Bandford Forum - A list of Christian Sacrafices - Part 2

Bacon and Eggs - an offering to Christ? - Image from ChildofMidnight at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Common

[cont.] "...On Good Friday, they offered unto Christe Egges and Bacon to be in hys favour till Easter Day was past. The Sinnes committed betwene Easter and Whytsontyde they were fullye discharged by the pleasaunt Walkes and Processyons in the rogyng, I should say Rogation Weeke. What offences soever happened from that tyme to Midsomroer,. the fumes of the Fiers dedicated to John, Peter, and Thomas Becket the Traytor, consumed them. And as for all disorders from that tyme to the begynnyng of Christmasse agayne, they were in this Countrey all roonge away, upon All Halloun Day and All Soule's Day at night last past."

He adds, at p. 20,

"So sayth God to the brybyng Papistes, who requireth these thynges at your handes whiche I never commaundcd, as your Candles at Candlemasse, your Popish Penaunce on Ash Wensday, your Egges and Bacon on Good Friday, your Gospelles at superstitious Crosses, decked lyke Idols, your Fires at Midsommer, and your ringyng at Allhallountide for all Christen Soules ? I require, sayth God, a sorrowfull and repentaunt hart, to be mercyfull to the poore, &c.""... 

..." It is stated in a curious Sermon preached at Blanford Forum, in Dorsetshire, January 17th, 1570, by William Kethe, minister, and dedicated to Ambrose Earl of Warwick, Svo. Lond. p. 18. that on Good Friday the Roman Catholics " offered unto Christe Egges and Bacon to be in hys favour till Easter Day was past ;" from which we may at least gather with certainty that Eggs and Bacon composed a usual dish on that day."

Brand 1813

 

Map - Blandford Forum

[Jewish (and Catholic) people had a really horrible time in much of old intolerant England - including facing genocide and expulsion - please take this anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic sermon for its folkloric value only.]  

Bandford Forum - A list of Christian Sacrafices - Part 1

Bacon and Eggs - an offering to Christ? - Image from ChildofMidnight at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"In a most curious Sermon preached at Blandford Forum, Dorsetshire, Jan. 17, 1570, by William Kethe, Minister, and dedicated to Ambrose Earl of Warwick, 8vo. p. 18, speaking of the Jews, he says, "for the Synnes they daylie committed, they would be very busie in offryng Sacrifices and exercising themselves in Ceremonies;" adding, " a lyke kynde of policie was practised by the Papistes in the tyme of Poperie (in England) to bynde God to forgeve them theyr Sinnes. For whereas, in the tyme of Christmasse, the disorders were marvelous in those dayes, (and how it is now God seeth,) at Candlemasse, which some counte the ende of Christmasse, the Papistes would be even with God, by the tyme [they had offered hym a Bribe, and such a Bribe (beyng a Candle or Taper) as a very meane officer would take foule scorae of, though he could do a man but small pleasure in his sute. Shroft Tuesday was a day of great Glottonie, Surfeiting,and Dronkennes, but by Ashe Wensday at night, they thought God to be in their debt..." [cont.]

Brand 1813

[Jewish (and Catholic) people had a really horrible time in much of old intolerant England - including facing genocide and expulsion - please take this anti-Semitic and anti-Catholic sermon for its folkloric value only.]  

Devon / Westcountry weather lore #13 April (part 2)

Mattiscombe Bay, Devon, in April - By Own Herby talk thyme (Own work) [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"Fogs in April foretell a failure of the wheat crop for next year.

One should look for grass in April on the top of an oak, because grass seldom springs well before the oak puts forth its leaves.

Fine warm weather from Easter to Whitsuntide produces much grass and cheap butter.

As the weather is on Ascension Day, so will it be the entire autumn.

If it rains on Good Friday and Easter Day,
There'll be plenty of grass and a little good hay.

April and May between them make bread for all the year.

April rains for men : May for beasts."

Hewett 1900

Good Friday doles at Ideford

Ideford Church - By Derek Harper [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"A practice obtains at Ideford, near Newton Abbot, of picking up alms from the donor's tomb on Good Friday on each succeeding year. The rector and churchwardens stand at one end of the flat tableshaped monument, and there place the coins upon the surface, while the recipients of the charity come one by one to the other end of the tombstone and pick up the money. This custom has been uninterruptedly in force for more than three hundred years."

Hewett 1900

Map - Ideford

Devon charm to cure diarrhea

Hot Cross Buns - By Shannon Hobbs (originally posted to Flickr as Hot Cross Buns) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"TAKE a stale Good-Friday cross-bun and place it in a hot oven to dry. By grating when hard into powder, and, when required, mixing it with cold water and taken as a medicine, it will cure diarrhoea.

When Good-Friday comes, an old woman runs
With one, or two-a-penny hot-cross-buns.
Whose virtue is, if you'll believe what's said,
They'll not grow mouldy like the common bread."

Hewett 1900

Unlucky in Devon - 26 & 27 (friday)

Laundry - http://www.flickr.com/photos/comedynose/3598741334/sizes/z/ Some rights reserved by comedy_nose

It is unlucky -

"To begin new undertakings on a Friday.
 

To wash clothes on Good Friday. This must be studiously avoided to prevent any member of the family dying before the year is out."

Hewett 1900

Lucky in Devon - 10

Hydrangea  in my garden - if you wish to use my photos please attribute this blog

It is lucky -

"To plant all kinds of ornamental shrubs on Good Friday."

Hewet 1900

Lucky in Devon - 9

Some of my beans this year - still some in the freezer! Didn't plant on Good Friday though. - If you want to use my photos please attribute this blog.

 It is lucky

"To sow all kinds of garden seeds on Good Friday. Beans and peas sown on this day yield better crops."

Hewett 1900

Lucky in Devon - 6

  Baby Joe Weaning Some rights reserved by Fimb http://www.flickr.com/photos/fimbrethil/3481256556/sizes/l/

It is lucky -

"To wean a child on Good Friday."

Hewett 1900

Lucky in Devon - 5

 Judas. Capital from Autun cathedral. Sculptor: Gislebertus Photo by Cancre (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

It is lucky to -

"To break a piece of pottery on Good Friday, because the points of every sherd are supposed to pierce the body of Judas Iscariot."