house to house, with a fidler playing before them, to heave women; upon Tuesday, the women heave the men in like manner.

No farmer dare hold his team on St. Mark's day, (because, as they believe,) one man's team was marked that did work on that day with the loss of an ox.

Custom of strewing green herbs and flowers at their doors upon Corpus Chr. Eve.

The custom upon All Saints' eve of making a great fire, called coet-certh, when every family about an hour in the night make a great bonfire in the most conspicuous place near the house, and when the fire is almost quite extinguished every one throweth a white stone into the ashes, having first marked it. In the morning, as soon as they are up, they come to search out the stones, and if either of them is found wanting, they have a notion that the person who threw it in will die before he sees another All Saints' Even.

Custom of distributing soul cakes upon All Souls' day, at the receiving of which the poor pray to God to bless the next crop of wheat.

Christmas Plygain.

Upon Christmas day in the morning, about three of the clock, most of the parishioners meet in the church, and, after prayers and a sermon, they continue there singing psalms and Welsh hymns with great devotion and earnestness till 'tis broad day; and if any through age or infirmity are disabled coming to church, they never fail to have prayers and carols on our Saviour's nativity at home.

Women draw the tenth pole out of the hedge on St. Paul's day, in order to know beforehand whether they shall have a crooked or straight husband.

DEVOTIONAL.

FROM THE PARISIAN BREVIARY.

FESTIVAL OF ST. JOHN THE APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST.

AD OFFICIUM DIURNUM.

AD LAUDES.
Psalms.

Ant. 1. I, John, a companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.-Rev. i.

Ant. 2. I heard a great voice as of a trumpet, saying, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it to the seven churches.-Rev. i.

Ant. 3. The angel said unto me, Thou must prophecy again before many peoples and nations, and tongues, and kings.-Rev. x.

Ant. 4. The Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done.-Rev. xxii.

Ant. 5. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I, John, saw and heard.-Rev. xxii.

VOL. VII.-April, 1835.

3 F

Capitulum. Rev. xiv.

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him.

Hymn.

Oh may my God, whom shade, and night,
And folded cloud,

In viewless brightness rob'd, enshroud,
In mercy veil his fearful light,
Nor whelm his servant's trembling sight!

But, lov'd of God, to thee 'twas given
Unscath'd to see

The blaze of present Deity;

To see the veil in sunder riven,
And search the inmost court of heaven.

Borne, as on eagle-wings, away,
Through ether far,

Thy soul outstrips the utmost star,
Nor Heaven's own lightning's fiery ray
Thy spirit from its God can stay.

Lo! there 'tis thine still on to move
Thy nearer ken,

Where ear, and eye, and soul of men
Turn in mute awe, and shrink to prove
The mysteries of redeeming love.

For of that love how vast the sum!
That Deity

Forgetful of itself should be,
And down to earth an exile come,
To lead these wandering exiles home.

'Tis thine Heav'n's deepest rites to tell
To seers divining;

Thou op'st the light in darkness shining,
Thou searchest life's e'er-flowing well,
And heav'n-born light's primeval cell.

Glory to God on high, we sing,

To Father, Son,

Ver. I will enter into the powers of the Lord.Resp. Even into the very high and mighty works that thou hast done.-Ps. lxxi.

Benedictus.

That which we have heard, that which we have seen, that which our hands have handled of the word of life, that declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us.— 1 John i.

The Collect.

O Lord, mercifully cast thy bright beams of light upon thy church, that it, being enlightened by the doctrine of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist St. John, may at length attain to everlasting blessings, through the Lord.

Ant. 1. I, John, &c.

Resp.- Ver. Thou that wert born of the Virgin Mary, have mercy upon us.

CANON.

From the Capitulare of Theodulf, Bishop of Orleans.

As bishops supply the place of apostles in the church, so do presbyters that of the rest of the disciples of the Lord. Wherefore it is your duty to be ever mindful of so great a dignity, that ye may neither degenerate from it, nor render your consecration of none effect; but, preserving all purity of heart and body, and setting the people an example of good living, may be as captains to those under your guidance, and lead then on to their heavenly kingdom:

AD TERTIUM.

Ant. 2. I heard, &c.
Capitulum. Rev. i.

He laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not, I am the First and the Last; I am he that liveth and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and which are, and which shall be hereafter. Resp. My tongue is the pen. Alleluia, Alleluia. My tongue.

Ver. Of a ready writer. Alleluia. Gloria Patri. My tongue, &c.-Ps. xlv.

Ver. From generation to generation.Resp. With my tongue will I shew forth thy truth.-Ps. lxxxix.

AD SEXTAM.

Ant. 3. The angel said unto me.
Capitulum. Rev. xix.

I fell at the feet of the angel to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God. Resp. In the presence of the angels* I will worship. Alleluia, Alleluia. In the presence. Ver. And will praise thy name for thy loving-kindness. Alleluia, Gloria Patri. In the presence, &c.-Ps. cxxxviii.

Ver. Evil shall not come nigh thee.--Resp. For God hath given his angels charge over thee.-Ps. xci.

