H. F. an eminent French lawyer. See SUPPLEMENT.

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, "mistletoe," and Pan neuf, "the new year." Its origin is traced from a druid ceremony: the priests used to go yearly in December, which with them was reputed a sacred month, to gather mistletoe 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 calceus 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 mistletoe 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 Agui 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.