Part 5
Kindle the Christmas brand, and then Till sunrise let it burn; Which quenched, then lay it up agen Till Christmas next return.
Part must be kept, wherewith to tend The Christmas log next year; And when 'tis safely kept, the fiend Can do no mischief there.
_Warwickshire._
* * * * *
DECEMBER 26TH. (_St. Stephen's Day._)
Blessed be St. Stephen, There's no fast upon his even.
_Old saying._
* * * * *
Bishop Hall says: "On St. Stephen's Day blessings are implored upon pastures."
* * * * *
DECEMBER 28TH. (_Innocents' Day, or Childermas Day._)
According to the monks, it was very unlucky to begin any work on Childermas Day, and what soever day that falls on, whether on the Monday, or Tuesday, or any other, nothing must be begun on that day through the year.
_Henry Bourne, 1725._
* * * * *
Days lengthen a cock's stride each day after Christmas.
* * * * *
Know the best season to laugh and to sing, Is winter, is summer, is autumn, is spring.
_Old Song._
* * * * *
HAGMAN HEIGH
Old Yorkshire custom for Hag- or Wood-man to go round to ask for money on New Year's Eve.
* * * * *
NEW YEAR'S EVE.
Hark, the cock crows, and yon bright star Tells us the day himself's not far; And see where, breaking from the night, He gilds the western hills with light.
With him old Janus doth appear, Peeping into the future year, With such a look as seems to say, The prospect is not good that way.
_Charles Cotton._
* * * * *
If New Year's Eve night wind blows south It betokeneth warmth and growth; If west, much milk, and fish in the sea; If north, much cold and storms there will be; If east, the trees will bear much fruit; If north-east, flee it man and brute.
* * * * *
The New Year, with its yet unacted history, Claims the homage of our last departing chime; Then we hush ourselves in awe before the mystery, Of the youngest and the freshest birth of Time.
* * * * *
The good old year is with the past; Oh, be the new as kind!
_Pope._
INDEX
A BLOOM UPON, 102
A CALM JUNE, 68
A CAMOMILE BED, 31
A COLD JANUARY, 10
A DRIPPING JUNE, 68
A DRY MAY, 62
A FAIR DAY, 10
A FOG AND A SMALL MOON, 81
A FROSTY WINTER, 26
A GARDEN MUST BE LOOKED, 97
A HOAR FROST, 21
A JANUARY SPRING, 15
A KINDLY GOOD JANUARY, 16
ALL THE LAND, 57
ALL THE MONTHS, 19
ALL THINGS REJOICED, 94
ALL THROUGH THE SULTRY, 84
A LOVELY MORNING, 56
ALTHOUGH IT RAINS, 43
AMONG THE EAST COAST, 61
AN APRIL FROST, 115
AN EARLY WINTER, 118
ANY INDIVIDUAL, 32
APPLES, PEARES, 116
APPLE-TREE, 12
APRIL AND MAY, 42
APRIL COLD, 43
APRIL PRIDE OF, 44
APRIL! THE HAWTHORN, 49
A RAINBOW, 81
A SATURDAY'S RAINBOW, 79
A SHOWER OF RAIN, 89
AS MANY DAYS, 35
A SNOW YEAR, 10
A SUNSHINY SHOWER, 79
AS YET BUT SINGLE, 44
AT LATTER LAMMAS, 94
AT NEW YEAR'S TIDE, 9
A TUFT OF EVENING PRIMROSES, 86
