any sinister zeale shall maliciously omit so fortunate a name, shall be severely punished for his obstinate, erroneous heart and perverse mind." "Havoc!" To cry "havoc" appears to have been a signal for indiscriminate slaughter. The expression occurs in "King John" (ii. 1): "Cry havoc, kings!" In " Coriolanus" Menenius says (iii. 1): "Do not cry havoc, where you should but hunt And in "Julius Cæsar" (iii. 1): "Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war." It Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill him!” This was the ancient cry of the English troops when they charged the enemy. occurs where the conspirators kill Coriolanus (v. 6). Leet-Ale. This was the dinner provided for the jury and customary tenants at the court-leet of a manor, or “view of frank-pledge," formerly held once or twice a year, before the steward of the leet.' To this court Shakespeare alludes in the "Taming of the Shrew" (i. 2), where the servant tells Sly that in his dream he would “rail upon the hostess of the house," and threaten to "present her at the leet." Aubrey, in his MS. History of Wiltshire, 1678, tells us, too, how "in the Easter holidays was the Clerk's ale for his private benefit, and the solace of the neighbourhood." 1 See page 312. INDEX. Aconite, its deadly poison, 201. Agate, applied to a diminutive person, Ague, spider a cure for, 258. Air, drizzling dew, 90. All hid, all hid, children's game, 395. Alphabet, called Christ-cross-row, 508. Anemone, legend relating to, 203. Antic, a dance, 424. Ariel, fairy so called, 83, 162. Aroint thee, meaning of, 41. Barley-break, 396. Bartholomew's (St.) Day, 321. Basins, burning, held before the eyes, Bat, superstitions relating to, 162. Bate, term in falconry, 125, note. Bear, folk-lore of, 163; caught by mir- Beard, characteristic of a witch, 29; Belemite, 92. Bell, tolling of, at funerals, 381; curfew, Aspen, supplied wood of Cross, 208; Belly-blind, old game, 409. Bakie bird, name of bat, 163. oil of consecration, 211. Bergomask, dance, 424. Bilboes, punishment, 435. Bird-batting, 398, note. Birding, term of hawking, 128. Biting of thumb, as an insult, 492. Black Monday, 302, 303. Balm, curative properties of, 210; as Bleeding, custom of, in spring, 266; cures for, 264, 265. Blessed thistle, 222. Blindness, 266. Blindworm, 255. Blister, superstition relating to, 266. ences, 477; phrases connected with, | Check, term in hawking, 123. 476, 477. Blood-drinking sighs, 289. Blood-sucker, namie for leech, 281. Boiling to death, old punishment, 433. Boots, to give the, harvest custom, 322. Brain, notions relating to, 478. Breech, term for whipping, 436. Bridal-bed, blessing of, 355; decorating Bridal couple serenaded, 357. Bride's veil, 353; hair loose at wedding Brine, soaking in, old punishment, 434. Bully-rook, term of reproach, 153. Cakes and ale at festivals, 33. Canary, old dance, 425. Candles of the night, stars so called, 83. Cards, playing, 401. Carp, most cunning of fishes, 497. Castor and Pollux, meteors so called, Cat, familiar of witches, 168-171; said Cataract, 268, 269. Cattle, destroyed by witches, 39. Cherry-pit, old game, 401. Cherry-tree, in connection with cuckoo- Chess, 402. Chester mysteries, 311. Chewet, meaning of term, 101. Children of the revels, 297. Christening day, 338. Christenings, entertainments at, 338. Chrysolite, supernatural virtues of, 391. Cinders of the elements, stars so called, Cinque-pace, old dance, 425. Clare's (St.) fire, meteor so called, 83. Clover-flowers, 212. Cobwebs, used for stanching blood, 265. Cockatrice, superstitions relating to, Cock-chafer, old name for, 100. Cockle, badge of pilgrims, 498. Cock-shut time, name for twilight, 159. Coddling, apple so called, 206. Colt, its metaphorical use, 175; pixey, 6. Ceremonies, omens from sacrifices, 506. Cony-catch, term for cheating, 196. Chaffinch, 100. Challenge, glove sent as a, 537. Chameleon, said to feed on air, changes color, 174. Changelings, II, 24, 333, 334. Charles's wain, So. Charms, 506. Cooling-card, 415. Coranto, old dance, 426. 173; Cormorant, 108. Corpse, unlucky to keep on board, 370. Couch-grass, 243. 66 Coventry Mysteries," 313. Crab, name of apple, 205. Crants, name for garlands, 374. Crispin's (St.) Day, 325. Demonology, 52-61. Dennis, St., patron saint of France, Devil, cloven foot of, 57. Crocodile, tears of, 176; said to be de- Devil's Dyke, myth of, 189. ceitful, 176. Cross, wood of, 208. Cross-bow, shooting with, 178. Cross-road, ghosts of suicides haunt, 382. Disedge, term in falconry, 127. Curtal dog, 183. Cut, name for a horse, 192. Divine right of kings, 512. Dog, its howl ominous, 181, 516; rides Domestic fowl, 113. Dove, customs associated with, 113-115; Dribble, term in archery, 411. Drowning, dangerous to save a person Duck, to swim like a, 116. Duck-hunting, 115. Duels, 509. Cuttle, a foul-mouthed person so called, Dun is in the mire, Christmas game, 403. 278. Dwarf elder, superstition connected Eagle, gazes on the sun, 116; its great Dark-house, term for a mad-house, 50, Ear, tingling of, 480; biting of, expres- Darnel, 215. Date, 215. David's (St.) Day, 226, 303. Death and burial customs, 362-385. Deer, hunting customs relating to, 177- Deformity, superstitions connected with, sion of endearment, 481; want of, for Earthquakes, cause of, 93; ominous, Easter morning, dancing of sun on, 63; on, 302; Monday, 302, 303. unlucky, 72, 516; a bad omen, 65. Eisel, name for vinegar, 292. Elbow, itching of, 481. Elder, tree on which Judas hanged him- Elephant, said to have no joints, 186; Elf-fire, 87, note; elf-locks, 190. Eringoes, 217. Etheldreda's (St.) Day, 324. Flap-jacks, name for pancakes, 299. Flibbertigibbet, a fiend, name also for Flitter-mouse, term for the bat, 163. Evil spirits, assume various forms, 53; Flowers, carried on a maiden's coffin, a dead friend, 55. Exclamations, 529-531. Eyas-musket, name for a young spar- Eye, closing of, at death, 372; bitten, Face, to play the hypocrite, 484. Fast and loose, a cheating game, 403. Fennel, an inflammatory herb, 217. Fever, spider a cure for, 258. Fiery Trigon, 79. Fig, phrases connected with, 218, 219. Finger, itching of, 482. sessed, 56. Flap-dragon, 406. 374; for decorating corpses, 374; 01: Forelooked, term for evil eye, 335. Fortune-tellers, 510. Fox, hunting of, 187; a weapon so called, Frateretto, fiend so calied, 61. Frogs used for divination, 252. Gadfly, 252. Gage, a glove so called, 536, note. Gaudy days, 535. George (St.) and dragon, myth of, 184. Glove, worn as a favor, 536; memorial Goat, superstition relating to, 187. Gold, melted, poured down the throat, Flagellation, treatment for persons pos- Golden-russeting, name of an apple, 206. |