The mysteries of all nations : rise and progress of superstition, laws against and trials of witches, ancient and modern delusions : together with strange customs, fables, and tales ... / by James Grant.

  • Grant, James (Archaeologist)
Date:
1880
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The mysteries of all nations : rise and progress of superstition, laws against and trials of witches, ancient and modern delusions : together with strange customs, fables, and tales ... / by James Grant. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    for the dead. The practice became common after this, and the next century a general festival was established, having for its object the release of suffering souls. Persons dressed in black went round the towns, ringing bells on the streets, every Sunday evening during the month of November, calling upon the inhabitants to remember the deceased suffering the expiatory flames of purgatory, and to join in prayer for the repose of their souls. The practice is still continued in some places, but an edict for its abolition was passed in the reign of EHzabeth. Praying for the dead, and offering sacrifices at their tombs, were early resorted to. Ovid ascribes the origin of the ceremonies to JEneas; and Virgil favours this idea in his fifth book. Certain saints declared that they heard the bowlings of devils, as they complained of the souls of men being taken away from them, through the alms and prayers of holy people. The Romans held a festival which lasted eleven days, during which period they imagined that ghosts were not only relieved from punishment, but were suffered to wander round their tombs. In the Roman Cathohc Church mass is performed for the repose of departed souls; but it is requisite that those who desire to aid their deceased friends should give substantial proof of sincerity. In the Clavis Calendaria we read, When the Duke of Assuna was supplicated for charity by a mendicant friar, he said, 'Put a pistole in this plate, my lord, and you shall release that soul from purgatory, for which you design it.' The duke complying, was assured his charity had been effective. ' Say you so, holy man?' replied his grace; ' then I shall take back my money for a future occasion, as you cannot, nor would you, I am confident, if you were capable, again condemn the poor soul to its former endurance.' Frederick the Great of Prussia, desirous of recovering the revenues of one of his forests from a monastery, demanded of the prior by what title it was held. To this