Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 18, 1907.djvu/376

 340

Correspondence.

Entre la mythologie grecque et la mythologie celtique il y a cependant une difference fondamentale. Suivant la croyance grecque, une partie seulement, un choix des morts, penetre dans la plaine Elysion, dans les lies des bienheureux. Chez les Celtes tous les morts sans exception arrivent au Mag Meld, a la "plaine agreable," je I'ai dit.^ Sur le genre de vie que Ton menait dans cette plaine, voir les textes reunis dans le Cycle Mythologique, p. 351 et suivantes.

H. d'Arbois de Jubainville.

Noe new Church wardens chosen, noe Ale made, nor noe repacons on the Church for one yeare.

" CucKOWE King."

The following entries in the Churchwardens' Accounts of the parish of Mere, Wilts, are not without interest.

The accounts begin in 1556, and the very first entry for that year is :

" Receipts. Inp'mis the sayd Churchewardevns do yeld Accompte of the pfytte of the Church Ale thies yere / Aboue all chargs xij" vj'' "

When Philip and Mary gave place to Elizabeth, we have :

. . . " As also by occacon of the deathe of o' sayd sou'aigne lady Queene Marye (who dyed the xvij"' day of Nouembre in the sayd yere of o' lorde 1558 :) And by occacon of the Alteracon of some pte of Relygyon. and of the su'yce and Ceremonies of the Churche. whiche then ensewyd. There were no newe Churche- wardenys Chosen eny time. in thies yere. / Neither was there eny Ale made." . . . The "Cuckowe King" appears suddenly in 1565.

"Thomas Sheppard Rem' Cuckowe King this yeare for that he was Prince the last yeare According to the Custome. And at this dale John Watts the sonne of Thomas Wattes is Chosen Prynce for the next yeare."

1 Cycle Mythologique, p. 20, 21.