AD NONAM.

Ant. 5. Blessed, &c.
Capitulum. Rev. i.

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Ver. There

Resp. Wonderful are thy testimonies. Alleluia, Alleluia. Wonderful! fore hath my soul sought them. Alleluia, Gloria Patri. Wonderful!-Ps. cxix. Ver. Thy servant keepeth them. Resp. In keeping them there is great reward.--xix.

God gave unto Jesus Christ to shew unto his servants the things that must shortly come to pass, and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John, who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Sit qui ritè canat te modo Virginem,
Te scriptis celebrem dicat Apostolum,
Jungat veridicis te quoque vatibus.

Christi te cano Martyrem.

Diri testis eras, funeris, et comes,
Votis cum Domino fixus eras cruci:
Hoc tantum licuit tun tibi, mutuis
Respondere doloribus.

Hymn.

Oh, for a saint like thee
To sing thy virgin purity!

Sing thee, Apostle, and unroll

Thy heaven-taught truth is far-beaming scroll,
Or link thee with the seers divine.

To sing thee, martyr-saint, be mine!

For thou, for thou didst view
That death of deaths, companion true;
In spirit with thy Lord wert torn
By racking cross and piercing thorn,
The only converse left to thee,
Th' high converse of that agony!

Pendens funereâ Christus ab arbore
Te matri miseræ jam sine Filio,
Natum substituit: credere virginem
Quàm par est tibi virgini.

Tali deposito quid pretiosius?
Mater vera Dei jam tua dicitur,
Natus jure pari dicere; mortui
Jacturam reparas Dei.

Christus vocis egens, te morientibus,
Quà fas est, oculis discipulum docet:
Ex illâ cathedrâ, quam cruor imbuit,
Terris prædicat omnibus.

Christi fide comes, passibus æmulis,
Quo te duxit amor, te liceat sequi;
Ingens ille mihi sit favor, et pati

Cum Christo simul et mori.

Sit laus summa Patri, summaque Filio
Sit par sancte, tibi Gloria, spiritus
Hæc est certa fides fontibus e tuis

Quam divinitus hausimus.

Amen.

There as in death he hung,
His mantle soft on thee he flung
Of filial love, and named thee Son,
Now as that earthly tie was done.
To thy firm faith and spotless years
Consigned his virgin mother's tears.

Could holier charge be given!
True mother of the Lord of Heaven,
Hail'd mother by himself to thee,
And thou that mother's son as He!
Call'd, as th'Immortal deign'd to die,
That loss of losses to supply!

And when that voice was fled,
His lingering look on thee he shed,
Thee his belov'd disciple taught
His dying eyes' mysterious thought.
When from that blood-stain'd mercy-throne
To all the world his glory shone.

Friend of thy Lord, be mine
My trembling step to match with thine,
To follow onward to the goal,
Where love led on thy dauntless soul.
Be mine, as thine, the blessing high
With Christ to live, with Christ to die!

Glory to Father, Son,

And Spirit-Eternal Three in One.
Lo! this the stedfast creed we bring,
Drawn from high Heaven's eternal spring.

Ver. Thy testimonies, O Lord.. -Resp. Are very sure.

Amen.

Ant. The disciple whom Jesus loved, which also leaned on his breast at supper, this is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.-1 John xxi.

The Collect as at the Laudes above.

End of the Officium Diurnum.

"

SACRED POETRY.

EXCERPTA ECCLESIASTICA.

ANNUNCIATION B. V. M., TUESDAY, MARCH 25.

From henceforth all generations shall call me blessed."

WHEN sacred love, in early days,

Raised her full altar pile

High with rich gifts, she fed her soaring blaze

Fearless of pomp or guile.

Thus fed, the flame streamed strong up heav'n's high stair,
Nor spent one idle ray on things of lower air.

But now she sits in mourning weed

Her scanty heap beside,

For we, more wise than olden saints, there read
False zeal and earth-learned pride.

Love, weeps

her flame, too weakly fed to-day,

To mount as wont, nor lose its virtue by the way.

So damped her fire by icy breath,
That we unmoved pass by,

Where, spoiled by evil men in trance of death,
Our holy brethren lie;

Even she, man's heav'n-pledged hope through weary days,
Theme of the fathers' prayer, wins not the children's praise!

Virgin and saint! shall we not heed

Thy* blessing from above,

And that rich grace, to thee alone decreed,
'Mongst souls of heavenly love?

Linked † at the first with Him, the Holy One,

Blest in his thought at last when his great work was done!

And, high-wrought Saint, may we not laud

That faith-proved spirit meek?—- .
The voiceless agony thy soul that awed
Not words divine could speak.

'Twas thine to ponder o'er that untold smart

That hung, like hovering sword, to pierce thy tender heart!

Yet Thee, below the holy train,
Virgin and saint, we rate;

Forgotten they, to purpose mean and vain

Thy hour we desecrate !

Where sleep the souls in faith and virtue bold,

True both to God and man, and pure as once of old?