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Author: Bourne, Henry, 1696-1733.
Title: Antiquitates vulgares: or, the antiquities of the common people. Giving an account of several of their opinions and ceremonies. ... By Henry Bourne, ...
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Print source: Antiquitates vulgares: or, the antiquities of the common people. Giving an account of several of their opinions and ceremonies. ... By Henry Bourne, ...
Bourne, Henry, 1696-1733.
Newcastle: printed by J. White for the author, 1725.
URL: https://name.umdl.umich.edu/004875177.0001.000
How to cite: For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

Table of Contents
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title page
TO THE Right Worshipful and Worshipful To James Muncaster, Esq Sheriff, and to the Rest of the Common-Council of the Town and County of Newcastle upon Tyne,
THE PREFACE.
THE CONTENTS.
THE ANTIQUITIES OF THE Common People.
CHAP. I. Of the Soul-Bell, its Antiquity, the Reason of its Institution, the Benefit and Ad∣vantage of it, an Exhortation to the Use of it according to its first Institution.
PRAYERS upon this OCCASION from Bishop TAYLOR.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
CHAP. II. Of Watching with the Dead.
CHAP. III. Of following the Corps to the Grave, what it is an Emblem of: Of carry∣ing Greens in our Hand, what it sig∣nifies, what Use it may be of: Of Psalmody, its Antiquity, the Advan∣tage and Use of it.
CHAP. IV. Of Garlands in Country Churches: Of strawing Flowers on the Grave; the Antiquity of these Customs, the Inno∣cency of them.
CHAP. V. Of Bowing towards the Altar at the first coming into the Church; a Custom ge∣nerally observed by ignorant People; its Meaning and Antiquity.
CHAP. VI. Of the Time of Cock-crow: Whether evil Spirits wander about in the Time of Night; and whether they fly away at the Time of Cock-crow. Reflections upon this, encouraging us to have Faith and Trust in GOD.
CHAP. VII. Of Church-Yards; why the Vulgar are generally afraid of passing through them at Night: The Original of this Fear: That there is nothing in them now, more than in other Places to be afraid of.
CHAP. VIII. Of visiting Wells and Fountains: The Original of this Custom: The naming of them of great Antiquity: The Wor∣ship paid them by the Papists, was gross Idolatry.
CHAP. IX. Of Omens: Their Original: The Obser∣vation of them sinfull.
CHAP. X. Of the Country Conversation in a Winter's Evening: Their Opinions of Spirits and Apparitions; of the Devil's ap∣pearing with a cloven Foot; of Fai∣ries and Hobgoblins; of the walk∣ing Places of Spirits; and of haun∣ted Houses.
CHAP. XI. POSTEXER CITATIO SEPTIMA, F. VALERII POLIDORI PATAVINI. Quae ordo dicitur Domum a Daemone per∣turbatam liberandi. The FORM of exorcising an haunted HOUSE.
The office for Munday.
Psalm xxiv.
The PRAYER.
The Office on Tuesday.
The LESSON. I. Sam. Chap. v.
The PRAYER.
The Office on Wednesday.
The LESSON. From the History of Bel and the Dragon, Verse 10.
The PRAYER.
The Office on Thursday.
The LESSON. Job Chap. xl.
The PRAYER.
The Office on Friday.
The LESSON. S. Luke iv. 38.
The PRAYER.
The Office on Saturday.
The LESSON. S. Mark iii. 11.
The PRAYER.
The Office on Sunday.
Then let him exorcise the whole House by saying,
After that, let him bless the House in the fol∣lowing Manner,
Then let the Image of our SAVIOUR upon the Cross, be erected in an open Part of the prin∣cipal Room in the House; and let the Priest sprinkle the whole House with holy Water, from Top even to the Bottom, saying,
CHAP. XII. Of Saturday Afternoon; how observed of old, by the ancient Christians, the Church of Scotland, and the old Church of England: What End we should observe it for: An Exhorta∣tion to the Observation of it.
CHAP. XIII. Of the Yule-Clog and Christmas-Candle; what they may signifie; their Antiqui∣ty; the like Customs in other Places.
CHAP. XIV. Of adorning the Windows at Christmas with Laurel: What the Laurel is an Emblem of: An Objection against this Custom taken off.
CHAP. XV. Of the Christmas Carol, an ancient Cu∣stom: The common Observation of it very unbecoming.
CHAP. XVI. Of New-Year's-Day's Ceremonies: The New-Year's-Gift an harmless Custom: wishing a good New-Year, no Way sin∣ful. Mumming, a Custom which ought to be laid aside.
CHAP. XVII. Of the Twelfth Day; how observed: The Wickedness of observing the Twelve Days after the common Way.
CHAP. XVIII. Of St. Paul's Day; The Observation of the Weather, a Custom of the Heathens, and handed down by the Monks: The Apostle St. Paul himself is against such Observations; The Opinion of St. Au∣stin upon them.
CHAP. XIX. Of Candlemass-Day; why so called; the Blasphemy of the Church of Rome in consecrating Wax Candles.
CHAP. XX. Of Valentine-Day; its Ceremonies; what the Council of Trullus thought of such Customs; that they had bet∣ter be omitted.
CHAP. XXI. Of Shrove-tide; what it signifies; the Custom of the Papists at this Season; that our present Customs are very un∣becoming.
CHAP. XXII. Of Palm-Sunday: Why so called; how observed in the Popish Times: What it is truely to carry Palms in our Hands on this Day.
CHAP. XXIII Of rising early on Easter Day: What is meant by the Sun dancing that Morn: The Antiquity of rising early on this Day; the End and Design of it: The great Advantage of it.
CHAP. XXIV. Of Easter Holy-Days: A Time of Re∣laxation from Labour: How observed in the dark Ages of Popery: That our Customs at this Time, are sprung from theirs.
CHAP. XXV. Of May-Day; the Custom of going to the Woods the Night before; this the Practice of other Nations: The Origi∣nal of it; the Unlawfulness.
CHAP. XXVI. Of Parochial Perambulations: Their An∣tiquity, the Benefit and Advantage of them.
CHAP. XXVII. Of Midsummer-Eve: Of kindling Fires, their Original: That this Custom for∣merly was superstitious, but now may be used with Innocence.
CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Feast of Sheep-shearing, an anci∣ent Custom.
CHAP. XXIX. Of Michaelmass: Guardian Angels the Discourse of Country People at this Time: that it seems rather true, that we are protected by a Number of An∣gels, than by one particular Genius.
CHAP. XXX. Of the Country Wake: How observed formerly: A Custom of the Heathens, and regulated by Gregory the Great.
CHAP. XXXI. Of the Harvest Supper: A Custom of the Heathens, taken from the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles.
THE INDEX.