CHAP. 10. 1. ANTIQUITIES, &c. 305 



I must refer to Barnaby Googe, and other early 

 writers. 



On St. Nicholas' Day, December 6, similar 

 customs were practised : that of filling the silk 

 stockings or shoes of Vestal Virgins with 

 sweatmeats on the Vigil of this Saint, as if he 

 himself had done it, for the girl to find in the 

 morning, as practised in many Nunneries, is 

 well known. 



This Saint is the supposed patron of mari- 

 ners, who used to invoke him in a Storm. In 

 Minorca there is a chapel dedicated to him, 

 wherein seafaring persons, escaped from ship- 

 wreck, still hang up votive pictures, and written 

 tablets of thanks for their delivery ; a rite 

 which corresponds with one prevalent among 

 the ancient Romans, well known by Horace's 

 allusion to it in his beautiful Ode to Pyrrha.* 



St. Thomas' Day also had its peculiar cus- 

 toms, many of which have a reference to 

 natural phaenomena. 



We have come to the consideration of Christ- 



* " Me tabula sacer 



Votiva paries indicat uvida, 

 Suspendisse potenti 

 Vestimenta maris deo." 



/for. lib. i. Od. 5. 16. 

 X 



