CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



167 



Among the customs of the kings and their people that dwell in 

 the islands " costynge to Prestre Johnes Londe, the worshippe that 

 the sone do the fader whan he is dede," appears to be the most re- 

 markable. It consists of the most revolting ceremonies ; thus, 



" Whan the fader is ded of ony man, and the sone list to do gret worshippe 

 to his fader, he sendethe to alle his friendes, and to alle his kyn, and for reli- 

 gious men and preestes, and for mynstralle also, in gret plentee. And 

 thanne men beren the dede bodye unto a grete hille, with grete joye and 

 solempny te ; and Avhan thai han brought it thider the chief prelate smytethe 

 of the hede and leyethe it upon a grete platere of gold or of sylver, zif so be 

 he be a riche man ; and thanne he takethe the hede to the sone, and thanne 

 the sone and his othere kyn syngen and seyn many orisouns ; and thanne 

 the preestes and the rehgious men smyten alle the bodye of the dede man in 

 peeces ; and thanne thei seyn certyn orisouns. And the foules of raveyne 

 of alle the contree abouten knowen the custom of longe tyme before, and 

 comen fleenge aboven in the eyr, as egles, gledes, ravenes, and othere foules 

 of ravevne that eten flessche ; and thanne the preestes casten the gobettes of 

 the flessche, and thanne the foules eche of hem takethe that he may and 

 gothe a litille thens and etethe it ; and so thei don whils ony pece lastethe 

 of the dede bodye ; and aftere that the preestes syngen for the dede. And 

 thanne semethe it to the sone that he is highliche worshipt whan that manye 

 briddes and foules and raveyne comen and eten his fader ; and he that hathe 

 most nombre of foules, is moste worshiped. Thanne the sone bryngethe 



tal legend concerning the '■.' Pissemyres" may not have derived its origin from 

 a fantastic consideration of the Termites and the wonderful sagacity dis- 

 played in their labours and their social economy. Consult the Philosophical 

 Transactions : vol. 73, p. 139, 1781. 



