Notes and Queries for Readers and Writers, Collectors and Librarians Volume 9; A Medium of Inter-Communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, Etc (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 Excerpt: ...themselves along the coast. Soon after, they were in their turn overthrown at Mortlach, in Banifshire, by Malcolm IL, and obliged to relinquish most of their newly-acquired possessions in Moray; retaining, however, Burg ead, which they had greatly strengthened. But in the year 1012, Cnute (Canute), afterwards King of England, who had been sent by his father, Svend (Sweyn), with a large fleet and army to retrieve past disasters, being vanquished by the Scots at Cruden, on the coast of Buchan, w ere he had landed, a treaty was concluded, according to which the invaders agreed to abandon all former con uests, and to CV8.cuate Burghead, which was thus time last stronghold they held in the Lowlands of Scotland. (Account of the Danes, ' 'c., pp. 2l4--2l7.) At p. 83. o the work to which I have just rcferred, and which I r ret I had not an opportunity of consulting til? after my first Note was written, the following passage occurs: --" Yule, or the mid-winter feast, was in the olden times, as it still partly is, the greatest festival in the countries of Scandinavia. Yule bonfires were kindled round about as festival tires to scare witches and wizards... and the descendants of the Northnien in Yorkshire and the aucient Northumberland, do not even now neglect to place s large piece of wood on the fire at Christmas Evc. Superstitions persons do not, however, allow the whole to be consumed, but take it out of the fire again in order to preserve it until the following year." One cannot read this without being reminded of the embers of the " Clfivie," "carried home and carefully preserved as charms against witchcraft" (2"" S. ix. 39.); but the Burghead ceremon has still peculiarities which render it worthy ofysp...