Bury simnels are now known all over the country; they are a kind of cake, which derives its name from having originally been made from the finest part of flour, which in mediæval times was called "siminellus." They are used on Mid-Lent or Mothering Sunday. This day in other parts of Lancashire is called Bragot or Bragget Sunday, and on it a peculiar drink known as bragot was used; it consisted of spiced ale, which was always taken hot. Did space permit, this chapter might well be extended, as the county is rich in old tales, ancient superstitions, "wise saws and modern instances," charms, divinations and omens, many of which, however, are not of local historical interest, as they are more or less common to other parts of the country. [Illustration] [Footnote 235: See Roby's "Traditions of Lancashire"; Harland and Wilkinson, "Legends and Traditions of Lancashire," etc.] [Footnote 236: A somewhat similar tradition obtains of Wardley Hall, where the skull of Roger Downes, who was slain in London in 1676, was preserved for centuries.] [Footnote 237: A curious instance of the alteration in the meaning of words. Of course, by "indifferently" is meant _alike to all_.] [Footnote 238: See "History of St. Michael's-on-Wyre," p. 64.] [Illustration] INDEX. Abbadie, Dr., 166 Abbey of Cockersand, 198, 199 „ of Whalley, 3, 201-205 Accrington, 3, 274 „ Forest, 63 „ Hall, 72 Adams, Roger, 27 Aerie of Hawks, 47, 54, 55 Æthelbert, 42, 177 Æthelburga, 42 "Agreement of the People, The," 231, 232 Agricola, 15, 22, 27 Aiden (Bishop), 181 Aiken, Dr., 259 Ainsley, 53 Ainsworth, Harrison, 119 Alcar, 53, 229 Aldcliff, 58 Aldingham, 58, 230 „ Moat Hill, 48 Alehouses, 95 Alfred and Guthrum's Peace, 44 Allectus, 17 Allen, Cardinal, 221 Allerton, 53 All Hallows' Eve, 291 Alston, 57 Altham Chapel, 202, 235 Ambrose, Rev. Isaac, 165, 234 Amounderness Hundred, 2, 52, 57, 60, 199, 249 Ancoats, 21 Anderton, Sir Francis, 165, 245 „ Colonel James, 165 Angier, John, 165, 234 „ Rev. Samuel, 121 Angles, The, 41, 42, 51 Anglo-Saxon "burh," 49 Antoninus Pius, 36 Appleby Slack, 10 Archers at Flodden, 90, 91 Archery butts, 94, 95 Arkholme, 58 Arkwright, Richard, 265-268 Arrow-heads, Flint, 7 Arrowsmith, Edmund, 225 Arval cake, 290 Asheton, Edmund, 165 Ashton, 57, 58, 153 „ Colonel, 138, 140, 143, 145, 146 „ Hall, 121 „ in Makerfield, 36 „ Ralph, Sir, 91, 92, 125, 128, 205 „ Rauf, 289 „ Robyn, 289 Ashton-under-Lyne, 163, 173, 229, 260, 283, 289 „ „ „ Church, 209 Ashurst, Captain, 138 Ashworth Chapel, 213 Asiaticus, Marcus, 31 Assarts, or "Rods," 51 Athelston, son of Edward, 45 Atherton, Sir John, 220 Aughton, 53, 54, 229 Augustine, St., 177 Authors, Seventeenth Century, 165 Ayres, Mr., 247 Bacup, 274 Bamber Green, 36 Bamford, Samuel, 262 Banastre, Christopher, 165