Relevant to the recent discussion is an unorthodox priestly dance from
Scotland, which, in 1282, took place in Inverkeithing, Fife:
'At this time also at Inverkeithing in Easter week (29 March-5 April) the
parish priest John held a festival of Priapus. He assembled the young
girls of the manor, and induced them to execute circular dances, and to
process in honour of the god Bacchus. Just as Bacchus had women in his
army, so John had them in his. As a demonstration of his indecency, he put
a representation of male genitalia on top of a pole and carried them in
front of the procession...'
>From a North-English Franciscan chronicle written by Richard of Durham,
O.F.M., covering the period 1201 to 1297. The original version of this
chronicle does not now exist. It was incorporated in a latter Scottish
chronicle, being abridged and elaborated at the same time, which may
account for some of the difficulties of the text. The friar-chronicler,
Richard of Durham, was sympathetic towards pastoral work and the
Christianity of ordinary believers. But the fact that he was not a native
of Lowland Scotland means that he was uninformed about the background and
context of events which he described.
See: See A. Gransden, Historical Writing in England c.550 to c.1307,
London, 1974, p.495ff. The text: J. Stevenson (ed.), *Chronicon de
Lanercost*, Maitland Club, Edinburgh, 1839, p.109.
(The above is from an article of mine which appeared in Italian.)
Gary Dickson
University of Edinburgh
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