3 o ANTIQUITIES OF NORTHUMBERLAND, 



Some other feftival-entertainments of the Romans -were obferv- 

 able among the fame people fome years ago. Their youth ufli- 

 ered in the new year by taking their rounds in the neighbouring 

 villages from houie to houfe ; one of the moft fprightly and in- 

 genious among them being their bard, who recited fome verfes, 

 compofed in honour of the feafon, with a chorus, in which all 

 the reft joined, in giving their congratulations. Thus the 

 Romans. 



Nee non Anfonii gens mifla, coloni, 

 Verflbus incomptis ludunt, rifuque foluti. 



Virg. Geo. 2. v. 385, &c. 



Nor lefs th' Aufonian fwains deriv'd from Troy, 



Sport in rough numbers and unweildy joy. War ton. 



Their Chorus. 



Ergo rite fuum Baccho dicemur honorcm 



Carminibus patriis, lancefquc ct liba fcremus Id. v. 393-4. 



Then let us Bacchus' praifes fmg, 



And confecrated cakes and chargers bring. Viarton. 



Our Briti/Jy youth being rewarded for their new year's compli- 

 ment of poetry to their neighbours, retired to the inollia Praia, 

 .the loft meadows, fpent the feRal hours in wreflling, leaping, 

 and other ex^rciies. So the Romans. 



Pars in gramineis exercent membra pal^ftris, 



Contcndunt ludo, et fulva luc^antur arena, 



Pars pedibus plauclunt choreas, et carmina dicunt. 



Vlrg. JEn. vi. v. 642, &c. 



Some 



