hich is known as the
famous "Book of Sports."

In Ireland on May Day Bale-fires are lighted, and to this day young
men jump through the flames, and children are passed across the
embers, in order to secure them good luck during the coming year. On
this day, too, the Irish kings are supposed to rise from their
graves and gather together a ghostly army of rude warriors to fight
for their country. The wild cries of the shadowy host, the clashing
of shields, and the sound of drums are said to have been heard
during the period of the last rebellion in Ireland.

On one of the Rogation Days, or on Ascension Day, it was the custom
to go in procession round the boundaries of the parish to ask God's
blessing on the fruits of the earth, and as there were few maps and
divisions of land, to call to mind and pass on to the next
generation the boundaries of the township or village. The choir sang
hymns, and under certain trees, which were called Gospel Trees, the
clergyman read the Gospel for the day, with a litany and prayers.
Sometimes boys were whipped, or bumped against trees, or thrown into
a river, in order to impress upon them where the boundaries were.
But they received a substantial recompense afterwards, and the whole
company, when the procession was over, sat down to the perambulation
dinner, and talked about their recollections of former days.

The advantages of this practice are set forth in George Herbert's
description of a country parson. He says, "The country parson is a
lover of old customs, if they be good and harmless. Particularly he
loves procession, and maintains it, because there are contained in
it four manifest advantages, 1. A blessing of God for the fruits of
the earth. 2. Justice in the preservation of bounds. 3. Charity, in
loving, walking, and neighbourly accompanying one another, with
reconciling of differences at that time, if there be any. 4. Mercy,
in relieving the poor by a liberal distribution and largess, which
at that time is, or ought to be, used. Wherefore he exacts of all to
be present at the perambulation, and those that withdraw and sever
themselves from it he mislikes, and rebukes as uncharitable and
unneighbourly; and if they will not reform, presents them" (_i.e._
to the bishop for censure).

This custom is still preserved, or has been revived, in many
parishes, and at Oxford the boys may be seen on Ascension Day
bearing white willow-wands, and beating the bounds of some of the
old c