Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

led into a Mistake by this leading a Horse before the Corpse, and have erroneously represented it as peculiar to Military Characters*.

The abuse of this Vigil, or Lake-wake, is of pretty old standing.-I find the following Account of a Canon, made at the provincial Synod held in London in the Time of Edward III. in Collier's Ecclesiastical History, Vol. I. p. 546, "The 10th "Canon endeavours to prevent the Disorders com"mitted at People's watching a Corpse before Bu"rial. Here the Synod takes Notice, that the Design of People's meeting together upon such Occasion, was to join their Prayers for the Benefit "of the dead Person; that this antient and ser"viceable Usage was over-grown with Supersti“tion, and turned into a Convenience for Theft "and Debauchery: Therefore for a Remedy against "this Disorder, 'tis decreed, that upon the Death "of any Person, none should be allowed to watch "before the Corpse in a private House, excepting "C near Relations and Friends of the Deceased, and "such as offered to repeat a set Number of Psalms "for the Benefit of his Soul." The Penalty annexed is Excommunication-This is also mentioned in Bacon's † Reliques of Rome, and comprised in the Catalogue of those Crimes that were antiently cursed with Bell, Book, and Candle.

*Collier's Ecclesiast. Hist. Vol. I. p. 487. + Fol. 253.

Mr.

Mr. Bourne complains of the Sport, Drinking, and Lewdness used at these Lake-wakes * in his Time. They still continue to resemble too much the antient Bacchanalian Orgies.-An instance of Depravity that highly disgraces human Nature! It would be treating the serious subject with two much levity, to say, that if the inconsiderate Wretches, who abuse such solemn Meetings, think at all, they think with Epicurean licentiousness, that since Life is so uncertain, no Opportunity should be neglected of transmitting it, and that the Loss, by the Death of one Relation, should be made up as soon as possible by the Birth of another.

* Mr. Pennant, in describing Highland Ceremonies, calls this Meeting the Late wake; I suspect he has put a t for a k. Thus, in describing Coken, a romantic Seat near Chester-le-street, he spells it erroneously Coker, His Words are, "The Late-wake is a "Ceremony used at Funerals: The Evening after the Death of any "Person, the Relations or Friends of the Deceased meet at the "House, attended by Bag-pipe or Fiddle; the nearest of Kin, be "it Wife, Son, or Daughter, opens a melancholy Ball, dancing "and greeting, i. e. crying violently at the same Time; and this "continues till Day-light, but with such Gambols and Frolics among the younger Part of the Company, that the Loss which "occasioned them is often more than supplied by the Consequences "of that Night.-If the Corpse remains unburied for two Nights, "the same Rites are renewed. Thus, Scythian-like, they rejoice "at the Deliverance of their Friends out of this Life of Misery."He tells us in the same Place, "that the Coranich, or singing at "Funerals, is still in Use in some Places. The Songs are generally "in Praise of the Deceased; or a Recital of the valiant Deeds of "him or Ancestors."

"

Perhaps Mr. Pennant, in spelling Late-wake, wished to have the Name derived from watching late :-None can suppose this, but those who are totally ignorant of our antient Language, which is preserved in all its pristine Purity in the vulgar Dialect of the North.

Our

Our Author uses a remarkable Metaphor in this Passage he talks, or rather babbles, concerning putting on undecent Pastime."-If one were disposed to banter, it might be observed, that a Wardrobe of "undecent Pastime" must consist of very light Habits! It may be questioned also, whether in any Affliction we can discover "too great Re"signation ?"

CHAP.

CHAP. III.

Of following the Corpse to the Grave, what it is an Emblem of: Of carrying Greens in our Hand, what it signifies, what use it may be of: Of Psalmody, its Antiquity, the Advantage and Use of it.

IT hath been observed among all Nations, both in the Heathen and the Christian World, as a becoming and profitable Ceremony, to follow the Corps to the Grave. The Heathens observed it, * because it presented. to them, what would shortly follow, how they themselves should be so carried out, and laid down in the Grave. The going of the Corpse before, shewed that their Friend was gone - before them to the State of Death; and their following after, was as much as to say, that they must also in a short time follow him thither. For this Reason the Christian also observes the Custom, and may, if he pleases, as he follows the Body to the Grave, entertain himself with a pious Meditation upon it, in

* Præcedenti pompa funebri, vivi sequuntur, tanquam haudmulto post morituri. Al. ab. Alex. Lib. 3 p. 67. Et Pol. Vir. Lib. G. C. 10. p. 495.

such

such like Thoughts as these of the Psalmist.* Thou art GOD from Everlasting, and World without End; Thou turnest Man to Destruction; again, Thou sayest, Come again ye Children of Men. For a thousand Years in thy Sight are but as Yesterday, seeing that is past as a Watch in the Night. As soon as thou scatterest them, they are even as a Sleep, and fade away suddenly like the Grass. In the Morning it is green and groweth up, but in the Evening it is cut down, dried up and withered. Do thou therefore, O LORD, † let me know my End, and the Number of my Days, that I may be certified how long I have to live. Behold thou hast made my Days, as it were a Span long, and mine Age is nothing in respect of Thee; and verily every Man living is altogether Vanity. And now, LORD, what is my Hope? Truly my Hope is even in Thee. Deliver me from all mine Offences, and O spare me a little that I may recover my Strength, before I go hence and be no more seen. Such Thoughts as these of our Friend's, and of our own Mortality, would excite us to prepare for our own Change.

And as this Form of Procession is an Em

* Psal. xc.

† Psal. xxxix.

blem

« ForrigeFortsett »