214
Collectanea.
the defendant admitted that his cHent had committed the assault, but claimed that she possessed a peculiar gift for curing children of rickets by means of this operation. On her promise that she would not exercise her peculiar gift in future, the defendant was discharged on payment of the costs.
The Gloucesterslm-e Echo, 14th October, 19 14.
An Animal Belief.
In the Early South English Legendary (Early English Text Society. Original Series, 87. London, 1887) the following lines occur in the Life of Beket:
Seint thomas caste houndes of is^ bred; that bi-fore him lai,
And euerech hound it for-sok: ase al that folk i-sai ^
Tho ' handlede, he othur bred: and let menge * hit at the laste
Al that he i-handlet hadde: the houndes al for-lete,*
And chosen out that othur thare-among: and wel clanliche it ete.
The guodnesse (al: mansinge ®) was on him i-sene: a-non-right that ilke dai
Whane ' the houndes that bred for-soken: that bi-fore him lai,
bi a fridai thulke yeres: was christeniasse-dai,
that was gret miracle of god: that al that folk i-sai. ^ (11. 1957-66.)
This happened on the Friday (Christmas Day) after Beket had been cursing the enemies of holy church. On the following Tuesday (Tuesday was an unlucky day for St. Thomas, as the life explains in 11. 2457-73) he was murdered. The explanation that suggests itself for the refusal of the dogs to eat of the bread that was Beket's own, while any other bread he gave them they ate 'wel clanliche,' is that they recognized Jiim to be near his death — to be ' fey.'
It would be interesting to know whether any parallels are on record in which dogs and other animals recognize that a man's death day is approaching, and show their recognition of the fact
"
P. J. Heather
^ I.e. some of his.
^said.
3 then.
- mix. * refused.
- cursing.
' when.
^ saw.
