to work on Good Friday, and woe betide the luckless housewife who
did her washing on that day, for one of the family, it was believed,
would surely die before the end of the year. There are many other
superstitions attached to the day, such as the preserving of eggs
laid on Good Friday, which were supposed to have power to extinguish
fire; the making of cramp-rings out of the handles of coffins, which
rings were blessed by the King of England as he crept on his knees
to the cross, and were supposed to be preservatives against cramp.

In old churchwardens' account-books we find such entries as the
following--

"To the sextin for watching the sepulture two nyghts viii_d_."

"Paide to Roger Brock for watching of the sepulchre 8_d_."

And as the nights were cold we find an additional item--

"Paid more to said Roger Brock for syses and colles, 3_d._"

These entries allude to the ancient custom of erecting on Good
Friday a small building to represent the Holy Sepulchre, and setting
a person to watch for two nights in remembrance of the soldiers
watching the grave in which our Lord's Body was laid. At the dawning
of the Easter morn the bells rang joyously, and all was life and
animation. The sun itself was popularly supposed to dance with joy
on the Feast of the Resurrection. But the manners and customs,
sports and pastimes, which were associated with Easter, I will
reserve for my next chapter.