Penzance, and in Wales they keep up May dances, and other peculiar ceremonies.

I have been more particular in detailing the rites and customs of this festivity, because, once more popular than any, they are now become more disused. There have been more attempts to revive the celebration of May-day, from its supposed congeniality to the spirit of youth, than that of any other festivity, but all in vain. The times, and the spirit of the times, are changed.

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CHAPTER IV.

EASTER FESTIVITIES.

MAY-DAY was the great festival of the young. Easter was the great festival of the church. It followed the dismal and abstemious time of Lent, and came heralded by Palm-Sunday, the commemoration of our Saviour's riding into Jerusalem; Maunday-Thursday, the day on which he washed the feet of his disciples; and Good-Friday, the day of his death. All these days were kept with great circumstance. On Palm-Sunday there was, and still is in Catholic countries, a great procession to church, with tapers and palm branches, or sprigs of box as a substitute. Stowe says that in the week before Easter "had ye great shows made for the fetching in of a twisted tree, or withe, as they termed it, out of the woods into the king's house, and the like into every man's house of honour and worship."

This was the sallow, or large-leaved willow, whose catkins are now in full bloom, and are still called palms by the country people. Maunday-Thursday, or Dies Mandati, the day of the command to wash each other's feet, was a great day of humiliation and profession of Christian benevolence. The Pope washed the feet of

certain poor men; kings and princes did the same; in the monasteries the custom was general, and long retained. After the ceremony, liberal donations were made to the poor, of clothing, and of silver money; and refreshments were given them to mitigate the severity of the fast: on the 15th of April 1731, Maunday-Thursday, a distribution was made at Whitehall, to 48 poor men and 48 poor women, the king's age then being 48-of boiled beef and shoulders of mutton; loaves and fishes; shoes, stockings, linen and woollen cloth; and leathern bags with one, two, three, and four penny pieces of silver, and shillings to each; about four pounds in value. The archbishop of York also washed the feet of a certain number of poor persons. James II. was the last king who performed this in person but a relic of this custom is still preserved in the donations dispensed at St. James's on this day. In 1814 this donation was made with great ceremony at Whitehall Chapel. In the morning, Dr. Carey, the sub-almoner, and Mr. Hanley, the secretary of the Lord High Almoner, Mr..Nost, and others belonging to the Lord Chamberlain's office, attended by 40 yeomen of the guard, distributed to 75 poor women and 75 poor men-being as many as the king was years old-a quantity of salt fish, consisting of salmon, cod, and herrings; pieces of very fine beef, five loaves of bread, and some ale to drink the king's health. At three o'clock they met again; the men on one side of the chapel, the women on the other. A procession entered, consisting of a party of yeomen of the guard, one of them carrying a large gold dish on his head, containing 150 bags with 75 silver pennies in each, for the poor people, which was placed in the royal

closet. They were followed by the sub-almoner in his robes, with a sash of fine linen over his shoulder, and crossing his waist. He was followed by two boys, two girls, the secretary, and another gentleman, with similar sashes, etc. etc.: all carrying large nosegays. The church evening service was then performed; at the conclusion of which the silver pennies were distributed, and woollen cloth, linen, shoes and stockings, to the poor men and women, and, according to ancient custom, a cup of wine, to drink the king's health. This ceremony is still continued in similar style.

At Rome, the altar of the Capella Paolina is illuminated with more than 4000 wax tapers; and the pope and cardinals go thither in procession, bringing the sacrament along with them, and leaving it there. Then the pope blesses the people, and washes the feet of some pilgrims, and serves them at dinner. At Moscow, Dr. Clarke says, the Archbishop washes the feet of the Apostles, that is, twelve monks designed to represent them. The archbishop takes off his robes, girds his loins with a towel, and proceeds to wash their feet, till he comes to St. Peter, who rises up, and the same interlocution takes place between him and the prelate as is said to have done betweenour Saviour and that apostle.

The next day is GOOD-FRIDAY, so called by the English, but HOLY-FRIDAY on the continent-the day of our Saviour's death. Thousands of English travellers have witnessed, and many described, the splendid pageant of this night at St. Peter's at Rome, on which the hundred lamps which burn over the apostle's tomb, are extinguished, and a stupendous cross of light appears suspended from the dome, be

tween the altar and the nave, shedding over the whole edifice a soft lustre delightful to the eye, and highly favourable to picturesque representations. This exhibition is supposed to have originated in the sublime imagination of Michael Angelo, and he who beholds it will acknowledge that it is not unworthy of the inventor. The magnitude of the cross, hanging as if self-suspended, and like a meteor streaming in the air; the blaze that it pours forth; the mixture of light and shade cast on the pillars, arches, statues, and altars; the crowd of spectators placed in all the different attitudes of curiosity, wonder, and devotion; the processions, with their banners and crosses gliding successively in silence along the nave, and kneeling around the altar: the penitents of all nations and dresses collected in groups near the confessionals of their respective languages; a cardinal occasionally advancing through the crowd, and as he kneels, humbly bending his head to the pavement; in fine, the pontiff himself without pomp and pageantry, prostrate before the altar, offering up his adorations in silence, form a scene singularly striking.

In various Catholic countries the lights are suddenly put out at the sound of a bell, and a flagellation, in imitation of Christ's sufferings, commences in the dark, with such cries as make it a truly terrific scene. The effect of the singing of the Miserere at Rome, in the time of the darkness, has been described by several writers as inexpressibly sublime.

At Jerusalem the monks go in procession to Mount Calvary with a large crucifix and image, where they take down the image from it with all the minute procedure of taking down, unnailing, taking off the crown