WELSH BARDS AND MUSIC. 315 



Wales. When any contagious difeafe breaks out 

 amongft the homed cattle, the neighbouring farmers 

 each contribute towards the purchafe of a bullock, 

 which is led to the verge of fome precipice, and caft 

 headlong down. This ad they call bwrw caeth i 

 gytbrauly " cafting a captive to the devil." 



It has been faid that the druids taught the Pytha- 

 gorean dodrine of the tranfmigradon of fouls ; 

 Lucan and Marcellinus, however, each reprefent 

 them as teaching, that after death the foul retired 

 into fome higher orb, where it enjoyed a ftate of 

 perfeft happinefs*.**— They performed all their ads of 

 worfliip in the open air ; and in places appropriated 

 to the purpofe, furrounded with groves of oakf. In 

 thefe they had their mounts and hillocks, which 

 were denominated gorfeddau, from their fitting aloft 

 upon them when they pronounced their decrees 

 and fentences, and made their folemn orations to 

 the people ; and in thefe they ereded thofe fmgle 

 upright ftones to which fome writers think they 

 yielded divine honours, as the memorials of their 

 deified warriors. 



The druids placed a very high myftery In the 

 mifletoe that grew on the oak. At the clofe of their 

 year they marched in folemn proceffion to gather 

 this plant, in order to prefent it to their Gods. 

 They invited all to affift in this ceremony, by pro- 

 claiming to the world — " The New Teah is at hand^ 



* Lucan» i. 45^. Marcell. jtv. 9, 

 L^ ^ t ^^ft* Nat. lib. xvi, c. 44. 



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