peal bewails the slaughter of
the children on Holy Innocents' Day. The boar's head is still brought
in triumph into the hall of Queen's College. Old women "go a-gooding"
or mumping on St. Thomas's Day, and "hoodening" or horse-head mumming
is practised at Walmer, and bull-hoodening prevails at Kingscote, in
Gloucestershire. The ancient custom of "goodening" still obtains at
Braughing, Herts. The _Hertfordshire Mercury_ of December 28, 1907,
states that on St. Thomas's Day (December 21) certain of the more
sturdy widows of the village went round "goodening," and collected L4
14s. 6d., which was equally divided among the eighteen needy widows of
the parish. In 1899 the oldest dame who took part in the ceremony was
aged ninety-three, while in 1904 a widow "goodened" for the thirtieth
year in succession. In the _Herts and Cambs Reporter_ for December 23,
1904, is an account of "Gooding Day" at Gamlingay. It appears that in
1665 some almshouses for aged women (widows) were built there by Sir
John Jacob, Knight. "On Wednesday last (St. Thomas's Day)," says this
journal, "an interesting ceremony was to be seen. The old women were
gathered at the central doorway ... preparatory to a pilgrimage to
collect alms at the houses of the leading inhabitants. This old
custom, which has been observed for nearly three hundred years, it is
safe to say, will not fall into desuetude, for it usually results in
each poor widow realising a gold coin." In the north of England
first-footing on New Year's Eve is common, and a dark-complexioned
person is esteemed as a herald of good fortune. Wassailing exists in
Lancashire, and the apple-wassailing has not quite died out on Twelfth
Night. Plough Monday is still observed in Cambridgeshire, and the
"plough-bullocks" drag around the parishes their ploughs and perform a
weird play. The Haxey hood is still thrown at that place in
Lincolnshire on the Feast of the Epiphany, and valentines are not
quite forgotten by rural lovers.

Shrovetide is associated with pancakes. The pancake bell is still rung
in many places, and for some occult reason it is the season for some
wild football games in the streets and lanes of several towns and
villages. At St. Ives on the Monday there is a grand hurling match,
which resembles a Rugby football contest without the kicking of the
ball, which is about the size of a cricket-ball, made of cork or light
wood. At Ashbourne on Shrove-Tuesday thousands join in the game, the