CHILDERMAS TIDE. 363 



DEC. 28. Holy Innocents. 



St. Theodorus, abbot of Tabenna, a.d. 367. 

 St. Orsisius, abbot. 

 Childermas Day. 



Obs. The Festival of the Holy Innocents or Childermas Day is 

 intended to commemorate the slaughter of the Jewish children by 

 Herod. It is recorded by Macrobius, that the base and cruel order 

 of Herod was so promptly executed, that even one of the sons of the 

 tyrant then at nurse fell a sacrifice with the other children. In allu- 

 sion to the festivals of St. Stephen, St. John, and that of Innocents, 

 Mr. Wheatley has observed, that as there are three kinds of martyr- 

 dom, — the first both in will and deed, which is the highest ; the 

 second in will, but not in deed ; the third in deed, but not in will ; 

 — so the Church commemorates these martyrs in the same order. 

 St. Stephen first, who suffered both in will and deed ; St. John next, 

 who suffered in will, but not in deed ; the Holy Innocents last, who 

 suffered in deed, but not in will. 



Innocents Day was formerly esteemed a day of very unlucky 

 omens ; there was a custom, as the learned Gregory tells us, among 

 thrifty housewives, to whip up the children at an early hour on Chil- 

 dermas Day. 



See Cotgrave's Diet., the Diction, de Furetiere, and Diction, de 

 Trevoux, v. Innocentes. 



This custom is mentioned by Hospinian. de Orig. Festor. Chris- 

 tianor, fol. 160 b. : — Hujus lanienae truculentissimae ut pueri 

 Christianorum recordentur et simul discant odium, persecutionem, 

 crucem, exilium, egestatemque statim cum nato Christo incipere, 

 virgis caedi solent in aurora hujus Diei adhuc in lectulis jacentes a 

 parentibus suis. 



Bloody Heath Erica cruenta still fl. 



This is also called Holy Innocents Heath, from its name and from its being 

 in flower about this time. 



The following are pretty lines on the Evening Star, a name given to Venus 

 when she is east of tne Sun, as that of Morning Star is when she is west of him. 

 They are from a popular magazine : 



The Evening Star. 



The Evening Star illumines the blue south. 



Twinkling in loveliness. O! holy Star, 



Thou bright dispenser of the twilight dews, 



Thou herald of Night's glowing galaxy, 



And harbinger of social bliss ! how oft. 



Amid the twilightsof departed years. 



Resting beside the river's mirror clear 



On trunk of massy oak, with eyes upturned 



To thee in admiration, have I sate, 



Dreaming sweet dreams, till earthborn turbulence 



Was all forgot; and thmkingthat in thee. 



Far from the rudeness of this jarring world, 



There might be realms of quiet happiness. 



Blackwood'' s Magazine. 



