progress of decay will continue. We have entered upon a diminished inheritance. Still it is surprising to find how much has been left; how tenaciously the English race clings to that which habit and usage have established; how ancient customs hold sway in the palace, the parliament, the army, the law courts, amongst educated people as well as unlearned rustics; how they cluster around our social institutions, are enshrined in religious ceremonial, and are preserved by law; how carefully they have been guarded through the many ages of their existence, and how deeply rooted they are in the affections of the English people. It is really remarkable that at the present day, in spite of ages of education and social enlightenment, in spite of centuries of Christian teaching and practice, we have now amongst us many customs which owe their origin to pagan beliefs and the superstitions of our heathen forefathers, and have no other raison d'être for their existence than the wild legends of Scandinavian mythology.

I desire to express my thanks to more than

sixty correspondents in different parts of the country for the kind aid they have given me in collecting information for this work. It has often been difficult to determine whether during recent years particular customs have become defunct, and the only method of acquiring trustworthy information has been to communicate with local authorities. I have been fortunate in finding able writers, folk-lorists, and antiquaries in all parts of England, who have kindly written to me concerning the customs in their localities, and furnished me with most valuable information. I gratefully preserve their names:

Dr. Williamson, Surrey.
Miss Banfield, Cornwall.
Rev. H. Kingsford, Worcester.
V. G. Hewett, Esq., Kent.
S. Andrew, Esq., Lancashire.
Rev. G. B. Brooks, Bucks.
C. J. Billson, Esq., Leicester.
Rev. Dr. Lee, Bucks.
Rev. W. Norman, Bedford.

R. M. Dawkins, Esq., Devon.

Mrs. Musters, Notts.

W. M. Brookes, Esq., Yorks.

Rev. E. H. Goddard, Wilts.
Rev. J. B. Jones, Cornwall.

Rev. W. Poole, Hereford.
Rev. A. J. Edwards, Beds.

R. P. L. Booker, Esq., Eton College.
Professor Rhys, Oxford.

Rev. E. Atkinson, Cambridge.

Rev. W. H. Sewell, Suffolk.

Rev. H. F. Howard, Berks.
T. M. Fallow, Esq., Yorks.
Rev. J. Moreton, Cornwall.
J. Bagnall, Esq., Stafford.
Rev. E. Bradley, Lichfield.
W. H. Evans, Esq., Berks.
Capt. Dickinson (Army).
Major R. Holden (Army).
G. F. Alldritt, Esq., Surrey
Commander Edye.
Capt. Anson, R.N.

Rev. C. P. Winter, Wales.
Rev. W. C. Box, Northants.
Miss Righton, Kent.
Rev. Canon Beach (Army).
Miss Cornwall, Gloucester.
Rev. H. J. Carter, Cambridge.
W. Cudworth, Esq., Yorks.
Rev. C. V. Goddard, Dorset.
Lady Read, Wales.

P. Manning, Esq., Oxford.

Sir George Birdwood.

Rev. W. G. Rutherford, Westminster.

Mrs. L. Simonds, Hants.

E. Armstrong, Esq., Oxford.
Rev. Augustin Ley, Hereford.
Rev. A. J. M'Caul, London.
Rev. J. H. Fleming, Norfolk.
Rev. E. C. Bond, Devon.
Rev. J. L. Francis, Devon.
W. Norbury, Esq., Cheshire.
Rev. W. H. Lyon, Dorset.
Rev. C. Farrow, Yorks.

Rev. E. A. Chichester, Surrey.

Rev. G. Parr, Middlesex.

Rev. W. H. Connor, Northumberland.

Rev. G. B. Vaux, Kent.

Rev. A. W. Headlam, Durham.

G. E. Dartnell, Esq., Wilts.

J. W. Bradley, Stafford.
Mrs. Ogle, Cheshire.

Rev. J. B. Robins, Oxford.

I am of course indebted to Notes and Queries, which has for so many years devoted much of its space to the preserving of the records of ancient customs. The labours of the Folk-Lore Society are well known, and their publications have been very useful to me in the progress of this work. Finally, I have to express my thanks to Mrs. Gomme, who, in conjunction with her husband, the first President of the Folk-Lore Society, has

done so much for the study of the science of Folk-lore, and who has most kindly assisted me in revising the proof-sheets of this work. For the loan of the illustration of the Faversham Moot Horn I am indebted to the editor and publisher of Mr. Ll. Jewitt's book on Corporation Plate.

BARKHAM RECTORY,

Midsummer-day 1896.

P. H. DITCHFIELD.