In Great Britain, St. John's eve was celebrated with bonfires; and Easter had its fire rites, which. although incorporated in the service of the Roman Catholic church, were clearly of heathen origin. But the great day for bonfires lit the British islands was the 1st of Nov. Fewer traces of this are found in other countries. and therefore •c must look upon it as more peculiarly Celtic. While the May festival of B. was in honor of the sun•god in his character of god of war—who had just put to flight the forces of cold Nov. festival was to celebrate his beneficent influence in protluc the fruits which had just been gathered in. Ilence it was called S.,. ttahtheine (peace-. fire). If we may judge from the traces that still remain or have been recorded, the Nov. observances were more of a private nature, every house having its bonfire and its offer ings, probably of fruits, concluding with a domestic feast. The B. festival. again, was public, and attended by bloody sacrifices. Although the Nov. bonfires, like B., were probably of Celtic origin, they seem to have been adopted by tlie inhabitants of the British islands generally. . About the end of last century they were still kindled in vari ous parts of England, and to this clay. over whole districts of Aberdeenshire, every rural dwelling, has its hallow-e'en bonfire lighted at nightfall in an adjoining stuhble-field.
The Anglo-Saxon population of England bad their own characteristic 3lay-day rites; hut there exist traces also of the observance among them nn that day of rites similar to the Celtic beltane. An "Old Holne Curate." writing to Notes and Queries in 1853, flays:
At the village of llolne, situated on one of the spurs of Dartmoor, is a field of about two acres, the ?roperty of the parish, and called the ploy (play) field. In the center of this standsn granite pillar (Menhir) 6 or 7 ft. high. On May morning, before daybreak, the young men of the village issemble there, and then proceed to the moor, where they select a rani Iamb (doubtless with the consent of the owner), and after running it down, bring it in triumph to the ploy field. fasten it to the pillar. cut its throat. and then roast it whole, skin, wool, etc. At mid-day, a struggle takes place, at the risk of cut hands, for a slice, it being supposed to confer luck: for the ensiling year on the fortunate devourer. As an act of gallantry, in high esteem among the females, the young men sometimes fight their way through the crowd to get. a slice for their chosen among the young women, all of whom, in their best dresses, attend the ram feast, as it is called. Dancing, wrestling. and other games, assisted by copious libations of eider during the afternoon. prolong the festivities till midnight.
The time, the place (looking e.), the mystic pillar. and the ram. surely bear some evidence in favor of the ram feast bang a sacrifice to Baal." Additional notices of this sun and fire worship will be found under YULE, CANDLE MAS, LANIMAS, and the other heads referred to in this article.