Notes.
Reading edition
STONE PILLAR WORSHIP.
In Vol. v., p. 121. of "N. & Q.," there is an interesting note on this subject by Sir J. Emerson Tennent, which he concludes by observing that "it would be an object of curious inquiry, if your correspondents could ascertain whether this (the superstitious veneration of the Irish people for such stones) be the last remnant of pillar worship now remaining in Europe." I am able to assure him that it is not. The province of Brittany, in France, is thickly studded with stone pillars, and the history and manners of its people teem with interesting and very curious traces of the worship of them. In fact, Brittany and Breton antiquities must form the principal field of study for any one who would investigate or treat the subject exhaustively.
A list of the principal of these pillars still remaining may be found in the note at p. 77. of the first vol. of Manet's Histoire de la Petite Bretagne: St. Malo, 1834. But abundant notices of them will be met with in any of the numerous works on the antiquities and topography of the province. They are there known as "Menhirs," from the Celtic maen, stone, and hirr, long; or "Peulvans," from peul, pillar, and maen (changed in composition into vaen), stone. See Essai sur les Antiquités du Département du Morbihan, par J. Mahé, Vannes, 1825, where much curious information on the subject may be found. This writer, as well as the Chevalier de Freminville, in his Monuments du Morbihan, Brest, 1834, p. 16., thinks that these menhirs, so abundant throughout Brittany, may be distinguished into three classes: 1. Those intended as sepulchral monuments; 2. Those erected as memorials of some great battle, or other such national event; and 3. Those intended to represent the Deity, and which were objects of worship. I have little doubt that these gentlemen are correct in the conclusions at which they have arrived in this respect. But it is curious to find both of them—men unquestionably of learning, and of widely extended and varied reading—considering the poems of Ossian as indisputably authentic, and quoting from them largely as from unquestioned documents of historic value.
The largest "menhir" known to be in existence—if, indeed, it can still be said to be so—is that of Locmariaker, a commune of the department of Morbihan, a little to the south of Vannes. This vast stone, before it was thrown down and broken into four pieces—its present condition—was fifty-eight French feet in length. Its form, when entire, was that of a double cone, so that its largest diameter was at about the middle of its length. It has been calculated to weigh more than four hundred thousand French pounds. In its immediate neighbourhood is a very large specimen of the "Dolmens" or druidical altars on which victims were sacrificed.
As to the question when the worship of these stones ceased, my own observations of the manners and habits of the people there, some fifteen years since, would lead me to say that it had not then ceased. No doubt such an assertion would be indignantly repelled by the clergy, and perhaps by many of the peasantry themselves. The question, however, if gone into, would become a subtle one, turning on another, as to what is to be deemed worship. And we all know that the tendency of unspiritual minds to idolatry has led the priesthood of Rome to institute verbal distinctions on this point, which open the door to very much that a plain unbiassed man must deem rank polytheism. My knowledge of the people in Italy enables me to affirm, with the most perfect certainty, that not only the peasantry very generally, but many persons much above that rank, do, to all intents and purposes, and in the fullest sense of the word, worship the Madonna, and believe that there are several separate and wholly distinct persons of that name. And that this worship is often as wholly Pagan in its nature as in its object, is curiously proved by the fact, which brings us back again to Brittany, that in many instances in that province we find chapels dedicated to "Notre Dame de la Joye," and "Notre Dame de Liesse," which are all built on spots where, as M. de Freminville says in his Antiquités du Finisterre, p. 106., "the Celts worshipped a divinity which united the attributes of Cybele and Venus." And Souvestre, in his Derniers Bretons, vol. i. p. 264., tells us that there still exists near the town of Tréguier, a chapel dedicated to Notre Dame de la Haine; that it would be a mistake to suppose that the people have ceased to believe in a deity of hate, and that persons may still be seen skulking thither to pray for the gratification of their hatred.
Sir J. Emerson Tennent quotes a passage from Borlase, in which he says, speaking of this stone-worship among the Cornish, a people of near kin to the Armorican Bretons, that it might be traced by the prohibitions of councils through the fifth and sixth, and even into the seventh century. I find a council, held at Nantes in 658, ordering that the stones worshipped by the people shall be removed and put away in places where their worshippers cannot find them again; a precaution which the history of some of these stones in Brittany shows to have been by no means superfluous. But the usage may be traced by edicts seeking to restrain it to a later period than this. For in the Capitulaires of Charlemagne (Lib. x. tit. 64.), he commands that the abuse of worshipping stones shall be abolished.
There can be no doubt, however, that this worship remained even avowedly to a very much more recent period in Brittany. "It is well known," says De Freminville, in his Antiquités des Côtes-du-Nord, p. 31., "that idolatry was still exercised in the Isle of Ushant, and in many parishes of the diocese of Vannes, in the seventeenth century. And even at the present day," he adds, "how many traces of it do we find in the superstitious beliefs of our peasants!"
