In our introduction to The Poets and Superstition we
noticed briefly particular classes of Druids—the Bardi and
Vates. We now proceed to give fuller details of the Druids, a
class of people who played a not unimportant part among the
nations in olden times. There were male and female Druids; the
latter generally called Druides. Both the men and women laid
claim to supernatural power and knowledge.
The Druids were expert at legerdemain, and, by their
astonishing exploits, sustained among an ignorant people a
reputation of being magicians. They devoted much time to the
study of astrology, observing closely the heavenly bodies,
through which they pretended they could predict events kept
secret from ordinary mortals. The Druids exercised the functions
of magistrates, priests, teachers, and physicians. As judges,
their authority was unlimited;[Pg 263] they desired the
people to believe that not only had they the power of imposing
punishment in this world, but that they might sentence offenders
to torment in the world beyond the grave.
The Arch-Druid wore a gold chain round his neck, from which
was suspended a gold plate, having engraved thereon, "The gods
require sacrifice," and on the front of the Druid's cap was a
golden representation of the sun, and a silver representation of
a half moon.
They believed in one supreme being; supposed that the soul was
immortal; and thought the spirit of man began to exist in the
meanest insect, and that it proceeded through the lower orders of
existence, rising at every new birth until it reached the human
body. When the soul animated the human form, a knowledge of good
and evil dawned upon the being, who then became responsible for
the thoughts and actions of life. If one chose evil instead of
good, the soul, it was asserted, went after death into an
inferior grade of animal life, low in proportion to the
sinfulness of that existence. Those who chose the better part
became at last so exalted that evil had no power over them, and
they were happy for ever and ever. It was also believed that the
beatified soul retained the love of its country and relations,
and that the spirits of the good sometimes returned to earth, and
became prophets among mankind, that they might assist in teaching
divine things, and oppose the evil one.
The Druids were worshippers of Bel, Beal, Bealan, from whence
come the Beltane or Bealteine feasts, of which they observed four
of considerable importance every year, viz. those of May-eve,
Midsummer-eve, and of the eve of the 1st of November, and of the
eve of the 10th of March. With Druidical religious rites were
blended Arkite and Sabian superstition. Dancing round the
May-pole, old authors say, took its rise from the Druidical
custom of dancing on the green to the song of the cuckoo.
Taliesin,[Pg 264] the Druidical bard, informs us
that those who joined in the mystical movements went according to
the course of the sun, as they attached much importance to the
ceremony of going three times round their sacred circle from the
east to west. At the celebration of sacred mysteries there was a
caldron for the preparation of a decoction from plants held in
high esteem. This liquor being holy, possessed rare virtues, one
of which was the power of inspiring those who partook thereof, or
to whom it was applied. The caldron was kept boiling a year and a
day. During this time, at certain hours and under particular
planets, plants possessed of peculiar properties were collected
and added to the caldron's contents.
Not only did the sacred liquor, properly applied, enable one
to see into futurity, but it was supposed to confer immortality
on those who bathed in it. Further, by its application, the dead
might have been brought to life again. All the sacred utensils
and the company assembled at mystical feasts were purified with
the decoction.
Initiation into the Druidical mysteries was something
dreadful. None but those of strong nerve could successfully pass
through the ordeal, all of which took place at night. Every one
admitted into the fraternity bound himself by a solemn oath, like
a freemason, not to commit to writing or divulge the secrets
revealed to him.
In various parts of the country there were "the goodmane's
land and the guidman's fauld," to cultivate which it was supposed
would be followed by dire calamities. These places were,
according to popular opinion, frequented by fairies and other
supernatural beings. Music was often heard, and dancing seen, at
such places. There, too, people are reported to have been enticed
into subterranean abodes, and retained for years. Places
dedicated to gods and demi-gods lay uncultivated, though the
surrounding ground bore good crops. For these acts of self-denial
in permitting ground to remain[Pg 265] waste which might
have been producing good fruit, "the good neighbours" sent
untold-of blessings. To secure prosperity, goodmanes attached
themselves to deserving persons and families, making their crops
plentiful, causing their cows to have calves, and giving milk in
abundance. We have an account of how offerings were presented to
those demi-gods at stated occasions. The people made a circle on
the ground, in which they kindled a fire, and then cooked a mess,
consisting of milk, butter, eggs, and meal, for the beings whose
favour they desired to secure for the first time, or whose
continued good service was wished. Cakes were baked and offered
to the manes in this manner: piece after piece was broken off the
cake or bannock and thrown over the left shoulder, while the
desire was expressed aloud, that those to whom the offering was
made would preserve the cattle, horses, and other animals and
substance from the power of evil spirits. In the same way, or
after a fashion somewhat similar, beasts of prey were
propitiated.
Then there were sacred cairns, consisting of stones thrown
together by passers by, every one adding his stone. If any one
removed these cairns, or part thereof, superstitious people
predicted evil to the spoiler. The late Rev. James Rust, in his
Druidism Exhumed, mentions that circles stood on the spot
where one of the extensive manufactories at Grandholm, near
Aberdeen, has been built. The people, shocked at the removal of
the Druidical works, predicted retributive justice to those who
disturbed the sacred relics. For a long time every misadventure
to the company, or to individuals connected therewith, was
attributed to the sacrilegious action.
Trees were sometimes dedicated to demons. The people
worshipped such trees, holding them in the highest esteem that
any earthly thing could be regarded. It was a capital offence to
cut off a branch or shoot from one of them. King Cnut passed a
law forbidding the worship[Pg 266] of the sun, moon,
fire, rivers, wells, stones, or forest trees of any kind.
Mr. Rust gives the following extracts from the Kirk Session
records of the parish of Slains, which bear upon Druidical
superstitions:—
"18th November 1649.—The sd day the Minister
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.
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