Page:Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme.djvu/42

 by Paires, sc: one for such a man, the other for such a mayd his sweet-heart, and accordingly as the Orpin did incline to, or recline from other, that there would be love, or aversion; if either did wither, death.—[See Appendix.]

So in Germany in the night before Christmas they take a trencher, and put upon it a little heap of salt, as big a walnut, more or lesse, for such and such a one, and for themselves too, and set it in a safe place, in the morning when they find the heap or heaps entire, all will live the following yeare, but if any or more are melted down a little, they take it the same man or woman will dye, for which it was designed.

[Omens.] When a Magpie chatters on a Tree by the house it declares the comeing of a stranger thither that night. So I have heard in Germany.

"Saepe sinistra cava praedixit ab Ilice cornix."—Virgil. So likewise a Thiefe in the Candle.

If a Hare crosses ones way, they held it an unlucky Omen.

To stumble at Threshold (in ipso limine) is an old saying & held ominous & unlucky, e.g., in Master Hobarts Tale in Spencer, before the Fox stole the Kid.

[Here follow the lines from Ovid Fast. lib. i. 178-80, already given at p. 8.]

[Customs.]

It was a Custome for some people that were more curious than ordinary, to sitt all night in the church porch of their Parish on midsomer-eve (i) St John Baptist's eve; and they should see the apparitions of those that should die in the parish that yeare come and knock at the dore: and still in many places on St Johns night they make Fires, (i) Bonfires, on Hills, &c.: but the Civil warres comeing on have putt all these Rites, or customes quite out fashion. Warres doe not only extinguish Religion & Lawes: but Superstition: & no suffimen is a greater fugator of Phantosmes, than gunpowder.