A WET GOOD FRIDAY, 38
A WET JUNE, 84
A WET SUNDAY, 118
A WINDY MAY, 59
A YEAR OF SNOW, 11
BARNABY BRIGHT, 73
BEASTS DO TAKE COMFORT, 79
BEEF AND BACON, 20
BELOW THE HILL, 70
BESIDE THE GARDEN PATH, 26
BISHOP HALL, 128
BLANK EARTH-BALDNESS, 27
BLESSED BE ST. STEPHEN, 128
BLOSSOM OF THE ALMOND, 48
BLUE FLAGS, 86
BY FRAGRANT GALES, 71
CANDLEMAS SHINED, 18
CATHERINE AND CLEMENT, 120
CHILDERMAS DAY, 128
CLOUDS WITHOUT RAIN, 81
COME AWAY, 68
COME BUY, 90
COME GATHER, 26
COME LISTEN, 54
COME OUT OF DOORS, 56
COO-PI-COO, 64
COWS AND SHEEP, 77
CUCKOO, 42
CUT THISTLES IN MAY, 60
DARK WINTER IS WANING, 57
DAYS LENGTHEN, 128
DECAY, DECAY, 114
DECEMBER FROST, 122
DESCEND SWEET APRIL, 39
DID HE DO IT?, 22
DRY AUGUST, 97
EASTER IN SNOW, 126
FAIRE WAS THE DAWN, 88
FAIR RISING, 17
FEBRUARY FILL THE DITCH, 19
FIR CONES, 77
FIRST CUCKOO DAY, 40
FIRST SWALLOW DAY, 42
FLED ARE THE FROSTS, 46
FLOWERY MAY, 55
FOR MARCH, 25
FOR MORNING RAIN, 96
FOR THE LATTER PART, 15
FRESH HERRING, 107
FRIDAY'S A DAY, 97
FROM TWELVE TO TWO, 120
FROM WHATEVER QUARTER, 35
FULL MOON IN OCTOBER, 114
GEESE NOW, 108
GERVASE OF TILBURY, 32
GO AND LOOK AT OATS, 59
GOLDEN BILL, 45
GOOD GARDENER MINE, 15
GOOD HUSWIVES, 98
HAGMAN HEIGH, 129
HAIL BEAUTEOUS STRANGER, 41
HAIL ONCE AGAIN, 33
HAPPY BRITANNIA!, 99
HARK! THE COCK CROWS, 129
HARK! THE HOURS, 44
HAWTHORN BLOOM, 62
HE COMES, HE COMES!, 42
HERE'S A HEALTH, 101
HERE'S A PENNY-ROYAL, 62
HERE THE ROSEBUDS, 70
HE THAT WOULD LIVE, 62
HE THAT FREELY LOPS, 25
HOAR FROST AND GIPSIES, 114
HUSH! HUSH!, 57
I DO HOLD IT, 122
I DO NOT WANT CHANGE, 92
I EARLY ROSE, 19
IF APPLES BLOOM, 35
IF BEES STAY AT HOME, 78
IF BIRDS PIPE, 125
IF CANDLEMAS DAY, 18
IF CHRISTMAS DAY, 126
IF FEBRUARY, 22
IF FROSTS DO CONTINUE, 122
IF IT DOES NOT FREEZE, 27
IF IT IS COLD, 118
IF IT RAINETH, 67
IF IT THUNDERS, 37
IF JANIVEER CALENDS, 9
IF MARTINMAS, 118
IF MICHAELMAS DAY, 107
IF MIST'S IN THE NEW MOON, 81
IF NEW YEAR'S EVE, 129
IF NIGHTS THREE, 78
IF ON FRIDAY, 120
IF ST. BARTHOLOMEW, 98
IF ST. PAUL'S DAY, 14
IF SATURDAY'S MOON, 82
IF THAT CHRISTMAS, 126
IF THE DOWN, 75
IF THE FIRST OF JULY, 85
IF THE GRASS GROW, 10
IF THE ROBIN, 16
IF THE SAGE TREE, 96
IF THE WOODCOCK, 100
IF YOU EAT, 108
IF YOU SCARE, 65
IF YOU SWEEP, 56
I MET QUEEN SPRING, 44
IN APRIL, 47
IN AUGUST, 95
IN FORMER TIMES, 41
IN JULY, 86
IN MARCH AND IN APRIL, 28
IN MARCH IS GOOD GRAFFING, 27
IN MAY AND JUNE, 55
IN MY NOSTRILS, 85
IN OCTOBER AND BEGINNING, 111
IN OXFORDSHIRE, 22
IN SEPTEMBER, 102
I SOMETIMES THINK, 85
IN SPRING, 36
IN THE MORNING, 32
IN THE SARUM, 107
IN THE SOUTH, 11
IN WILD MOOR, 39
IT IS AFFIRMED, 13
IT IS ALWAYS, 96
IT IS UNLUCKY, 53
JANUARY THE FOURTEENTH, 12
JULY, TO WHOM, 92
KINDLE THE CHRISTMAS, 127
