a Hymn, to put into her Offices for Ever, in the Anniversary of this Festivity; the Angels, &c.

Was this performed with that Reverence and Decency, which are due to a Song of this Nature, in Honour of the Nativity, and Glory to our LORD, it would be very commendable; but to sing it, as is generally done, in the midst of Rioting and Chambering, and Wantoness, is no Honour, but Disgrace; no Glory, but an Affront to that Holy Season, a Scandal to Religion, and a Sin against CHRIST.

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OBSERVATIONS ON CHAP. XV.

THE subsequent Specimen of a very curious Carrol in the Scotch Language, preserved in "Ane compendious Booke of godly and spirituall Sangs, "Edinburgh, 1621. printed from an old Copy," will, I flatter myself, be thought a precious Relique by those who have a Taste for the literary Antiquities of this Island.

Ane Sang of the Birth of Christ:

With the Tune of Bato lula lare.

(Angelus, ut opinor, loquitur.)

I come from Hevin to tell,

The best Nowellis that ever befell:

To

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