oSo 



The Country GcntUihaiis Magazine 



plantations \x\\^ ^Ictnjcs. 



TREES AND THEIR ASSOCIATIONS. 



iiV WILLLA.:.! STEVEXSOX. ESQ. OF NOTTINGHAM. 

 ^Concluded from page 282.' 



THE mistleto, in connexion with religious 

 observances, carries our subject to re- 

 mote times. It is associated with the antient 

 Druids, and the once densely wooded island 

 upon which we live, whose groves were scenes 

 for their savage rites. History, which is 

 almost silent with its pen on the blank leaves 

 of two thousand years ago, affords but little 

 proof of its antient offices. That it was a 

 holy jDlant, invested with high attributes, 

 there is little doubt, and that the people of 

 every age have venerated the plant, we are 

 ready to admit; but why the Christian Church 

 in all times should fail to acknowledge it is 

 not so easily explained. We find, upon 

 searching the pages of history, that civil and 

 ecclesiastical enactments have stamped out 

 the usages and customs of antient times ; nor 

 has the mother tongue, nor even distinct races 

 or types of men, been able to hold their own 

 against their potent sway. Admitting all 

 their powers, we are led to wonder upon 

 Avhat basis an insignificant plant should hold 

 such a prominent position in the minds of 

 men against ages of persecution. The 

 Christian Church has always taught its 

 children that the mistleto Avas a plant 

 associated with idolatry, and as such was not 

 worthy their regard. As a plant for decora- 

 ting holy places on festive occasions it is never 

 used, but away from the pale of religion, 

 amidst the carnival of the festive hall, it has 

 always held its sway. This reverence of the 

 mistleto, by those without the pale of Holy 

 Church, bespeaks a long succession of sinful 

 worshippers, generations who would conform 

 to the rites and usages laid down by their 

 holy fathers in all things save their veneration 

 of a heathen plant. This affords us a fine 

 example of the retention of antient usages 



amongst unlettered people, and ought to 

 learn us to attach more weight to matters 

 whose only title rests upon tradition or 

 legendary lore. 



The mistleto of the oak, " that vexed 

 question with us naturalists," was that most 

 sought for by the antient Druids. Pliny de- 

 scribes the custom as follows : — " The Druids 

 held nothing so sacred as the mistleto of the 

 oak, as this is very scarce and rarely to be 

 found. When any of it is discovered they go 

 with great pomp and ceremony to gather it. 

 When they have got everything in readiness 

 under the oak, both for the sacrifice and the 

 banquet which they make on this great 

 festival, which was observed on the sixth day 

 of the moon, they begin by tying two white 

 bulls to it by the horns, then one of the 

 Druids, clothed in white, mounts the tree, 

 and with a knife of gold cuts the mistleto, 

 which is received in a white sagum. This 

 done, they proceed to their sacrifices and 

 their feastings." 



Brand, quoting from one of Stukeley's 

 works, says : — " This was one of the most 

 respectable festivals of our Druids, called 

 ' Yule tide,' when mistleto, which they called 

 ' All heal,' was carried in their hands, and laid 

 on their altars as an emblem of the salu- 

 tiferous advent of the Messiah." From other 

 sources, we learn that the people went in 

 procession to cut the mistleto. The bards, 

 or antient poets, walked first, singing canticles 

 and hymns, next followed a herald, who pre- 

 ceded three Druids carrying implements for 

 cutting the mistleto, and lastly followed the 

 prince of the Druids, folloAved by all the 

 people. The office of cutting the mistleto 

 devolved upon the arch-Druid, who presented 

 it to the other Druids. On the first day of 