KNICK, KNOCK, 20
KNOW THE BEST SEASON, 128
LADY OF THE SPRINGE, 48
LAZY CATTLE, 63
LEAVE CROPPING FROM MAY, 53
LOAF-MASS DAY, 94
LOOK AT THE WEATHERCOCK, 125
LO, THE YOUNG MONTH, 52
LOVE ON A DAY, 40
MAARYES TAAILES, 80
MANY HAWS, 103
MARCH DOES FROM APRIL GAIN, 31
MARCH IN JANIVEER, 11
MARCH SEARCH, 31
MARCH WIND, 31
MAY'S WARM, 61
MAY, THOU MONTH, 65
MISTLETOE IS SAID, 125
MOAN, OH YE AUTUMN, 112
MOONWORT, 64
MOUSE EAR, 87
MY ONE MAN, 75
MYSTIC MISTLETOE, 125
NEVER A FISHERMAN, 96
NIPCAKE, NIPCAKE, 95
NO SUMMER FLOWER, 30
NOTHING STIRS, 106
NO TEMPEST, 90
NO WEATHER IS ILL, 84
NOT REND-OFF, 89
NOW SET FOR THY POT, 22
NOW THE GLORIES, 86
NOW YELLOW HARVESTS, 97
OCTOBER BRINGS THE COLD, 114
OCTOBER'S GOLD, 111
OH! COME QUICKLY, 66
OH! FAINT DELICIOUS, 38
OH! GOLDEN, GOLDEN, 92
OH! THE ROSY MONTH, 69
OH! WHAT A DAWN, 29
OH! WHAT A MAY DAY, 58
OH! WINTER, 16
OH! LOVE-STAR, 28
OLD MAY DAY, 58
OLD YORKSHIRE CUSTOM, 12
ON ALL SAINT'S DAY, 116
ONE FOR THE MOUSE, 21
ONE MONTH IS PAST, 17
ONION SKIN, 103
ON ONE SIDE IS A FIELD, 98
ON ST. ANDREW'S, 120
ON SHROVE TUESDAY, 20
ON THE FIRST OF MARCH, 24
ON THURSDAY AT THREE, 96
ON TWELVE-EVE, 11
OUR VERNAL SIGNS, 34
OVER THE MEADOW, 67
PALE MOON, 32
PANSIES! PANSIES, 69
PARSLEY SOWN, 38
PIMPERNEL, 79
PLANT YOUR 'TATURS, 43
PLUCK BROOM, 15
PONDWEED SINKS, 77
PUT IN THE SICKLE, 97
RAINBOW TO WINDWARD, 80
REMEMBER IN ST. VINCENT'S, 13
ST. BARNABAS, 73
ST. FRANCIS, 109
ST. MATTHEW, 104
ST. NICHOLAS, ARCHBISHOP, 124
ST. NICHOLAS, 123
ST. ROCHE, 98
ST. SWITHUN IS CHRISTENING, 89
ST. SWITHUN'S DAY, 89
ST. THOMAS, 124
SATURDAY CHANGE, 81
SATURDAY'S MOON, 81
SEA-GULL, 78
SEPTEMBER BLOW SOFT, 102
SEPTEMBER DRIES, 102
SEPTEMBER THE FIFTEENTH, 103
SET GARLIKE, 103
SET STRAWBERRIES, 119
SHIVERING, QUIVERING, 112
SLEEP WITH YOUR HEAD, 36
SO NOW IS COME, 126
SOON WILL HIGH, 75
SOW PEASON, 21
SPRING IS HERE, 34
SPRING IS STRONG, 39
SPRING'S AN EXPANSIVE, 27
SPRING WAS O'ER HAPPY, 102
SUMMER IN THE PENNILESS, 88
SUMMER IS GONE, 105
SUMMER IS NEAR, 55
SUMMER IS PURPLE, 97
SUNSET IN A CLEAR, 31
SWEET APRIL, 51
SWEET IS THE ROSE, 87
SWELLING DOWNS, 87
THAT MELLOW SEASON, 104
THE AUGUST GOLD, 94
THE BADGER PEEPS, 18
THE BALLAD SINGERS, 50
THE BARBERRY, 103
THE BLACKEST MONTH, 10
THE BROOM, 68
THE DIM DROOP, 19
THE DROOPING YEAR, 124
THE EMPTY PASTURES, 10
THE FAIR MAID, 52
THE FEATHERS OF THE WILLOW, 105
THE FIRST MONDAY, 37
THE FIRST SUNDAY, 43
THE FIRST THUNDER, 37
THE FLOWER BEDS, 69
THE FLUSH OF THE LANDSCAPE, 105
THE GOOD OLD YEAR, 130
THE GROUND IS CLEAR, 100
THE HOLLOW WINDS, 75
THE HOUSEKEEPER, 21
THE IGNORANT, 73
THE IRISH, 52
THEIR LOVELINESS, 117
THE LARK, 50
THE LAST YEAR'S LEAF, 53
THE LEEKE IS WHITE, 24
THE LINNET, 61
THE MELANCHOLY DAYS, 119
