Shrovetide, - in its original meaning, signifies the time of confessing sins to a priest. Tide refers to time; and shrove, shrive, or shrift, are derived from the Saxon, and signify confession. In the earlier constitution of the church, it is ordered, "That on the week next before Lent, every man should go to his shrift, and his shrift should shrive him in such a manner as the deeds which he had done required."

This custom of confessing to the priest at this season, wag laid aside at the Reformation.

Fitzstephen informs us, that anciently, on Shrove-Tuesday, schoolboys used to bring "cocks of the game" to their masters, and entertain themselves with cock-fighting. The masters presided at the battle, and claimed the runaway cocks as their perquisite.

The custom of throwing at cocks on this day is not of very ancient institution: it is gradually growing out of use; to which amendment of our manners, the ingenious pencil of Hogarth probably contributed.

Shrove-Tuesday is, in the north, called Fastern's E'en, because the following day is the commencement of Lent.

Shrove-Monday is also termed Collop-Monday; in the north, collops and eggs being on that day a constant dish, as on the next day the Papists take leave of flesh.

Our custom of eating pancakes on Shrove-Tuesday, was probably borrowed from the Greek church. The Russians begin their Lent always eight weeks before Easter; the first week they eat eggs, milk, cheese, and butter, and make great cheer with pancakes, and such other things.

In the Oxford almanacks, the Saturday preceding this day is termed Festum Overum, Egg feast.

On Shrove-Tuesday, the people in every parish throughout England were obliged, one by one, to confess their sins to their own parish priests, in their own parish churches. And that this might be done more regularly, the great bell in every parish was rung at ten o'clock, or perhaps sooner, that it might be heard by all, and that they might attend according to the custom then in use. And though we are now Protestants, yet the custom of ringing the great bell in an ancient parish church still continues, and has the name of the pan-cake bell, probably, because after the confession it was customary to dine on pancakes or fritters; and many people even now have these articles as part of their dinner on this day.

This used to be a great holiday amonst apprentices; but a contempt of old customs seems gaining ground in this country, and those, or many of them above-mentioned, will probably soon be forgotten.

Another account of the origin of frying pancakes on Shrove-Tuesday, has been given. It is said that one Simon Eyre, a shoemaker, being- chosen lord-mayor of London, made a pancake feast on Shrove-Tuesday for all the apprentices in London; and from that it became a custom.

He ordered, that upon ringing of a bell in every parish, the apprentices should leave work, and shut up their shops for that day; which being ever since yearly observed, is called the pancake bell: he made them a large feast of puddings, pies, and pancakes, and what remained, when all had dined, was given to the poor: afterwards in that year (1446,) he built Leadenhall.