A Highlander, says Mr. Pennant, never begins any Thing of Consequence on the Day of the Week, on which the Third of May falls, which he calls the dismal Day.

CHAP. XIX.

Of Candlemass-Day; why so called; the Blasphemy of the Church of Rome in consecrating Wax Candles.

THIS Day goes under several Denominations: It is called the Day of CHRIST's Presentation; because on it CHRIST was presented in the Temple; it is called the Holy-Day of St. Simeon; because it was on it, that he took OUR SAVIOUR up in his Arms: And it is called the Purification, because then the Holy Virgin was purified. It is generally a Day of Festivity, and more than ordinary Observation among Women, and is therefore called the Wives Feast-Day. The Feasting seems to be observed in Honour of the Virgin Mary ; for as on the Day of a Woman's being church'd, there is no common Entertainment, so it seems, that this Feasting was begun in the Times of Popery, by Way of Compliment to the Churching-Day of the Virgin Mary.

It has the Name of * Candlemass-Day, be

cause

Nos Anglica, the Purification of our Lady. Vel communi Sermone potius, Candlemas-Day; A distributione & gestatione

cause Lights were distributed and carried about in Procession, or because also the Use of lighted Tapers, which was observed all Winter at Vespers and Litanies, were then wont to cease, till the next All-Hallowmass.

These Lights so carried about, were blessed of the Priests, as Hospinian tells us, who made Use of the following Prayers at their Consecration. * We implore thee by the Invocation of thy Holy Name, and by the Intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of thy Son, whose Feast we this Day celebrate with the highest Devotion; and by the Intercession of all thy Saints, that thou wouldst sanctifie these Candles to the Good and Profit of Men, and the Health of his Soul and Body, whether in Earth or Sea. And again. LORD JESU, I beseech thee, that thou wouldst

tatione cereorum ardentium: Vel etiam, quod per illum diem cereorum usus in vespertinis precibus & litaniis, per totam hyemem adhibitus, cessare solet, usque ad sanctorum omnium festum anni insequentis. Montag. Orig. Ecc. Pars. Pri. P. 157.

*Rogamus te per invocationem sancti tuí nominis, & per intercessionem Maria beatæ virginis matris filii tui, &c. ut, consecrare velis has candelas ad utilitatem & commodum hominis, &c. & mox, Domine Jesu, benedicas obsecro hanc creaturam ceream, & concede illi cælestem.-malignus spiritus. contremescat, & ita territus aufugiat, &c. Hospin, de Fest, Purific. P. 53,

R3

bless

bless this thy Creature of War, and grant it thy Heavenly Benediction, by the Power of thy Holy Cross; that as it was a Gift to Man, by which the Darkness might be driven away, so now it may be endow'd with such Virtue by the Sign of the Holy Cross, that wheresoever it is lighted and placed, the evil Spirit may tremble, and, with his Servants, be in such Terror and Confusion as to fly away from that Habitation, and no more vex and disturb thy Servants.

After this, he adjures the Wax Candles, in Words like these. * I adjure thee, O thou waxen Creature, in the Name of our LORD and the Holy Trinity, that thou repel and extirpate the Devil and his Sprights, &c. And therefore all Christians (says Eccius. Tom 3. Hom. de Purificat,) ought to use these Lights, with an holy Love, having a sincere Dependance, that thus they shall be freed by the Power of the Word and this Prayer, from all the Snares and Frauds of the Devil.

Our Author upon this, says, That this is manifest Blasphemy and Idolatry. For as on

Adjuro te creaturam ceream in nomine Domini nostri & sanctæ Trinitatis, ut sis extirpatio & depulsio diaboli & spectrorum ejus, &c. Hospin. ibid.

the

the one Hand, they take the Name of GOD and the Holy Trinity in vain, so on the other they attribute to a Wax Candle, what should be ascribed to CHRIST alone, and the quickning Power of the Holy Ghost.

OBSERVATIONS ON CHAP. XIX.

IN the forenamed antient Calendar of the Romish Church, I find the subsequent Observations on the 2d of February, usually called Candlemas Day. "Torches are consecrated"

"Torches are given away for many Days*."

Pope Sergiust, says Becon in his Reliques of Rome, Fol. 164, commaunded, that all the People shuld go on Procession upon Candlemasse Day, and carry Candels about with them, brenning in their Hands, in the Year of our Lord 684. Durand, &c.

How this Candle-bearing on Candlemass Day came first up, the Author of our English Festival declareth on this Manner. "Somtyme sayeth he, when the Romaines by great Myght and royal Power,

*Feb. 2. "Purificatio Virginis

"Faces consecrantur.

"Faces dantur multis diebus."

In a Convocation in the Reign of Henry 8th,-in the Passage that relates to Rites and Ceremonies,-among those that were not to be contemned or cast away was "" bearing of Candles on Candles

mass Day, in Memory of Christ the Spiritual Light, of whom "Simeon did prophecy, as is read in the Church that Day." Fuller's Church History, p. 222.