All-Hallows' Eve, Hallowe'en, &c. (from the old English _halwen_, saints), denote the vigil and day of All Saints, October 31 and November 1, a season abounding in superstitious observances. It was firmly believed in Lancashire that the witches assembled on this night at their general rendezvous in the Forest of Pendle,--a ruined and desolate farm-house, called the _Malkin Tower_ (_Malkin_ being the name of a familiar demon in Middleton's old play of _The Witch_; derived from _maca_, an equal, a companion). This superstition led to another, that of _lighting_, _lating_, or _leeting_ the witches (from _leoht_, A.-S. light). It was believed that if a lighted candle were carried about the fells or hills from eleven to twelve o'clock at night, and burned all that time steadily, it had so far triumphed over the evil power of the witches, who, as they passed to the Malkin Tower, would employ their utmost efforts to extinguish the light, and the person whom it represented might safely defy their malice during the season; but if, by any accident the candle went out, it was an omen of evil to the luckless wight for whom the experiment was made. It was also deemed inauspicious to cross the threshold of that person until after the return from _leeting_, and not then unless the candle had preserved its light. Mr. Milner describes this ceremony as having been recently performed.[142] FOOTNOTES: [122] Hall's _Chronicle_. [123] William of Worcester's _Annales Rerum Anglicarum_, pp. 460-61. [124] _Pictorial History of England_, vol. ii. p. 81; also Hall's _Chronicle_. [125] This is the title-page of an old 12mo chap-book, the date of publication of which is not shown. [126] This was sold by auction only a few years ago. [127] For Sir Philip Sidney's poetical description of this old game, see his _Arcadia_, or Brand's _Popular Antiquities_ (Ed. 1841, vol. ii. p. 236). [128] Baines's _History of Lancashire_. [129] To prove the guilt of one of the prisoners, evidence was received that it was the opinion of a man not in court, that she had turned his beer sour. To prove the charge of murder, it was thought sufficient to attest that the sick person had declared his belief that he owed his approaching death to the maledictions of the prisoner. The bleeding of the corpse on the touch of Jennet Preston, was received as an incontrovertible evidence of guilt. It would be nearer the truth to say that nothing but fiction was received in evidence. [130] Dr. Whitaker's _Whalley_, p. 528. [131] W. N. S., in _Notes and Queries_, 2nd series, vol. iv. p. 365. [132] Mr. James Crossley's introduction to _Potts's Discovery of Witches_. [133] This is an old local proverb, amongst the Yorkshire proverbs in Grose's _Provincial Glossary_. Ray gives it thus:-- "Ingleborough, Pendle, and Penigent, Are the highest hills between Scotland and Trent."