Many of these notions still so prevalent in the remoter districts of that remote province, seem to point to nearly obliterated indications of a connexion between these "peulvans" or pillar-stones, and the zodiacal forms of worship, which the Druids are known to have, more or less exoterically, practised. Thus it is believed in many localities that a "menhir" in the neighbourhood turns on its axis at midnight. (Mahé, Essai sur les Antiq. du Morbihan, p. 229.) In other cases the peasantry make a practice of specially visiting them on the eve of St. John, i. e. at the summer solstice.
Various other remnants of the ideas or practices inculcated by the ancient faith may be traced in usages and superstitions still prevalent, and, without such a key to their explanation, meaningless. With such difficulty did the new supplant the old religion. Many curious illustrations may be found in Brittany of the means adopted by the priests of the new faith to steal, as it were, for their own emblems the adoration which all their efforts were ineffectual to turn from its ancient objects, in the manner mentioned by the writer in the Archæologia, cited by Sir J. E. Tennent in his Note. Thus we find "menhirs" with crosses erected on their summits, and sculptured on their sides. See Notions Historiques, etc. sur le Littoral du Département des. Côtes-du-Nord, par M. Habasque: St. Brieuc, 1834, vol. iii. p. 22.
In conclusion, I may observe that this worship prevailed also in Spain—, doubtless, throughout Europe—inasmuch as we find the Eleventh and Twelfth Councils of Toledo warning those who offered worship to stones, that they were sacrificing, to devils.
T. A. T.
Florence, March, 1854.
SOMERSETSHIRE FOLK LORE.
1. All texts heard in a church to be remembered by the congregation, for they must be repeated at the day of judgment.
2. If the clock strikes while the text is being given, a death may be expected in the parish.
3. A death in the parish during the Christmas tyde, is a token of many deaths in the year. I remember such a circumstance being spoken of in a village of Somerset. Thirteen died in that year, a very unusual number. Very many attributed this great loss of life to the fact above stated.
4. When a corpse is laid out, a plate of salt is laid on the chest. Why, I know not.
5. None can die comfortably under the cross-beam of a house. I knew a man of whom it was said at his death, that after many hours hard dying, being removed from the position under the cross-beam, he departed peaceably. I cannot account for the origin of this saying.
6. Ticks in the oak-beams of old houses, or death-watches so called, warn the inhabitants of that dwelling of some misfortune.
7. Coffin-rings, when dug out of a grave, are worn to keep off the cramp.
8. Water from the font is good for ague and rheumatism.
9. No moon, in its change, ought to be seen through a window.
10. Turn your money on hearing the first cuckoo.
11. The cattle low and kneel on Christmas eve.
12. Should a corpse be ever carried through any path, &c., that path cannot be done away with. For cases, see Wales, Somerset, Bampton, Devon.
13. On the highest mound of the hill above Weston-super-Mare, is a heap of stones, to which every fisherman in his daily walk to Sand Bay, Kewstoke, contributes one towards his day's good fishing.
14. Smothering hydrophobic patients is still spoken of in Somerset as so practised.
15. Origin of the saying "I'll send you to Jamaica." Did it not take its source from the unjudge-like sentence of Judge Jeffries to those who suffered without sufficient evidence, for their friendly disposition towards the Duke of Monmouth: "To be sent —— —— to the plantations of Jamaica?" Many innocent persons were so cruelly treated in Somerset.
16. The nurse who brings the infant to be baptized bestows upon the first person she meets on her way to the church whatever bread and cheese she can offer, i. e., according to the condition of the parents.
17. In Devonshire it is thought unlucky not to catch the first butterfly.
18. Mackerel not in season till the lesson of the 23rd and 24th of Numbers is read in church. I cannot account for this saying. A better authority could have been laid down for the remembering of such like incidents. You may almost form a notion yourself without any help. The common saying is, Mackerel is in season when Balaam's ass speaks in church.
M. A. Balliol.
IRISH RECORDS.
