Notes and Queries, Number 217, December 24, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.Various
History
Notes and Queries, Number 217, December 24, 1853: A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc.
Various
Questions and answers -- Periodicals
REPLIES TO MINOR QUERIES:--"London Labour and the London
Poor"--Felicia Hemans's inedited Lyric--Sir Arthur
Aston--Grammar in relation to Logic--Descendants of
Milton--Pronunciation of Bible Names--Henry I.'s
Tomb--Bells at Berwick-upon-Tweed--Return of Gentry, temp.
Henry VI.--Peter Allan--Burial in an erect Posture--The
Word "Mob"--Gen. Sir C. Napier--To Come--Passage in
Sophocles--Party-Similes of the Seventeenth Century--Judges
styled Reverend--Veneration for the Oak--Rapping no Novelty 629
MISCELLANEOUS:--
Books and Odd Volumes wanted 632
Notices to Correspondents 632
Advertisements 633
* * * * *
Notes.
FOLK LORE IN THE REIGN OF KING JAMES I.
In turning over the pages of an old book of controversial divinity, I
stumbled upon the following illustrations of folk lore; which, as well from
their antiquity as from their intrinsic curiosity, seem worthy of a place
in your columns. They make us acquainted with some of the usages of our
ancestors, who lived in the remoter districts of England early in the reign
of James I. The title of the volume in which they occur is the following:
"The Way to the True Church; wherein the principall Motives persuading
to Romanisme, and Questions touching the Nature and Authoritie of the
Church and Scriptures, are familiarly disputed ... directed to all that
seeks for Resolution; and especially to all his loving Countrymen of
Lancashire, by John White, Minister of God's Word at Eccles. Folio.
London, 1624."
This, however, is described as being "the fifth impression;" the Preface is
dated Oct. 29, 1608; so that we arrive at the conclusion that the usages
and rhymes, to which I now desire to invite the attention of your readers,
were current in the north-west districts of England more than two hundred
and fifty years since.
White is insisting upon "the prodigious ignorance" which he found among his
parishioners when he entered upon his ministrations, and he proceeds thus
to tell his own tale:
"I will only mention what I saw and learned, dwelling among them,
concerning the saying of their prayers; for what man is he whose heart
trembles not to see simple people so far seduced that they know not how
to pronounce or say their daily prayers; or so to pray that all that
hear them shall be filled with laughter? And while, superstitiously,
they refuse to pray in their own language with understanding, they
speak that which their leaders may blush to hear. These examples I have
observed from the common people."
THE CREED.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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