Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 3, 1892.djvu/155

Rh Methinkes, Doles to Poore people with money at Funeralls have some resemblance to that of ye Sinne-eater. Doles at Funeralls were continued at Gentlemens funeralls in the West of England till the Civil-warre. And so in Germany at rich mens funerals Doles are in use, and to every one a Quart of strong and good Beer.—Cramer.

Ellis, who quotes Aubrey from the MS., also reprints from Iceland's Collectanea a letter from a Mr. Bagford giving a slightly varied account, also professedly derived from Aubrey. The letter is dated 1st Feb. 17 14-5, and runs thus:

The only other mention of this custom of any importance is by the late Mr. Matthew Moggridge of Swansea, at a meeting of the Cambrian Archaeological Association held at Ludlow in 1852. His account was that "when a person died, the friends sent for the Sin-eater of the district, who on his arrival placed a plate of salt on the breast of the defunct, and upon the salt a piece of bread. He then muttered an incantation over the bread, which he finally ate, thereby eating up all the sins of the deceased. This done, he received his fee of 2s. 6d., and vanished as quickly as possible from the general gaze; for, as it was believed that he really appropriated to his own use and behoof the sins of all those over whom he performed the