the present proprietor has lately erected a small round column, with a cavity in the centre for admitting the fire end of the pole, and into this it is now placed. After being allowed to burn on the "durie" for a few minutes, the "Clavie" is most unceremoniously hurled from its place, and the smoking embers scattered among the assembled crowd, by whom, in less enlightened times, they were eagerly caught at and fragments of them carried home and carefully preserved as charms against witchcraft. At one time superstition invested the whole proceedings with all the solemnity of a religious rite, the whole population joining in it as an act necessary to the welfare and prosperity of the little community during the year about to commence. The "Clavie" has now, however, degenerated into a mere frolic, kept up by the youngsters more for their own amusement than for any benefit which the due performance of the ceremony is believed to secure.-N. & Q. 2nd S. vol. ix. p. 38; see also N. & Q. 2nd S. vol. ix. pp. 106, 169, 269; and Book of Days, vol. ii. pp. 789-791. ORKNEY. It was formerly the custom in Orkney for large bands of the common class of people to assemble on New Year's Eve, and pay a round of visits, singing a song which commenced as follows: "This night it is guid New'r E'en's night, We're a' here Queen Mary's men; And we're come here to crave our right, Brand's Pop. Antiq, 1849, vol. i. p. 9; see IRELAND. On the last night of the year a cake is thrown against the outside door of each house by the head of the family, which -ceremony is said to keep out hunger during the ensuing one. -Croker, Researches in the South of Ireland, 1824, p. 233. A correspondent of N. & Q. (5th S. vol. iii. p. 7) says, on New Year's Day about the suburbs at the County Down side of Belfast, the boys run about carrying little twisted wisps of straw, which they offer to persons whom they meet, or throw into their houses, as New Year's offerings, and expect to get in return any small present, such as a little money or a piece of bread. About Glenarm, on the coast of County Antrim, the "wisp" is not used, but on this day the boys go about from house to house, and are regaled with bannocks of oaten bread, buttered; these bannocks are baked specially for the occasion, and are commonly small, thick, and round, and with a hole through the centre. Any person who enters a house on New Year's Day must either eat or drink before leaving it. INDEX. ABBÉ de Liesse, 459 Ale, the Whitsun, 278 Alleluia, Funeral of the, 45 All Saints' Day, 404 All Souls' Day, 409 All Souls' Eve, 405 Andisop, 431 Andrew's (St.), Day, 429 Andrew's (St.), Under Shaft, 247 Anne's (St.) Day, 346, 357 Apples, ducking for, on Halloween, 394 Apple-trees, wassailing of, 450 Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Aughrim, battle of, 340 Bacchus, Verses written in honour Bacon, gammon of, eaten at Easter, 162 Bairn-bishop, 291 Baker's Clem, 423 Balmoral Castle, Halloween at, 401 Bannich Bruader, 90 Bannich Junit, 89 Barchan's (St.) Day, 437 Barnabas' (St.) Day, 310 Barring out, 72 Bartholomew's (St.) Day, 361 Bay, used as a decoration at Beans, kings created by, 20 Beating the Bounds, 210 Bedfordshire, 151, 205, 290, 374, Bees, Superstition regarding, 451 Beltein, 223, 269 Berkshire, 119, 152, 191, 194, 233, Bezant, festival at Shaftesbury, 207 Biddenham Cakes, 165 Boy's Bailiff, 287 Boy Bishop, 291, 432 Boyne, battle of, 337 Braggot Sunday, 117 Bread, baked on Good Friday, 149 Brices' (St.) Day, `421 Bridget's (St.) Eve, 344 169, 210, 234, 290, 291, 314, 323, Bull-baiting, 369, 439 Buns, made on Good Friday, 150, Burning out the Old Year, 506 Bustard, eaten at Christmas, 456 Candle Day, 428 Candlemas Ba', 57 Candlemas bleeze or blaze, 56 Candlemas Candle, 55 Candlemas Day, 54 Candlemas Eve, 52 Card-playing at Christmas, 463 Careing Fair, 118 Charles I., King of England, exe- Charles II., King of England, cele- Cheese, given away at Christmas, Cheshire, 69, 169, 195, 210, 234, Chimney Sweepers' Dance, 231 Christ's Presentation, 54 Christmas under the Common- Christmas Book, 456 Christmas Box, 19, 493 Daft Days, 505 'Dart, throwing the,' 370 'Dead and Living Ford,' 17 Deptford Fair, 296 Derbyshire, 30, 39, 74, 99, 105, 128, 165, 170, 211, 237, 283, Desmas, one of the thieves cruci- Devils' Knell, 452 Devonshire, 20, 59, 76, 100, 152, 'Dipping,' 5 |