Observations on the Popular Antiquities of Great Britain: Chiefly Illustrating the Origin of Our Vulgar and Provincial Customs, Ceremonies, and Superstitions, Volume 2George Bell, 1875 - Christian antiquities |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Account of Scotland Æneid ancient antiquity appears barley-break Bartholomew Faire bell body bride burial buried cake called ceremony Christian church churchyard cock corpse cuckold curious custom dance dead death deceased devil doth drink Dunmow Edition England English Engravings fair fairies feast find the following flowers following passage friends funeral garlands give gloves grave hand hath head Herrick's Hesperides Hesperides History History of Northamptonshire honour horns Hudibras husband Ibid inter King lady London Lord maids marriage married mentioned Month's Mind neighbours Newcastle-upon-Tyne night nine men's morris observed occasion parish passing-bell person play Poems Poor Robin's Almanack Portrait prayers quæ ring Robin Goodfellow Romans rosemary round says Scotland Scottish Language Skimmington soul speaking spirits sport Statistical Account strewed Strutt superstition tells thou tolling Translated unto vols wake wedding wife wine woman women word yew-trees young
Popular passages
Page 245 - ... and Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness : And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited : and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.
Page 494 - O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you. She is the fairies' midwife ; and she comes In shape no bigger than an agate-stone On the fore-finger of an alderman, Drawn with a team of little atomies Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep : Her waggon-spokes made of long spinners...
Page 494 - O'er ladies' lips, who straight on kisses dream ; Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues, Because their breaths with sweetmeats tainted are. Sometimes she gallops o'er a courtier's nose, And then dreams he of smelling out a suit ; * And sometimes comes she with a tithe-pig's tail, Tickling a parson's nose as 'a...
Page 486 - When in one night, ere glimpse of morn, His shadowy flail hath threshed the corn That ten day-labourers could not end ; Then lies him down the lubber fiend, And, stretched out all the chimney's length, Basks at the fire his hairy strength, And crop-full out of doors he flings, Ere the first cock his matin rings.
Page 262 - The spinsters and the knitters in the sun, And the free maids that weave their thread with bones, Do use to chant it ; it is silly sooth, And dallies with the innocence of love, Like the old age.
Page 511 - This Puck seems but a dreaming dolt, Still walking like a ragged colt, And oft out of a bush doth bolt, Of purpose to deceive us ; And, leading us, makes us to stray, Long winters nights out of the way, And when we stick in mire and clay, He doth with laughter leave us.
Page 382 - St. Keyne," quoth the Cornishman, "many a time Drank of this crystal Well ; And before the angel summoned her She laid on the water a spell : " If the husband, of this gifted Well Shall drink before his wife, A happy man henceforth is he, For he shall be master for life.
Page 52 - gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, The bird of dawning singeth all night long : And then, they say, no spirit dares stir abroad; The nights are wholesome ; then no planets strike, No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.