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SHROVE TUESDAY AND ITS CUSTOMS. 
By James Davis, Esa. 
As the annual meeting of the Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club falls this 
year on the day known as Shrove Tuesday, I have, in compliance with a request 
for that purpose, prepared a few remarks upon the well-known custom of this day, 
as well as the derivation of its name. I very much fear the subject will be con- 
sidered by many somewhat puerile for such a learned society, and that it is almost 
too much to ask the members to leave their lofty speculations on geology, meteoro- 
logy, botany, natural history, and their associated sciences, and condescend to give 
a hearing to a few observations on Shrove Tuesday, pancakes, and apple fritters. 
As respects the season of Lent, so intimately connected with Shrove Tues- 
day, we are informed in Echard’s History of England that in the year 64) Hadbald 
was succeeded by his son Ercombert in Kent, who commanded the destroying of 
idols in‘his dominions, and was the first king who established the observance of 
Lent by law and penalty. 
But in treating of this subject it must not be supposed that I contemplate 
any theological remarks on the observance or non-observance of the Quadragesimal 
Fast, preparatory tothe great festival of the Christian Passover, which in the 
English Liturgy are distinguished by the several names of Lent and Easter— 
however questionable such ecclesiastical terms may appear—for it is merely my 
intention to make a few observations of an antiquarian character upon the day 
known as Shrove Tuesday, and its agreeable prandial association of the pancake. 
In the ancient laws and institutions of this island, we find frequent reference 
to the Quadragesimal Fast of Lent as an important church season, and whoever 
will take the trouble to glance over ‘‘ The Ancient Laws and Institutes of Eng- 
land,” as well as “ The Ancient Laws and Institutes of Wales” published some 
years ago under the auspices of the Commissioners of Public Records), will find 
much curious information in connection with the ecclesiastical rites and customs 
of the times to which those institutes relate. 
In the preface to the Laws of Howel Dda, according to the Dull Guynedd, 
ie., the Venedotian or North Wales Code, it is stated that the time when Howel 
summoned the wise men of the Principality together to examine and deliberate 
upon their ancient laws was that of Lent, because everyone should be pure at 
that holy time, and should do no wrong at a time of purity. 
The preface to the Dull Dyfed or Dimetian or South Wales Code states that 
this same King remained with the assembly during the whole of Lent, and that 
at the termination of Lent he selected twelve of the wisest of the laity, with a 
most learned scholar, to form and systematise the laws and usages for him and his 
kingdom perfectly, and the nearest possible to truth and justice. 
If we pass over to another section of this Island during the same periods of 
history—namely, that portion ocoupied by our Anglo-Saxon ancestors—we shall 
find in the rites observable with the same Lenten fast the more direct clue to the 
origin of the word Shrove-Zuesday, but whether our forefathers instituted the 
association of the well-known pancake, or received the custom from earlier ages, 
