Natale Domini. This custom obtained more particularly among the A. Saxons. Archæol, v. xxiv, p. 50. Some authors pretend that Advent was instituted by the Apostles.-Durand. Rat. Div. Off., l. iv, c. 2; Pol. Verg. 7. vi, c. 8, p. 377. To this account of its origin Hildebrand objects, because the Apostles observed only the festivals of Easter, Pentecost, and the Nativity; and he adds that Maximus Taurinensis, in 450, has a homily on Advent, whence it appears that, if he also wrote the titles of his homilies, the festival has been celebrated from the 5th century.-De Diebus Sanctis, p. 11. Others say that it was first observed in 423; and others, again, in 433. What cannot be controverted is, that St. Ephraim, who died in 378, has a sermon on the dominical Advent (Oper., per Ger. Vossium; Antv. 1619); and that it is the subject of a sermon by Chrysostom, in 407 (Oper. t. v, hom. 137). The first council of Maçon, in 581, instituted a fast in Advent thrice a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from the feast of St. Martin to Christmas, excluding the Saturdays, because it was not usual, at this period, to keep the seventh day a fast except in Lent. Hence it appears, as well as from the Ambrosian Missal, that Advent formerly contained six Sundays.- Du Cange, t. i, c 169. In fact Martinus Sacerdos says, in Observat. de Ritu Ambros. : "Inde incipit officium de Adventu Domini, cujus sex dominicæ assignantur."-Mabillon, Iter. Ital., t. II, p. ii, p. 107. And Pinius notices this number of Sundays as a peculiarity in the Mozarabic ritual.-Tract. de Antiq. Liturg. Hispan.; Antv. 1740. We learn from the Capitularia Caroli Magni, that, in the ninth century, there was a fast of forty days at Advent, which, though not enforced by canons, had become a law of custom. Amalarius, however, who lived in the same age, testifies that this fast was observed by the rigidly pious only, and not in all churches.—Moreri, t. I. A. p. 752. On account of this fast, Advent was often called Quadragesima S. Martini; and, when the time of fasting was contracted within the present limits of Advent, Quadragesima Parva; La Petite Carême, or little Lent. The retrograde computation of time, which prevailed among the ancient Romans and primitive Christians, was retained for nearly six centuries in counting the Sundays of Advent, and that which fell nearest to the Nativity, and which of course was at the end of the period of Advent, was called its first Sunday, while the most distant from the Nativity, or that which fell nearest to the feast of St. Martin, was the sixth Sunday of Advent. In the year 1000, according to Du Cange, the rule was established, by which the commencement of this festival was fixed to be the Sunday on or nearest to the feast of St. Andrew, or, as it is better expressed in the Portiforium Sarisburiense, edit. 1528-the first Sunday after the feast of St. Linus is the first Sunday of Advent. But the following rule, from Bed. Argument. Lun. Oper. t. I, p. 205, belongs to the 8th century; it is contained in the Saxon MS. from which the Kal., v. I, p. 434, is copied: "Quicumque Aduentum Domini celebrare desiderat, videat ne ante quinta Kal. Decembris, nec post III. nonas ipsius mensis transeat; sed in his septem diebus ubicunque Dominicus Dies aduenerit illac sine dubio et sine errore celebrare ualebit."-Fo. 25, b. The words Primus Adventus Domini (p. 432, 459) and Ultimus Adventus (p. 433, 460), the first and last days of Advent, define the space within which the first Sunday must fall, according to the dominical letter of the year. Advent Sunday commences the liturgic year of the churches of Rome and England:

"Adventus tempus, quod dominicæ Nativitatis memoriam antecedit, ideoque nuncupatur, quia totus ordo ejus ecclesiasticus ordo, juxta contemplationem Adventus Domini dispositus est."-Rupert. de Div. Off., l. iii, c. 1. Our ancestors shewed great reverence and devotion at this time (says Jacob), in regard to the approach of the solemn festival [the Nativity]; for 'in adventu domini, nulla assisa debet capi."-Inter Placit. de temp. Reg. Joh., Ebor. 126. But the Stat. Westm. 1, c. 48, ordained that, notwithstanding the usual solemnity of time and rest, it should be lawful in respect of justice and charity, which ought at all times to be regarded, to take assizes of Novel Disseisin, Mort d'Ancestre, &c. in the time of Advent, Septuagesima, and Lent. This is also one of the seasons, from the beginning of which to the end of the octaves of the Epiphany, the solemnization of marriages is forbidden without special license, as we may find from the old verses:

Conjugium Adventus prohibet; Hilarique relaxet;
Septuagena vetat, sed Pascha Octava reducit;
Rogatio vetitat, concedit Trina potestas.

