FUNERAL CUSTOMS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 247, 24 October 1885, Page 5

FUNERAL CUSTOMS.

Quaint Obaoivaneds Practised by English Villagers-" Spade Money."

It is seldom that one nears nowadays of tho observance of tho quaint fun-- 1

Toms which formerly existed in liiuny an English country village, tho Old-World notions which gavo rise to them having died out, owing, perhaps, to the introduction of railways and School Boards. Thus, in tho North of England only a few years ago it was usual to carry "tho doad with tho sun "to the grave—a practico corresponding with the Highland usage of making "the deazil," or walking threo limes around a person according to the courso of the sun. On one occasion, in tho village of Scranton, near West Hartlepool, tho vicar was standing at tho church-yard gate awaiting the arrival of tho funeral procession, whon, much to his surprise, tho entire group, who had come within a few yards of him, Euddenly turned back and marched around tho church-yard wall, thus traversing its wost, north, and east bout daiics. On inquiring tho reason of this oxtraordinory proceduro, one of tho mourners quickly leplied, " Why, yo wad no huo them carry tho dead again the i mi ; the dead maune ny go wi' the sun." This is not unliko a Welsh custom mentioned by I'omiant, who tells us that whon a corpse was. conveyed to tho church-yard from any part of the town great caro was taken that it always should be carried tho wholo distanco on tho right hand side of tho road. From .time immemorial thero has baon a strong feding of ropugnanco among tho inhabitants of rural parishes to burial "without tho sanctuary." This doeß not mean in unconsecratcd ground, but on the north sido of tho church, or in a romoto corner of the church-yard. Tho origin of this prejudice is said to have beon tho notion that tho northorn part was ihat which was appropriated to the interment of unbaptizod infants, excommunicated porsons, or euch ns had laid violont hands upon themselves. Hence it was popularly known as the "wrong sido of tho church." In many parishes, thoreforo, this spot remained unoccupied, while tho remaining portion of tho churchyard was crowded. White, in his " History of Selbourno," alluding to this -operstitious, says that "us most people wished to be buried on tho south side of tho church yard, it became such n mass of mortality that no person could bo interred without disturbing or displaying tho bones of his ancestors." Great attention has been paid, also, to tbo position of the grave, tho popular ono being from east to west, whilo that from tho north to the south has been considered not only dishonourablo but unlucky. A curious surviving custom at Welsh funerals is termed tho " parson's penny." After reading the burial service in tho church, tho clergyman stands behind a table while a Psalm is boing sung. In tho meantime each of tho uiournors places a piece of money on tho tablo for his acceptance This ceromony is regarded as n token of rospect for the decoased, although it was no doubt originally intonded to compensate tho clorgyman for praying for the soul of tho doparted. In somo Welti, parishes also a similar custom called "spado money" is kept up. After tho corpso has 'been committed to its rosting-placo the gravo-diggor presents hi. spudo as a recopliielo for donations, theso offerings, which often ninoun. to a goodly sum,being regardod as his perquisite. Tn Yorkshire, at tho funeral of tho rich in former days, it was customary to hand "burnt wine" to tho company in a silver flagon, out of which every ono drank. This beverage seems to havo been n heated preparation of port wino with sujr.ir and spice, and should any romaio.it was sent round in tho flagon to tho houses of friends for distribution This, of course, was a spe •'_.. of funeral feast, called in tho North of England a. " arval "—a lingering survival of the offerings that woro originally made to tho ghost of the deceased. Among the superstitions that still ding to the church-yard may be mentioned ono that has existed ft -n tho most remote period, and which bus - vested it with nn atmosphere of drean .t having boon gonorally supposed that t -v nro haunted by spectres and appn.ili . Indeed, it has boon truly pointed out v? ilr Taylor that, through all tho changes oi ie liglous thought from first to last in tho course of human history, tho hovering

ghotta of tho dead ninko tho midnight burial-ground a place whero men's llc.h creeps with terror. — " Boston Times,"