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Page 48
_BELTANE._
Beltane or Beilteine means _Baals fire_, Baal (Lord) was the name under
which the Phoenicians recognized their primary male god, the Sun: fire
was his earthly symbol and the medium through which sacrifices to him
were offered. Hence sun and fire-worship were identical. I am of opinion
that originally the Beltane festival was held at the Spring equinox but
that its original connection with the equinox, in process of time was
forgotten, and it became a festival inaugurative of summer. There is
some difference of opinion as to the particular day on which the
Beltane festival was held in this country. Dr. Jamieson, Dr. R.
Chambers, and others who have studied this subject say that the 1st May
(old style) was Beltane day. Professor Veitch; in his _History and
Poetry of the Scottish Border_, (p. 118,) says, speaking of the
Druids:--"They worshipped the sun god, the representative of the bright
side of nature--Baal, the fire-giver--and to him on the hill tops they
lit the fire on the end of May, the Beltane." And again, in his remarks
on _Peblis to the Play_, (p. 315,) he says:--"The play was not the name
for a stage play, but indicated the sports and festivals which took
place at Peebles annually at Beltane, the second of May, not the first
of May, as is usually supposed. These had in all probability come in
place of the ancient British practice of lighting fires on the hill tops
in honour of Baal, the sun god, hence the name _Baaltein_, Beltane,
i.e. Baal's fire. The Christian Church had so far modified the
ceremonial as to substitute for the original idolatrous practice that of
a day of rustic amusements. A fair or market at the same period which
lasted for eight days had also been instituted by Royal charter. But
even the practice of lighting fires on the hill tops was late in dying
out, with the usual tenacity of custom it survived for long all memory
of its original meaning."
The Professor writes very positively as to Beltane day being the second
day of May, not the first day as is supposed. The Royal Charter granted
to the Burgh of Peebles for holding a fair or market on Beltane day, is
given in the Burgh Records of Peebles, p. 85:--"As also of holding,
using, enjoying, and exercising within the foresaid Burgh weekly market
days according to the use and custom of the said Burgh, together with
three fairs, thrice in the year, the first thereof beginning yearly upon
the third day of May, called Beltane day, the same to be held and
continued for the space of forty-eight hours thereafter." The date of
the Charter is 1621, but it is evident that the third of May had been
previously kept as Beltane day. The Professor is also mistaken in
stating that the Beltane fair of Peebles was to be kept for eight days.
The third fair, held in August, continued eight days, but the fairs in
May and June were kept for two days according to the Charter. That there
were two days known as Beltane at the beginning of last century is
evident from a book of Scotch proverbs published in 1721 by James Kelly,
A.M., in which occurs the following,--
"You have skill of man and beast,
Ye was born between the Beltans."
In all probability the discrepancy as to the day originated through the
Church substituting a Christian festival for a heathen one; and although
the date was changed, yet through force of custom the name of the old
festival was retained, and in localities where the power of the Church
was comparatively weak, the older, the original day for the festival
would probably be kept as well as the newly appointed Church festival.
This view of the matter is rendered probable from the fact that the
Church did institute a great festival, to be held on the third of May,
to commemorate the finding of the cross of Christ. The legend is as
follows:--When the Empress Helena was at Jerusalem about the end of the
third century, she discovered the cross on which Christ was crucified,
and had it conveyed to the great church built by Constantine her son.
This cross was exhibited yearly to the people, and many miracles were
wrought by it. A festival, as I have said, was instituted in
commemoration of the discovery, and this was held on the third of May,
and was called _Rood_ or _rude_ day. Churches were built and dedicated
to the Holy Rood, among which was that which is now Holyrood Palace.
Where the Church was powerful, as in Edinburgh and Peebles, Rood day
would be the important festival, and Beltane would gradually become
incorporated with it, the names Beltane day and Rood day becoming
synonymous. Thus we may account for Edinburgh and Peebles keeping
Beltane on the third day of May, while in Perth and other northern
counties where the Church influence was weaker, the festival would be
kept according to the older custom on the first of May.
In Druidical times the people allowed their fires to go out on Beltane
eve, and on Beltane day the priests met on a hill dedicated to the Sun,
and obtained fire from heaven. When the fire was obtained, sacrifices
were offered, and the people danced round the fire with shoutings till
the sacrifices were consumed; after which they received portions of the
sacred fire with which to rekindle their hearths for another twelve
months. Besides mountains, there were evidently other localities where
sacrifices and the ritual of Sun-worship were observed, and which
received appropriate names in accordance with their character as sacred
places. Some of these names still survive, as for instance:--
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