It not unfrequently happens that ancient deeds and such like instruments executed in England, and relating to English families or property, are to be found on record upon the rolls of Ireland. The following transcripts have been taken from the Memoranda Roll of the Irish Exchequer of the first year of Edward II.:
"Noverint universi me Johannem de Doveria Rectorem Ecclesie de Litlington Lyncolnensis Dyocesis recepisse in Hibernia nomine domini Roberti de Bardelby clerici subscriptas particulas pecunie per manus subscriptorum, videlicet, per manus Johannis de Idessale dimid' marc'. Item per manus Thome de Kancia 5 marc'. Item per manus Ade Coffyn 2 marc'. Item per manus mercatorum Friscobaldorum 10 libri una vice et alia vice per manus eorundem mercatorum 100s, fratre Andr' de Donscapel de ordine minorum mediante. Item per manus Johannis de Seleby 29s. Item de eodem Johanne alia vice 2 marc' et dimid'. Item per manus ejusdem Johannis tertia vice tres marc' et dimid'. Item per dominum Willielmum de Estden per manus Ricardi de Onyng 100s. Et per manus domini Johannis de Hothom pro negociis domini Walteri de la Haye centum solid? De quibus particulis pecunie memorate predictum dominum Robertum de Bardelby et ejus executores quoscumque per presentes quieto imperpetuum. Ita tamen quod si alia littera acquietancie ab ista littera de dictis particulis pecunie inveniatur de cetero alicubi pro nulla cassa cancellata irrita et majus imperpetuum habeatur. In cujus rei testimonium sigillum meum presentibus apposui. Datum apud Dublin', 28 die Februarij, anno regni regis Edwardi primo."—Rot. Mem. 1 Edw. II. m. 12. dorso.
"A toutz ceaux q' ceste p'sente l're verrount ou orrount Rauf de Mounthermer salutz en Dieu—Sachez nous avoir ordeine estably e assigne n're foial et loial Mons' Waut' Bluet e dan Waut' de la More, ou lun de eaux, si ambedeux estre ne point, de vendre e n're p'fit fere de totes les gardes e mariages es parties Dirlaunde q' escheierent en n're temps, e de totes autres choses q'a nous apartenēt de droit en celes p'ties, e qcunque eaux ferount pr n're prou, co'me est susdit, teignoms apaez e ferme e estable lavoms. En tesmoigne de quele chose a ceste n're l're patente avoms mys n're seal. Don' a Tacstede le quit jour de Octobr lan du regne le Rey Edward pimer."—Rot. Mem. 1 Edw. II. m. 17.
"Rogerus Calkeyn de Gothurste salutem in Domino Sempiternam. Noveritis me remisisse et quietum clamasse pro me et heredibus meis Johanni de Yaneworth heredibus suis et assignatis, totum jus et clameū quod habui vel aliquo modo habere potui, in tenemento de Gothurste in dominio de Cheddeworth. Ita quod nec ego nec heredes mei nec aliquis nomine nostro, aliquid juris vel clamei in prædicto tenemento habere vendicare poterimus imperpetuum. In cujus rei testimonium huic presenti scripto sigillum meum apposui. Hiis testibus, Magistro Waltero de Istelep tunc Barone domini Regis de Scaccario Dublin', Thoma de Yaneworth, Rogero de Glen, Roberto de Bristoll, Roberto scriptore, et aliis."—Rot. Mem. 1 Edw. II. m. 30.
James F. Ferguson.
Dublin.
DERIVATION OF CURIOUS BOTANIC NAMES, AND ANCIENT ITALIAN KALYDOR.
The generic name of the fern Ceterach officinarum is generally said to be derived from the Arabic Chetherak. I find however, among a list of ancient British names of plants, published in 1633 at the end of Johnson's edition of Gerard, the expression cedor y wrach, which means the joined or double rake, and is exactly significant of the form of the Ceterach. The Fernrakes are joined as it were back to back; but the single prongs of the one alternate botanically with those of the other. Master Robert Dauyes, of Guissaney in Flintshire, the correspondent of Johnson, gives the name of another of the Filices (Equisetum) as the English equivalent of the ancient British term. But the form of this plant does not at all correspond to that signified by the Celtic words. It is not improbable, therefore, that he was wrong as respects the correct English name of the plant.
The Turkish shetr or chetr, to cut, and warak, a leaf, seem to point out the meaning of the Arabic term quoted in Hooker's Flora and elsewhere. Probably some of your Oriental readers will have the kindness to supply the exact English for chetherak.
It appears to me, however, that the transition from cedorwrach to ceterach is more easy, and is a more probable derivation.
The feminine name Veronica is of course the Latin form of Φερονίκη, victory-bearer (of which Berenice is the Macedonian and Latin construction), and is plainly, thus derived, inappropriate as the designation of a little azure wild flower which, like loving eyes, greets us everywhere.
In looking over Martin Mathée's notes on Dioscorides, published 1553, I find that Italian women of his time used to make a cosmetic of the root of the Arum, commonly called "Lords and Ladies." The mixture, he says, makes the skin wondrously white and shining, and is called gersa. ("Ils font des racines d'Aron de l'eaue et de lexive," &c., tom. v. p. 98.)
Hughes Fraser Halle, LL.D.
South Lambeth.