The Every-day Book and Table Book. v. 3 (of 3): Everlasting Calerdar of Popular Amusements, Sports, Pastimes, Ceremonies, Manners, Customs and Events, Incident to Each of the Three Hundred and Sixty-five Days, in past and Present Times; Forming a Complete History of the Year, Month, and Seasons, and a Perpetual Key to the AlmanacHone, William
History
The Every-day Book and Table Book. v. 3 (of 3): Everlasting Calerdar of Popular Amusements, Sports, Pastimes, Ceremonies, Manners, Customs and Events, Incident to Each of the Three Hundred and Sixty-five Days, in past and Present Times; Forming a Complete History of the Year, Month, and Seasons, and a Perpetual Key to the Almanac
Hone, William
Days; Great Britain -- Social life and customs
This mode of sepulture appears to be very ancient, and that it was very
general is sufficiently demonstrated by the hills yet remaining in
distant parts of the world. Dr. Clarke, who noticed their existence in
Siberia and Russian-Tartary, thinks the practice is alluded to in the
Old Testament in these passages: “They raised a great heap of stones on
Achan;” “and raised a great heap of stones on the king of Ai;” “they
laid a heap of stones on Absalom.” In the interior of South Africa, the
Rev. J. Campbell “found a large heap of small stones, which had been
raised by each passenger adding a stone to the heap; it was intended as
a monument of respect to the memory of a king, from a remote nation, who
was killed in the vicinity, and whose head and hands were interred in
that spot.”
The number of these mounds in our own country is very considerable; and
I trust they will remain the everlasting monuments of their own
existence. Their greatest enemy is an idle curiosity, that cannot be
satisfied with what antiquaries relate concerning such as have been
examined, but, with a vain arrogance, assumes the power of digging
though them at pleasure. For my own part, I must confess, I should like
to be a witness of what they contain, yet I would hold them sacred, so
far as not to have them touched with the rude hand of Ignorance.
Whenever I approach these venerable relics, my mind is carried back to
the time when they were young; since then, I consider what years have
rolled over years, what generations have followed generations, and feel
an interest peculiarly and delicately solemn, in the fate of those whose
dust is here mingled with its kindred dust.
T. C.
_Bridlington._
* * * * *
HORN CHURCH IN ESSEX.
_For the Table Book._
In reply to the inquiry by Ignotus, in the _Every-Day Book_, vol. ii. p.
1650, respecting the origin of affixing horns to a church in Essex, I
find much ambiguity on the subject, and beg leave to refer to that
excellent work, “Newcourt’s Repertorium,” vol. ii. p. 336, who observes,
on the authority of Weaver, “The inhabitants here say, by tradition,
that this church, dedicated to St. Andrew, was built by a female
convert, to expiate for her former sins, and that it was called
Hore-church at first, till by a certain king, but by whom they are
uncertain, who rode that way, it was called Horned-church, who caused
those horns to be put out at the east end of it.”
The vane, on the top of the spire, is also in the form of an ox’s head,
with the horns. “The hospital had neither college nor common seal.”
~m.~
~Customs.~
THE PRESENT BOAR’S HEAD CAROL.
_For the Table Book._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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