Law Dict. v. Advent.

An old translation of these verses is given in Termes de la Ley, p. 26, as follows:

"Advent all marriage forbids,

Hilary's feast to nuptials tends;
And Septuagint no wedding rids,
Yet Easter Octaves that amends.
Rogation hinders hasty loves,
But Trinity that let removes."

The time for celebrating marriages prohibited by the Council of Trent is not so much curtailed; it is from the first Sunday of Advent to the Epiphany, and from Ash Wednesday to the octave of Easter, inclusively (Corso delle Stelle, p. 15; Torino, 1777). Among the Greeks, some begin Advent from Nov. 15, others from Dec. 6, and a third body from Dec. 20. So, at Constantinople, some made an Advent of forty days, some of three weeks, and others reduced it to a single week.-Moreri, t. I. A. p. 752. Adventus Domini sometimes occurs as a date; in the annals of Norwich, the cathedral of that city is said to have been rebuilt, "anno 1278, dominica prima Adventus Domini" (Anglia Sacra, t. i, p, 401); on the first Sunday of our Lord's Advent, which was Nov. 27 in 1278. Advent was also used for the whole period; Osbern, bishop of Sarum, died innon Aduent (within Advent).-Chron. Sax., an. 1019. The table of moveable feasts in the Common Prayer Book exhibits Advent Sunday according to Easter; but they are not otherwise connected than by the Dominical Letters. Adventus. Sometimes Advent signifies the translation of a saint or martyr; but in the Chron. Sax., an. 903, it seems to mean the first removal. this year was consecrated the new minster, on Pinceartɲe. 7 s. Iudoces cyme" (at Winchester and St. Judoc's advent); which Dr. Ingram, mistaking it for the day of consecration, translates," at Winchester on St. Judoc's advent." The meaning, however, is, that the consecration of the minster and the translation of the saiut occurred at the same time; and it appears from the Peterborough Catalogue of Relics, that St. Judoc and St. Grimbald

"In

were deposited in the new minster: "In Wyncestre-in novo monasterio, sanctus Grymbaldus, presbyter, et sanctus Judocus, confessor" (Antient Hist., French and Engl., p. 246). See JUDOCI Translatio. Adventus B. CASSIANI Episcopi.-July 16.-Kal. Arr., 826.

Adventus Corporis JUSTI de Eremo.-August 4 (S. Hieron. Martyrol., II. non. Aug.)

Aduincla S. PETRI.-August 1, "Aduincula S. Petri:" V. 429; T. 442; L. 468. "Ad Vincula S. P." E. 456. This manner of writing Dies or Festum S. Petri ad Vincula, is of common occurrence in dates: "Le jour seynt Pere Aduincula,” in a certificate of 1 Edw. III.-Madox. Formul. Angl. n. 23, p. 12. See PETRI ad Vincula Fest.

Ædfamina.-Jan 31: G. 398. It appears to be a clerical error. Æfensang.-Eve Song, a canonical hour, about 4 o'clock. From St. Dunstan's Concord of Rules, it appears to have been equivalent to Vespers. Efter æfen range ze rceolon unreɲýdan da peofoda. i srandan hi spa nacode. op pone særernes dæg, (After Evesong you must uncover the altars, and let them stand thus bare until Saturday).-Elfrici Epist. ad Sacerd.; Tib. A. III. fo. 104. See Hours Canonical.

