MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE WELSH. 327 what I have begun to do, and then let every one judge for himself." These letters are curious, though the reasoning is far from conclusive. There is also a deep roaring of the sea, which is believed to be a forewarning of some calamity. This is said to have been heard immediately previous to the wreck of the Rothsay Castle. On the eve of All Saints, or the 1st of November, the Welsh people, as soon as it is dark, kindle great fires near their houses, which they call coelcerth, or bonfires. This custom has been supposed, though probably without any foundation, to have originated with the Druids, and to have been intended by them as an offering of thanksgiving for the fruits of the harvest. Sometimes 50 or 100 of these fires may be seen at once, and round each, the people dance, hand in hand, at the same time singing and shouting in the most riotous and frantic manner imaginable. In many places it is customary for each person to throw a few nuts into the flame, by which they pretend to foretell the good or ill fortune that will attend them during the ensuing year. If, by the expansion of air within them, the nuts burst, they immediately conclude that they are doomed to die within twelve months. On the day after All Saints the poor children go about the towns and villages to beg bread and cheese. On the eve of St. John the Baptist, or the 24th of June, they place little bundles of the plant called St. John's wort over their doors or windows. These they believe will purify their houses, and drive away all fiends and evil spirits. The Druids had a custom similar to this, in which they used sprigs of vervain. It is said that a disorder somewhat resembling St. Anthony's fire, which the Welsh people call Yr Eryr, the eagle, is supposed to be curable at any time by the following kind of charm. A person, whose grandfather, or great grandfather, has eaten the flesh of an eagle, is to spit on the part affected, and rub it for a little while with his fingers. This is esteemed an infallible remedy. A strange custom prevails in some obscure parts of North Wales, which, however, the clergy have now almost abolished. This is termed the "offering of an enemy." When a person supposes himself highly injured by any one, he repairs to some church dedicated to a celebrated saint, or one who is believed to have great power over the affairs of men; here kneeling on his bare knees before the altar, and offering a piece of money to the saint, he utters the most virulent and dreadful imprecations, calling down curses and misfortunes on the offender and his family even for generations to come. Sometimes the offended persons repair for the same purpose to some sacred well, dedicated to a saint. Mr. Pennant was threatened by a man, who fancied he had been injured by him, " with the vengeance of St. Elian, and a journey to his well, to curse him with effect.”* Some of these wells are held in great repute for the cure of diseases; and the saints are also occasionally applied to for the recovery of stolen goods. In the parish of Abergele, in Caernarvonshire, there was formerly a well dedicated to St. George, who was the Welsh tutelary saint of horses. All animals of this description that were distempered were brought to the well, sprinkled with water, and received this blessing: Rhad Duw a Saint Siors arnat," the blessing of God and St. George be on thee." It was the custom for those who kept a great number of horses at certain times to make an offering of one of them to the saint, in order to secure his blessing on all the rest. If a well of any saint was near the church, the water for baptism was always fetched * Tour in Wales, ii. 337. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE WELSH. 329 from thence; and, after the ceremony, the old women would frequently wash their eyes in the water of the font. Some years ago it was the custom in the churches of North Wales, whenever the name of the Devil occurred, for every one of the congregation to spit upon the floor. This was done to show their contempt of the evil spirit. Whenever the name of Judas was mentioned, they expressed their abhorrence of him by striking their breasts. On the morning of Christmas-day, at about three o'clock, the inhabitants used formerly to assemble in the churches; and, after the prayers and sermon were concluded, they continued to sing psalms and hymns with great devotion till daylight. Those who through age or infirmity were disabled from attending the church, invariably read the prayers in their own houses, and sang the appropriate hymns. This act of devotion was called plygain, "the crowing of the cock."* It was generally believed among the superstitious, that instantly At his warning, Whether in sea, or fire, in earth, or air, Th' extravagant and erring spirit hies To his confine. But, during this holy season, the cock was supposed to exert his power throughout the night : Some say, that ever 'gainst that season comes The Welsh yet retain the custom of wearing leeks in their hats on St. David's day. On the 1st of March, 640, * Pennant, ii. 340. the Welsh forces under command of King Cadwallo obtained a signal victory over the Saxons. The battle happened near a large piece of ground in which this vegetable was cultivated, and the soldiers put leeks into their hats in order to distinguish themselves. Since this period the leek has been retained as a badge of honour. "The Welshmen (says Fluelin to Henry V.) did goot service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps; which, your majesty knows, to this hour is an honourable padge of the service."* The middle and lower classes of the people were formerly much addicted to terming, that is, brewing a barrel of ale at some favourite ale-house, and staying there till it was all consumed. They never went to bed, even though the term should last a whole week. They slept in their chairs or on the floor, as it happened, and the moment they awoke, they renewed their jollity. At length when the barrel was exhausted, they reeled away home. The hero of this Bacchanalian rout always carried off the spigot in triumph. Welsh weddings are usually attended by all the neighbours, sometimes to the number of thirty or upwards. After the ceremony, the day is dedicated to festivity, and is chiefly spent in drinking and singing. A collection is made to defray the expenses of the occasion, to which, as a matter of course, every one contributes. In South Wales, previous to the weddings of the peasantry, a herald with a crook or wand, adorned with ribands, sometimes makes the circuit of the neighbourhood, and proclaims his bidding, or invitation, in a prescribed form; but the knight-errant cavalcade on horseback,—the carrying off the bride, the rescue, the wordy war in rhyme between the parties, which once formed a singular spectacle of mock * Shakspere's Henry V., act iv. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE WELSH. 331 contest at the celebration of nuptials, is now almost, if not altogether laid aside, throughout every part of the principality.* The funerals are attended by greater crowds of people than even their weddings. A custom prevails in this country of each individual of the congregation making some offering in money on these occasions, which, if done in the church, is paid as a mark of respect to the clergyman. This custom, which is at present confined to North Wales, has doubtless been retained from the Romish religion, where the money was intended as a recompence to the priests for their trouble in singing mass for the soul of the deceased. In most parts of North Wales, the same practice prevails which is common in England, of crowding all the bodies into that part of the church-yard which is south of the church. The only reason that the Welsh people give for this custom is, that the north is the wrong side. The true reason, however, is, that formerly it was customary for persons, on entering a church-yard, and seeing the grave of a friend or acquaintance, to put up to heaven a prayer for the peace of his soul; and since the entrances to churches were usually either on the west or south side, those persons who were interred on the north escaped the common notice of their friends, and thereby lost the benefit of their prayers. Thus the north side becoming a kind of refuse spot, only paupers, still-born infants or persons guilty of some crime, were buried there. North Wales formerly abounded with members of that singular branch of Calvinistical Methodists, who from certain enthusiastical extravagancies which they exhibited in their religious meetings were denominated Jumpers. These extravagancies are now, however, almost entirely discontinued. *Cam. Reg. vol. ii. |