t'9] 



generation, of various dimensions, some even of the 

 length of a palm, are publicly offered to sale. There are 

 also waxen vows, that represent other parts of the body 

 mixed with them ; but of these there are few in com- 

 parison of the number of Priapi. The devout distributors 

 of these vows carry a basket full of them in one hand, 

 and hold a plate in the other to receive the money, 

 crying aloud, ' St. Cosmo and Damiano !' If you ask 

 the price of one, the answer is, Piu d metti, piu meriti 

 ' The more you give, the more's the merit.' In the 

 vestibule are two tables, at each of which one of the 

 canons of the church presides, this crying out, Out si 

 ricevina le Misse, e Litanie ' Here Masses and Litanies 

 are received ;' and the other, Oui si riceveno li Voti ' Here 

 the Vows are received.' The price of a mass is fifteen Nea- 

 politan grains, and of a litany five grains. On each table 

 is a large basin for the reception of the different offerings. 

 The vows are chiefly presented by the female sex ; and 

 they are seldom such as represent legs, arms, &c., but 

 most commonly the male parts of generation. The 

 person who was at this fete in the year 1780, and who 

 gave me this account (the authenticity of every article of 

 which has since been fully confirmed to me by the 

 Governor of Isernia), told me also that he heard a 

 woman say, at the time she presented a vow, like that 

 which is represented in Plate I., Fig. I., Santo Cosimo 

 benedetto, cost lo voglio ' Blessed St. Cosmo, let it be 

 like this ;' another, St. Cosimo^ a te mi raccommendo 

 ' St. Cosmo, I recommend myself to you ;' and a third, 

 St. Cosimo, ti ruigrazio ' St. Cosmo, I thank you.' The 

 vow is never presented without being accompanied by a 

 piece of money, and is always kissed by the devotee at 

 the moment of presentation. At the great altar in the 

 church another of its canons attends to give the holy 

 unction, with the oil of St. Cosmo ; which is prepared 

 by the same receipt as that of the Roman Ritual, with 

 the addition only of the prayer of the Holy Martyrs, St. 

 Cosmus and Damianus. Those who have an infirmity 

 in any of their members present themselves at the great 

 altar, and uncover the member affected (not even ex- 

 cepting that which is most frequently represented by the 

 ex-voti] ; and the reverend canon anoints it, saying, 



