Observations on popular antiquities chiefly illustrating the origin of our vulgar customs, ceremonies, and superstitions / by John Brand.

  • John Brand
Date:
1900
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Observations on popular antiquities chiefly illustrating the origin of our vulgar customs, ceremonies, and superstitions / by John Brand. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    83/858 (page 67)
    “bearing of Palms on Palm Sunday is in memory of the receiving of Christ into Hierusalem a little before his death, and that we may have the same desire to receive him into our hearts.” Wheatley informs us that palms were used to be borne here with us till 2 Edward VI.; and the Rhemish translators of the New Testament mention also the bearing of palms on this day in their country when it was Catholic. An interpretation of this cerdmoily similar to that given in King Henry VlII.’s proclamation occurs in Bishop Bonner’s Injunc- tions. “To cary their Palmes discreatlye,” is among the Roman Catholic customs censured by John Bale in his Declaration of Bonner’s Articles, as is “ to conjure Palmes.” In Howes’s edition of Stowe’s Chronicle, it is stated, under the year 1548, that “this yeere the cere- mony of bearing of Palmes on Palme Sonday was left off, and not used as before.” That the remembrance of this custom, however, was not lost is evident. In Articles to be inquired of within the Arch- deaconry of Yorke, by the Churche Wardens and sworne men, A.D. 163-!- (any year till 1640), 4to, Lond. b. /., I find the following, alluding, it should seem, both to this day and Holy Thursday: “Whether there be any superstitious use of Crosses with Towels, Palmes, Met- wands, or other memories of idolaters.” Douce’s MS. notes say: “ I have somewhere met with a proverbial saying, that he that hath not a Palm in his hand on Palm Sunday must have his hand cut off.” In Yet a Course at the Romishe Foxe, by Johan Harryson: [J. Bale:] printed at Zurich A.D. 1542, the author enumerates some “ auncyent rytes and lawdable ceremonyes of holy churche,” then, it should seem, laid aside, in the following censure of the Bishop: “ Than ought my Lorde also to suffre the same selfe ponnyshment for not rostyng egges in the Palme ashes fyreP &c. In Dives and Pauper, on the first commandment, we read: “ On Palme Sondaye at procession the priest drawith up the veyle before the rode, and falleth down to the ground with all the people, and saith thrice, Ave Rex Master, Hayle be thou our King.—He speketh not to the image that the carpenter hath made, and the peinter painted, but if the priest be a foie, for that stock or stone was never King ; but he speakethe to hym that died on the crosse for us all, to him that is Kynge of all thynge.” “ Upon Palm Sunday,” says Carew, in his Survey of Cornwall, “ at our Lady Nant’s Well, at Little Colan, idle-headed seekers resorted, with a Palm Crosse in one hand and an Offering in the other. The Offering fell to the priest’s share, the Cross they threw into the Well, which if it swamme, the party should outlive that yeare ; if it sunk, a short ensuing death was boded, and perhaps not altogether untruly, while a foolish conceyt of this halsenyng might the sooner help it on- wards.” The Russians (of the Greek Church) have a very solemn procession on Palm Sunday.