Eftera Geohles Monath-The after or second yule month, answers to our January; V. 422. The name is supplied from the Saxon Menology, Julius, A. X, and may, perhaps, slightly differ in spelling from the original words, which the fire has destroyed. The meaning of Gule, or Yule, and its orthographical varieties, has been explained in vol. I. p. 92 n., and p. 282. See Ærra Geola; Egyptian Days; Hora; Signa Mensium. Eftera Lytha Monath.-The month of July; V. 428. Supplied from the same source as the preceding. The Menology merely says, that it is the month called Julius in Latin, and is the seventh of the year. See Lytha Monath. ÆLPEAGUS, archbp. & mart.-April 19; V. 425. In the same kalendar occurs Elfeagus, bp. March 12 (p. 424), which seems to be a mistake, for Ælfeage was martyred " iii kal. Maii," 1012, and his translation was Saturday, "xvii Junii," 1023. See ELFEGUS. ÆLFRED Rex obiit (hic).—Oct. 26; G. 416. Alfred Athulfing, the king, died six nights before All Saints' Mass (Chron. Sax., an. 901), and was enrolled among the British saints (Britan. Sancta, p. ii. p. 222, where, however, the day is said to be Oct. 28). This entry, as observed I. 395, is fatal to the opinion that Galba belongs to the year 703. It is singular that the author of the Catalogue of MSS. in the Cotton Library, p. 243, should also have fallen into this mistake. He says: 66 Argumentum ad inveniendum annum incarnationis Domini, ex quo conjicere licet kalendarium hoc descriptum fuisse A. D. 703." "Hic obit Ælfredi rex," Oct. 26. I. T. 444, for Ælfred, or Æfredus rex.

Æmere.—Without day, i. e. without date; a barbarous compound of a (priv.), and μepa.-Dict. Roman. Celtique, &c.

Epiphi.-The 11th Egyptian month (V. 427), sacred to Osiris, beginning June 25. Plutarch says the Egyptians celebrate the nativity of the eyes of Osiris on the 30th day of Epiphi, when the sun and moon are supposed to be in the same right line with the earth.-De Iside et Osir., c. 52. Equinoctium.-See Equinoctium.

Era.-Any given year, in some writers; hence such expressions"

as entering

down the æra," "the 1108th æra," &c. The derivation of the word has occasioned a diversity of opinions; and in the books of the council of Carthage and Toledo, as well as in an inscription on the ancient temple at Nebrissa, it is written Era. "We understand almost the same thing by a period as a cycle; only we commonly apply the name of a period to a larger interval of time. A period differs from an epoch and an æra in this, that it includes a respect to the terminus ad quem, whereas these two relate only to the terminus a quo. Thus, we may justly say the 1664th year of the Christian epoch, but we cannot call it such a year of the Christian period, because this is not a periodic epoch.-Strauch., b. I. c. 9, s. 2, 4. Ærra Geola.-Before Yule, V. 443, i. December. Supplied from the Saxon Menology, Jul. A. X., which accounts for the name thus: Foɲðam da mondas rpezen sýndon nemdon anum naman. oder se ærɲa geola. oder se æfteɲa. Forðan de hýɲa oder ganzeþ befoɲan dæɲa sunnan. æn þon de heo cynne hig dær dæger lenge. oder æfteɲ.—(Because two months are denominated by one name, of which one is the Before-Yuleday, the other the After; for the former precedes the sun before it turns itself in the length of the day, and the other follows it). This fixes the yuleday to December 22, the day of the winter solstice (see Vol. I, p. 55), though there can be no doubt that Dec. 25 bore the name of Yule-day among the Saxons, who had not yet lost sight of the pagan celebration of the solstice; and it also adds probability to the opinion, that the word geola, with its orthographic varieties, was originally hwel, or hweol, a wheel (Vol. I, p. 92 nt). See Gole Feast; Yule; Egyptian Days; Hora; Signa Mensium. Erra Iula. The same as Erra Geola. poetical Menology, Tib. B. I, fo. 112, b.

Dænne Folcum bringð.
morgen to mannum.
monax to tune.

decembris.

It occurs in Bede, and the Dano-Sax.

Then the morning brings
to nations, to men,
the month of December;

drihta beaɲnum.

ænna iula.

to the children of nobles
Ærra Iula.

V. 423 in Dr. Hickes's copy, Thesaur. t. I. p. 203; but when correctly arranged, it is 430. See Egyptian Days; Hora; Signa Mensium.

Ærra Januaria.-Jan. 1, 1564. This name marks the discontinuance of commencing the year at Easter among the French, in consequence of an edict issued by Charles IX.-Du Cange, t. I. c. 206.

Erra Lytha.-June, in Bede. See Lytha Monath.

Estæ. A word used for æstivi.

