Britain ... - Blue-Lite

NOTES TO THE DEVOTED ONE.
251
and both sexes, as the period predicted more nearly approached,
resorted thither in order to await the final consummation.
Vaisette, in L'Histoire de Languedoc, has preserved a French
charter, which begins with
"
Appropinquante mundi ter-
mino," &c. Houses and lands were given up, as of little or no
value, and the whole of Christendom appeared running mad.
The Princess Anna Comnena might well say, "All Europe, torn
up from its foundations, seemed ready to precipitate itself on
Asia in one united mass."
In the History of the Middle Ages may be found v. v. p. 125,
an analysis of La Nobla Leyczon, a poem of the Vaudois,
written in 1100; and it begins with stating, that the end of
the world was then approaching.
( 21 ) I'll have thy tongue cut out. Such is the law
For false and slanderous railers. . . . p. 175.
Leges Sax. This old law was confirmed by Canute.
( 22 )
This joyous night,
Gay Summer's festival, the woods will ring
With harp and timbrel p. 186.
Of the long continuance of these Baal-fires, and May-day
sports, we shall give a few extracts. Stow "
says, In the
month of May, the citizens of London of all estates, generally
in every parish, and in some instances two or three parishes
joining together, had their several Mayings, and did fetch their
May-poles with divers warlike shows ; with good archers,
morrice-dances, and other devices for pastime, all day long;
and towards evening they had stage-plays and bonfires in the
streets. These great Mayings and May-games were made by
the governors and masters of the city, together with the triumphant
setting up of the great shaft, or principal May-pole,
in Cornhill, before the parish church of Saint Andrew, which was
thence called Saint Andrew Undershaft." Survey of London.
The May-pole being set up near the church, sufficiently
speaks its original connexion with religion. We remember
to have been told, that in our native village the May-pole used
to stand opposite the church-gate.
Strutt says, in his Sports and Pastimes, " No doubt the Maygames
are of long standing, though the time of their institution
cannot be traced." Strutt never dreamt of going to India for
their
origin.
The May-pole, like the Round Tower of Ireland, was the
Phallus of Greece, borne in her mystic processions, and the
Lingham of India, the emblem of the procreative power, the