r and
Elderis being conveinit in Sessione ... the Minister
askit at ye Elderis for delationes, and desyrit them
to try if yer was aney hallowe fyres set on be aney of
the parochiners upon a hallarse evine. The sd day the
Minister requirit of the Elderis if they knew aney
peices of land within the paroche that was calit the
goodmane's land or fauld, or dedicated to Satane, or
lattine by unlabourit. They sed yer was ane peice land
in Brogane calit Garlet or guidman's fauld, within
Andrew Robes tak that was not labourit this manie
yeires, for quhat respect they knew not. The Minister
desyrit them to try qrfr it lay unlabourit."

"25th November 1649.--... Intimat that yr be no
Midsumer, no hallow fyres, under the paine of the
haveris of them to be condinglie punishit."

"Sessione the 30th December 1649.--The sd day the
Minister and Elderis being conveinit in Sessione ...
compeirit Thomas Patersone, and confessit that yr was
a peice land in his rowme calit the goodmane's fauld,
quhilk was this long time unlabourit. He is ordainit
to labour it, and promist to do so efter Whitsonday,
qn it was for faching. The sd day the Minister did
inquyr of the Elderis that knew of aney that
superstitiouslie keipit Yoolday. They did all report
that it was not keipit, that they did not yoke yr
pleuches, but yokt their work-horses."

In the same year (1649) the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
appointed a commission of their own number to report to the next
General Assembly as to the Druidical customs observed at the fires at
Beltane, Midsummer, Hallow-e'en, and Yule. All the old customs were
ordered to be discontinued, and the people warned against kindling
fires for superstitious purposes.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Dr. Stuart On the Druids--Their Deities--Augury--Human
Victims--Nature of the Gods--Gauls descendants of
Dis--Funeral Rites--Slaves and Clients burned--What
Pliny says--Tallies used in making known the Will of
Heaven--Walking through the Fire--Barbarous mode of
discovering Future Events--Wonder-working
Eggs--Colours of Eggs, and by whom worn--Virtue of
Globule of Ink--Easter Eggs represent Druidical
Eggs--Origin of the Druids dated from the Dispersal of
Babel--Arch-Druid of the Mountains--Wise Men of