5t7^ THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS 



from fo]*ming in the churn. They are alfo believed 

 to poffefs the power of inflidling diforders both on 

 men and cattle, and that they feldom neglect to do 

 it when they have been offended. This will well 

 account for the notion of witches having been ftre- 

 nuoufly maintained fome centuries ago even by the 

 mofl enlightened peffons of the age. Old women, 

 on whom the generally odious epithet of witch has 

 been once fixed by the popular voice, have found it 

 their interefl, and in Wales to this day find it their 

 intereft, to deny nothing that is alleged to them. 

 They become thus held in fuperflitious fear by the 

 people, and in many inftances obtain an eafy liveli- 

 hood from their fuppofed extent of power. Where- 

 ever they alk alms, it would be (fay the common 

 people) the death of a cow or horfe, or perhaps 

 even of one of the family, to refufe them ; and the 

 neighbouring peafantry, much as they hold them in 

 detedation, believe it their own interefl to keep them 

 alwavs in good humour. The old women thus live, 

 in fome msafure, in affluence, with little other trouble 

 than feeding and training up three or four cats, and at- 

 tending minutely to the concerns of their neighbours. 



On the eve of All Saints, the Welfh people, as 

 ibon as it is dark, kindle great fires near their 

 houfes, which they call coelcerib, or bonfires. This 

 cuftom has been fuppofed, though probably with- 

 out any foundation, to have originated with the 

 druids, and to have been intended by them as aa 



offering 