THE MICHAELMAS MOON, 108
THE MOON AND THE WEATHER, 82
THE MOON IN THE WANE, 108
THE NEARER TO TWELVE, 82
THE NEW YEAR, 130
THE NIGHTINGALE, 89
THE OAK BEFORE THE ASH, 59
THE PASTORAL COWSLIPS, 83
THE PIGEON NEVER, 64
THE PRETTY LARK, 22
THE RIPPLING SMILE, 43
THE SIXTH MONTH, 70
THE SOFTEST TURF, 29
THE STARLINGS ARE COME, 62
THE SUN HAS LONG, 83
THE SWEET WEST WIND, 71
THE WIND OF THE SOUTH, 9
THE YEAR'S ON THE WANE, 119
THEN DOTH THE JOYFUL, 74
THERE ARE ALWAYS, 114
THERE ARE TWELVE, 54
THERE IS AN OLD PROVERB, 19
THERE IS AN OLD, 41
THERE IS A RAPTUROUS, 49
THERE IS A SAYING, 36
THERE IS A TRADITION, 34
THERE IS NEVER A SATURDAY, 125
THERE IS STRANGE MUSIC, 110
THERE NEVER WAS, 117
THEY WHO BATHE IN MAY, 54
THORNY BALLS, 117
THOUGH NOW NO MORE, 121
THOU WILT REMEMBER, 35
THREE ICEMEN, 58
THRICE WELCOME CHRISTMAS, 127
THROUGH ALL THE SAD, 10
THUNDER IN SPRING, 31
TILL ST. JAMES'S, 92
TO SMELL WILD THYME, 97
TOSSING HIS MANE, 25
TO TALK OF THE WEATHER, 80
TRAMPING AFTER GROUSE, 101
'TWAS MIDSUMMER, 74
'TWAS ONE OF THE CHARMED, 72
'TWEEN MARTINMAS, 118
TWELFTH DAY, 12
TWIGHEE, TWIGHEE, 51
UNDER THE FURZE, 30
UNDER WATER, 11
UPON ST. DAVID'S DAY, 24
USE MAKETH MAISTRY, 41
WARWICKSHIRE COUNTRYMEN, 10
WEARY THE CLOUD, 118
WE HAVE PLOUGHED, 101
WELCOME, O MARCH, 25
WHAT AFFECTIONS, 38
WHAT CHILD, 126
WHAT WONDROUS LIFE, 106
WHEAT SWAYS HEAVY, 95
WHEN A COCK DRINKS, 78
WHEN A DAFFODIL, 32
WHEN AFTER A ROUGH, 23
WHEN A MOORLAND, 23
WHEN AUTUMN SAD, 110
WHEN CLAMOUR, 65
WHEN COUNTRY ROADS, 29
WHEN IN SPRING, 47
WHEN MACK'REL, 73
WHEN ON THE PURIFICATION, 18
WHEN OUR LORD, 34
WHEN OXEN, 79
WHEN PASSING O'ER, 60
WHEN RAIN CAUSES BUBBLES, 79
WHEN SEPTEMBER, 103
WHEN SHEEP BEGIN, 78
WHEN SHEEP DO HUDDLE, 80
WHEN THE CLOUDS, 77
WHEN THE CORN, 59
WHEN THE DIMPLED, 63
WHEN THE FALLING, 104
WHEN THE MOON, 82
WHEN THE NEW MOON, 81
WHEN THE SLOE TREE, 44
WHEN THE TENANTS, 107
WHEN THE WHITE PINKS, 67
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS, 33
WHEN THE WIND'S IN THE EAST, 18
WHEN THE WIND'S IN THE SOUTH, 84
WHEN THE WIND VEERS, 80
WHEN THERE ARE MANY, 43
WHEN THERE ARE THREE, 122
WHEN WINTRY WEATHER, 30
WHERE THE COPSE, 88
WHERE THE WIND IS, 33
WHERE WOODBINES, 72
WHILE WORMWOOD, 90
WHO EATS OYSTERS, 95
WHOEVER IS ILL, 53
WHO KNOWS WHAT, 113
WHO SETS AN APPLE, 117
WHO SHEARS HIS SHEEP, 59
WHO SOWETH IN RAIN, 110
WHY VALENTINE, 19
WILD WITH THE WINDS, 103
WILL YOU BUY, 91
WINTER IS SO, 47
WINTER'S THUNDER, 13
WINTER'S WHITE SHROUD, 13
WINTER TIME, 11
YACK-BOB DAY, 65
YELLOW, MELLOW, 112
YE WHO HAVE FELT, 46
YOUNG AND OLD, 118
TRANSCRIBER'S NOTES
-Obvious print and punctuation errors fixed.
-A Table of Contents was not in the original work; one has been produced and added by Transcriber.