arried
that year.

On the new year, in some parts of Brittany, pieces of bread-and-butter are
thrown into the fountains, and from the way in which they swim the future
is foretold. If the buttered side turns under, it forebodes death; if two
pieces adhere together, it is a sign of sickness; and if the piece floats,
it is an assurance of long life and happiness.

The veneration for springs and healing wells is of very ancient date, and
was prohibited by early councils of the Church; but the worship of that
element from which suffering humanity seeks for relief in all its ailments
has passed through succeeding creeds, and that which was held sacred a
thousand years back is still the object of reverence and affection.

Nor is the sculpture outside the church less remarkable than the interior.
The west door, now fallen to decay, has an arch with double entrance
separated by a column containing a benitier. A wreath of curled leaves
runs round the arch, and on a bracket of thistle-leaves formerly stood a
statue of John V.

The north side has little ornament. The great richness is in the south,
where is the fine porch of Bishop Alain de la Rue, who consecrated the
building, and more splendid still, is, at the angle formed by the
projecting sacristy facing the west, the Porch of the Apostles. The twelve
Apostles are ranged on each side, under rich canopies; the whole porch one
mass of floral decoration, vine-leaves and mallows, interspersed with
dragons, birds, and insects. On the right of the porch is a crouching
figure with a label inscribed: "Bn soiez venz,"--"Bien soiez venuz" or
"Soyez les bien venus"--an invitation to the faithful to enter into the
church. On the lintel of the two doors are ermines passant, and the motto
of the Dukes of Brittany, "A ma vie," and towards the south are the
remains of a whole cornice of ermines, running through the rings of a long
scroll inscribed with "A ma vie." This motto was first taken by Duke John
IV. (who instituted the order of the Ermine) to imply that he had
conquered Brittany, and would maintain it, even at the cost of his life,
"a ma vie."(13)

The collar consisted of a double chain, in each of which were four
ermines, and two more hung suspended from two chains, surmounted by
coronets. The motto "A ma vie" was placed round each of these ten ermines.
The Pere Lobineau quotes a history of Duke John, in which the order is
thus spoken of:--

"Lors fit mander tous les Pr