[482] Dupin, “Notice sur quelques fetes et divertissemens populaires du departement des Deux-Sevres,” Memoires et Dissertations publies par la Societe Royale des Antiquaires de France, iv. (1823) p. 110.

[483] J.L.M.  Nogues, Les moeurs d’autrefois en Saintonge et en Aunis (Saintes, 1891), pp. 72, 178 sq.

[484] H. Gaidoz, “Le dieu soleil et le symbolisme de la roue,” Revue Archeologique, iii.  Serie, iv. (1884) p. 30.

[485] Ch.  Cuissard, Les Feux de la Saint-Jean (Orleans, 1884), pp. 22 sq.

[486] A. de Nore, Coutumes, Mythes et Traditions des Provinces de France p. 127.

[487] Aubin-Louis Millin, Voyage dans les Departemens du Midi de la France (Paris, 1807-1811), iii. 341 sq.

[488] Aubin-Louis Millin, op. cit. iii. 28.

[489] A. de Nore, op. cit. pp. 19 sq.; Berenger-Feraud, Reminiscences populaires de la Provence (Paris, 1885), pp. 135-141.  As to the custom at Toulon, see Poncy, quoted by Breuil, Memoires de la Societe des Antiquaires de Picardie, viii. (1845) p. 190 note.  The custom of drenching people on this occasion with water used to prevail in Toulon, as well as in Marseilles and other towns in the south of France.  The water was squirted from syringes, poured on the heads of passers-by from windows, and so on.  See Breuil, op. cit. pp. 237 sq.

[490] A. de Nore, op. cit. pp. 20 sq.; E. Cortet, op. cit. pp. 218, 219 sq.

[491] Le Baron de Reinsberg-Dueringsfeld, Calendrier Belge (Brussels, 1861-1862), i. 416 sq. 439.

[492] Le Baron de Reinsberg-Dueringsfeld, op. cit. i. 439-442.

[493] Madame Clement, Histoire des fetes civiles et religieuses, etc., du Departement du Nord (Cambrai, 1836), p. 364; J.W.  Wolf, Beitraege zur deutschen Mythologie (Goettingen, 1852-1857), ii. 392; W. Mannhardt, Der Baumkultus. p. 513.

[494] E. Monseur, Folklore Wallon (Brussels, N.D.), p. 130, Sec.Sec. 1783, 1786, 1787.

[495] Joseph Strutt, The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England, New Edition, by W. Hone (London, 1834), p. 359.

[496] John Stow, A Survay of London, edited by Henry Morley (London, N.D.), pp. 126 sq. Stow’s Survay was written in 1598.

[497] John Brand, Popular Antiquities of Great Britain (London, 1882-1883), i. 338; T.F.  Thiselton Dyer, British Popular Customs (London, 1876), p. 331.  Both writers refer to Status Scholae Etonensis (A.D. 1560).

[498] John Aubrey, Remaines of Gentilisme and Judaisme (London, 1881), p. 26.

[499] J. Brand, Popular Antiquities of Great Britain (London, 1882-1883), i. 300 sq., 318, compare pp. 305, 306, 308 sq.; W. Mannhardt, Der Baumkultus, p. 512.  Compare W. Hutchinson, View of Northumberland, vol. ii. (Newcastle, 1778), Appendix, p. (15), under the head “Midsummer":—­“It is usual to raise fires on the tops of high hills and in the villages, and sport and danse around them; this is of very remote antiquity, and the first cause lost in the distance of time.”