on how high places severall of our churches are placed, e. g. W. Wickham, in Bucks, Wierflowe [Winterflow] in Wilts, and Pertwood, &c. In the infancy of Xpian religion, they kept the old Temples with a new worship, as also ye old Festivalls with a new Xpian name. I remember my honoured friend Sr W. Dugdale, told me his Remarque, viz. that most churches dedicated to St Michael either stood on high ground, or els had a very high Tower or steeple, as at St Michael's ch: in Cornhill. The Chapelle on Glastonbury Torre is dedicated to St Michael. So that of St Michaels Mount in Cornwall, and I think in Bretiagne, in France.[1]
Thunder.
In time of Thunder they invoke St Barbara. So Sr Geof: Chaucer speaking of ye great Hostesse, when she did f—t, her ghests would cry St Barbara when she lett off her Gun (ginne). They did ring ye great Bell at Malmesbury-abbey (called St Adelm's Bell) to drive away Thunder and Lightning. The like is yet used at ye Abbey of St Germans, in Paris, where they ring the great Bell there.[2] In Herefordshire, &c.: they lay a piece of Iron on the Barrell to keepe it from sowring.[3] The like is don in Germany in laying steel upon or at it.
Bride-cakes: and breaking the Cake over the head of ye Bride.
Plin. [Nat. Hist.] xviii., 3. Quin et in sacris nil religiosius confarreationis vinculo erat: novaeq' nuptae farreum praeferebant.
Confarreatio genus erat sacrificii inter virum et uxorum, in signum firmissimae conjunctionis; diffarreatio contra.
When I was a little boy (before the Civill warres) I have seen (according to the custome then) the Bride and Bride-groome kisse over the Bride-cakes at the Table: it was about the later end of dinner: and ye cakes were layd one upon another, like the picture of the Sew-bread in ye old Bibles. The Bride-groome wayted all Dinner.
