martyr, who was stoned to death by the Jews. He was chosen by the Christian Church as one of the first deacons. On this day it was an ancient custom to gallop horses until they perspired and bled them. Thomas Tusser says:— "Ere Christmas be passed, let horse be let blood, ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST'S DAY. Old Consecrated wine was anciently sold by the priests on the 27th of December, the festival of St. John the Evangelist, to prevent the effects of poison, storms, &c; because St. John had been forced to drink poison. He, however, died a natural death, and expired at Ephesus, at the advanced age of 94, A.D. 100. CHILDERMAS, OR HOLY INNOCENTS' DAY. This day is observed on the 28th December in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Church of England, to perpetuate the massacre of the innocents by Herod. It was formerly considered a very unlucky day, and people never got married on it. Children were formerly whipped on this day by their parents "in order that the memories of Herod's murder of the innocents might stick the closer." TRANSLATION OF SAINTS. Of the origin of the translation of saints, a great deal has been written; it is, however, generally supposed to take its data from the following:-In the year 359, the emperor Constantius, out of a presumed, and perhaps not inconsistent respect, caused the remains of St. Andrew and St. Luke to be removed from their ancient place of interment, to the Temple of the Twelve Apostles, at Constantinople; and from that example, the practise of searching for the bodies of saints and martyrs increased so rapidly, that in the year 386, we find almost the whole of the devotees engaged in that pursuit. Relics, of course, speedily became of considerable value; and as they were all alleged to possess peculiar virtues, no expense of labour were spared to provide such treasures for every public religious foundation. Ameruth Peyral, in his manuscript "Chronicle of the Popes," says that England is remarkable for its number of saints, whose bodies it has preserved from corruption. He observes, there is no soil so adapted to preserve corpses from corruption, as the soil of this country. Upon this ground, it is supposed, popish writers might imagine relics more plentiful than otherwise. SICILIAN VESPERS. One of those bloody massacres which disgrace history, began at Palermo March 30th, 1282. The inhabitants had conceived a bitter hatred against Charles of Anjou, and there was a conspiracy against him, which suddenly came to a head by the accident of a Frenchman insulting a bridal procession, and he was at once stabbed, the populace rose to arms, and 200 of the French were instantly assassinated; the flame of vengeance was kindled, and 8,000 were put to death before they could stand on their defence, the sanctuary of the altar affording them no security. From Palermo the massacre spread throughout the island. The signal for the slaughter was the sounding of the vesper bell, whence came the term of the Sicilian Vespers. The meaning of the word Wretch is one not generally understood. It was originally, and is now, in some parts of England, used as a term of the softest and fondest tenderness. This is not the only instance in which words in their present general acceptation bear a very opposite meaning to what they did in Shakespeare's time. The word Wench, formerly, was not used in that low and vulgar acceptation it is at present. Damsel was the appellation of young ladies of quality, and Dame a title of distinction. Knave once signified a servant; and in an early translation of the New Testament, instead of "Paul the Servant," we read "Paul the Knave of Jesus Christ." On the other hand, the word Companion, instead of being the |