Illustrations of Shakspeare, and of Ancient Manners:: with Dissertations on the Clowns and Fools of Shakspeare; on a Collection of Popular Tales Entitled Gesta Romanorum; and on the English Morris dance.Douce, Francis
History
Illustrations of Shakspeare, and of Ancient Manners:: with Dissertations on the Clowns and Fools of Shakspeare; on a Collection of Popular Tales Entitled Gesta Romanorum; and on the English Morris dance.
Douce, Francis
Clowns -- England -- History -- 16th century; Clowns in literature; Exempla in literature; Fools and jesters -- England -- History -- 16th century; Fools and jesters in literature; Gesta Romanorum; Manners and customs in literature; Morris dance; Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Characters -- Clow
But let us now return from this digression to the subject of Hecate
or Diana. Under the reign of Hadrian, Saint Taurinus is said to have
converted the inhabitants of Evreux in Normandy to the Christian
faith, but this was not accomplished until the Devil had been fairly
expelled from Diana's temple in the above city. For this purpose, he
was with great solemnity enjoined to appear in the presence of all the
people, who, as heathens, were extremely terrified, especially as the
evil spirit came forth under the form of an Ethiopian, dark as soot,
with a long beard, and fire issuing from his mouth. An angel then
tied his hands behind him and led him away. This dæmon is believed
still to remain at Evreux, frequently appearing to the inhabitants,
but is said to be perfectly harmless. He is called _Goblin_ by the
common people, who believe that he is restrained from mischief by the
merits of Saint Taurinus. The reason why he was not at once consigned
to the infernal regions, is, that at the command of the holy bishop
he assisted in destroying the idols of the city; but he is supposed
to have received sufficient punishment in beholding those persons
in a state of salvation, whom during his power he had insultingly
regarded as his victims. See Ordericus Vitalis, p. 555. In England
it appears that the common people not only feared Diana as a witch,
but that they had on many occasions paid her reverential honours as
a goddess. This is confirmed by the remains of such animals as were
used in her sacrifices, and also by her own images found on rebuilding
Saint Paul's cathedral. These have been particularly described in Dr.
Woodward's letter to Sir Christopher Wren in the eighth volume of
Leland's _Itinerary_; from which circumstance the doctor very plausibly
inferred that a Roman temple of Diana had been formerly erected on
this spot. There is preserved a most curious sermon by Saint Maximus
bishop of Turin in the fifth century, replete with the superstitions
that existed in his time relating to the worship of Diana; nor can
it be controverted that she was equally reverenced in this country
long after the introduction of Christianity, when we find from the
testimony of Richard Sporling, a Monk of Westminster in 1450, and a
diligent collector of ancient materials, that during the persecution
of Diocletian the inhabitants of London sacrificed to Diana, whilst
those of Thorney, now Westminster, were offering incense to Apollo. Sir
William Dugdale records that a commutation grant was made in the reign
of Edward I., by Sir William Le Baud, to the dean and canons of Saint
Paul, of a doe in winter on the day of the saint's conversion, and of a
fat buck in summer on that of his commemoration, to be offered at the
high altar, and distributed among the canons. To this ceremony Erasmus
has alluded in his book _De ratione concionandi_, when he describes
the custom which the Londoners had of going in procession to St. Paul's
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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