AGUILLANEUF, or AUGILLANEUF, a form of rejoicing used among the ancient Franks on the first day of the year. The word is compounded of the French A "to," gui, "millet," and l'an neuf "the new year." Its origin is traced from a druid ceremony: the priests used to go yearly in December, with them was reputed a sacred month, to gather millet of the oak in great solemnity. The prophets marched in the front, singing hymns in honour of their deities; after them came a herald with a caduceus in his hand; these were followed by three druids abreast, bearing the things necessary for sacrifice; last of all came the chief or arch druid, accompanied with the train of people. The chief druid climbing the oak, cut off the millet with a golden sickle, and the other druids received it in a white cloth; on the first day of the year it was distributed among the people, after having blessed and consecrated it by crying A gui l'an neuf, to proclaim.
proclaim the new year. This cry is still continued in Picardy, with the addition of Plantez, Plantez, to wish a plentiful year. In Burgundy and some other parts, the children use the same word to beg a new year's gift. In latter times the name Aguillaneuf was also given to a sort of begging, practised in some dioceses, for church tapers, on new year's day, by a troop of young people of both sexes, having a chief, &c. It was attended with various ridiculous ceremonies, as dancing in the church, &c. which occasioned the synods to suppress it.