VOL. xvii. (2) PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS 151 



of straw, apparently representing the twelve months of the 

 year, and drank cider to the health of their master round the 

 largest fire, this rite being followed by a dinner. The fires, 

 Hke the bonfires so commonly lit in various parts of the country, 

 were possibly intended to revive and stimulate the heat of the 

 sun. Another class of these seasonal feasts is found in the 

 Wakes, which used to be held at May Hill and Leckhampton, 

 where they were possibly associated with some important 

 barrow, barrows and dolmens being well recognised scenes of 

 such rites with the object of enhancing the fertility of men, 

 cattle and crops, because the spirit of the dead hero buried 

 there was supposed to promote fertility, and in particular to 

 enter women and thus relieve them from the affliction of 

 barrenness. 



We have, again, the curious observance at St Briavels, 

 where bread and cheese were distributed to the people after 

 the service on Whitsunday. This was said to be connected in 

 some way with the rights of cutting and taking wood in Hud- 

 nolls, a privilege won from a certain Earl of Hereford, then 

 lord of the Forest of Dean, by his lady, who underwent the 

 same ordeal as that by which Lady Godiva obtained the 

 privileges for the citizens of Coventry. 



The Forest of Dean, secluded from the march of civilisa- 

 tion, naturally abounds in primitive customs and observances, I 

 may note that at the Mine Court, in taking the oath, it was the 

 rule that the witness touched the book of the Gospels with a 

 stick of holly. The object of this is said to have been to prevent 

 the sacred volume being soiled by the dirty hands of the wit- 

 nesses. But we may reasonably suspect that the custom has 

 its root in a primitive custom of divination by using a branch 

 of a sacred tree ; and we know that in ancient times the holly 

 tree was highly sacred. 



It is also noteworthy that at Randwick, which seems to 

 have retained many primitive observances, a sort of Saturnalia 

 was held on the Monday after Low Sunday, when a mock 

 mayor was elected. His Worship, after election, was carried 

 in state, colours flying, drums beating, men, women and children 

 shouting, to a horsepond where, seated on his chair, he was 

 solemnly ducked. A song was sung and his worship then 