Estatis initium habet dies XCII.-May 9; V. 426. May 24; D. 453. The Summer of the Saxons commenced May 9, but they differed by three days as to its length. The Menol. Sax. (Jul. A. X.) and Brydferth (De Comput. Eccles.) give it only 90 days.

Æstivi Initium.—May 9; G. p. 405. So, also, the Dano-S. Menol., Tib. B. I. fo. 111.

ÆTHELDRYTHE, Virgin.-June 23: V. 427; E. 454; L. 466; T. 440. Her

translation, October 17; V. 431. June 23, as her feast day, agrees with

Efric's homily (Jul. E. VII. fo. 92 b): "viiii. kl. Natal. S'ce Ætheldrythe virginis”—and with the Menology (Jul. A. X): Ɖæɲe halzan cpene zeleonner Æþeldɲype (the decease of the holy queen Ætheldryth); yet, in the kalendar of the Common Prayer Book, we have-" October 17, Etheldreda, V. 2." However, the error, if it be one, was not originally made by the authors of that kalendar. She was the daughter of Anna, king of the East Angles, who was slain in 654 (Chron. Sax.), and was married to an alderman, who died, and then to Ecfryd, or Egfrid, king of Northumbria (Jul. E. VII. 93). With both her husbands she lived in perfect maidenhood; tamen in virginitate usque ad finem remansit" (Ant. Hist., p. 246). She died in 679.-Chron. Sax.

ÆTHELFLEDÆ Depositio.-Oct. 23; T. 444. See Depositio.

" et

Ævum.—An age, or duration, which has a beginning, but no end (Censorin.
de Die Nat., c. 16; Strauch., I. 8, s. 7). It occurs in the classical sense of
ætas: "Cum essem quasi octavi anni ævi" (Greg. Tur. de Vit. Patr.) The
plural is sometimes found equivalent to tempora, as in Vit. S. Ricardi Ep,
Jun. 11, 248: "Inde post pauca æva factum est, quod omnia sua morte, fa-
bricæ templi B. Mariæ, veteris nuncupatæ reliquit."-Du Cange, I. c. 212.
AGAPITUS, mart.-August 18: V. 429; T. 442; E. 456. Slain in 275. There
were also, 1, Agapitus, with Sixtus, &c., Aug. 6: 2, pope, 536, Sept. 20:
and, 3, bp. & conf., March 16.

AGAS Day.-Agatha's Day: "Wretyn on seynt Agas day in hast," 1469.-
Paston Letters, v. iv, p. 426.

AGATHA, V. M.-Feb. 5. In the Portiforium Sarisbur. 1528, it is given as a
rule, that wherever the golden number of the year after this festival, the
Sunday following the number is the first Sunday of Lent: "Ubicunque prima
Luna fuerit post festum S. Agathæ, prima Dominica sequens erit Dominica
Quadragesimæ." For instance, in 1036, the G. N. was III, and the D. L.
was A. On referring to the kalendars, the G. N. after S. Agatha is found at
March 1, and the letter A. at March 5, which was the first Sunday of Lent
in that year. This saint finds a place in the kalendar of the Common Prayer
Book. Simeon Metaphrastes, in his life of S. Agatha, says that she was
born at Palermo, and suffered under Decius in 251: but some of the ancient
breviaries making Catania the place of her birth, occasioned a remarkable
contest between the two cities for the honor of having produced a person,
whose very existence is extremely doubtful. On the authority of her Greek
biographer, who lived at least 650 years after her supposed martyrdom, Cle-
ment VIII, at the end of the 16th century, substituted Palermo for Catania,
on which the senates of the two cities sent deputies to argue the case at
Rome. A summary of the proceedings is given by Robinson (Ecclesiast.
Researches, ch. xi, p. 354-7; 4to, Cambr. 1792). In the end Urban VIII,
about 1622, after duly considering the matter, wisely decided for neither
party, but inserted in the Breviary: quam Panormitani et Catanenses ci-
vem suam esse dicunt" (Brev. Rom., Par. 1623); whom the people of Pa-
lermo and Catania claim to be their citizen. 2, There is another Agatha, or
rather another day ascribed to her, in Galba, p. 409, July 5, and her trans-
lation ib., July 12.

Age. The longest space of human life; a century; a definite space, as the
Middle Age, which commences, according to French chronologists, A. D.