Part 17
The mill-dam dashes on the restless wheel, And wantons in the pebbly gulf below No frost can bind it there; its utmost force Can but arrest the light and smoky mist, That in its fall the liquid sheet throws wide. And see where it has hung th’ embroidered banks With forms so various, that no powers of art, The pencil, or the pen, may trace the scene! Here glittering turrets rise, upbearing high (Fantastic misarrangement!) on the roof Large growth of what may seem the sparkling trees And shrubs of fairy land. The crystal drops That trickle down the branches, fast congealed, Shoot into pillars of pellucid length, And prop the pile they but adorned before.
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FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Earth Moss. _Phascum cuspidatum._ Dedicated to _St. Chrysostom._
~January 28.~
_St. Agnes._--Second Commemoration.
_St. Cyril_, A. D. 444. _Sts. Thyrsus, Leucius, and Callinicus._ _St. John of Reomay_, A. D. 540. Blessed _Margaret_, Princess of Hungary, A. D. 1271. _St. Paulinus_, A. D. 804. Blessed _Charlemagne_, Emperor, A. D. 814. _St. Glastian_, of Fife, A. D. 830.
_St. Thyrsus._
Several churches in Spain are dedicated to him. In 777, the queen of Oviedo and Asturia presented one of them with a silver chalice and paten, a wash-hand basin and a pipe, which, according to Butler, is “a silver pipe, or quill to suck up the blood of Christ at the communion, such as the pope sometimes uses--it sucks up as a nose draws up air.”
CHRONOLOGY.
John Gottlob Immanuel Breitkopf, a celebrated printer, letter-founder, and bookseller of Leipsic, died on this day, in the year 1794: he was born there November 23, 1719. After the perusal of a work by Albert Durer, in which the shape of the letters is deduced from mathematical principles, he endeavoured to fashion them according to the most beautiful models in matrices cut for the purpose. His printing-office and letter-foundery acquired very high reputation. It contained punches and matrices for 400 alphabets, and he employed the types of Baskerville and Didot. Finding that engraving on wood had given birth to printing, and that the latter had contributed to the improvement of engraving, he transferred some particulars, in the province of the engraver, to that of the printer; and represented, by typography, all the marks and lines which occur in the modern music, with all the accuracy of engraving, and even printed maps and mathematical figures with movable types; though the latter he considered as a matter of mere curiosity: such was also another attempt, that of copying portraits by movable types. He likewise printed, with movable types, the Chinese characters, which are, in general, cut in pieces of wood, so that a whole house is often necessary to contain the blocks employed for a single book. He improved type-metal, by giving it that degree of hardness, which has been a desideratum in founderies of this kind; and discovered a new method of facilitating the process of melting and casting. From his foundery he sent types to Russia, Sweden, Poland, and even America. He also improved the printing-press.
Besides this, his inquiries into the origin and progress of the art of printing, furnished the materials of a history, which he left behind in manuscript. He published in 1784, the first part of “An Attempt to illustrate the origin of playing-cards, the introduction of paper made from linen, and the invention of engraving on wood in Europe;” the latter part was finished, but not published, before his death. His last publication was a small “Treatise on Bibliography,” &c. published in 1793, with his reasons for retaining the present German characters. With the interruption of only five or six hours in the twenty-four, which he allowed for sleep, his whole life was devoted to study and useful employment.
FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Double Daisy. _Bellis perennis plenus._ Dedicated to _St. Margaret of Hungary_.
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~January 29.~
St. _Francis_ of Sales, A. D. 1622. _St. Sulpicius Severus_, A. D. 420. _St. Gildas_ the Abbot, A. D. 570. _St. Gildas_, the Scot, A. D. 512.
This being the anniversary of the king’s accession to the throne, in 1820, is a _Holiday at all the public offices_, except the Excise, Stamps, and Customs.
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FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Flowering Fern. _Osmunda regalis._ Dedicated to _St. Francis of Sales_.
~January 30.~
KING CHARLES’S MARTYRDOM.
Holiday at the Public Offices; except the Stamps, Customs, and Excise.
_St. Bathildes_, Queen of Navarre, A. D. 680. _St. Martina._ _St. Aldegondes_, A. D. 660. _St. Barsimæus_, A. D. 114.
_St. Martina._
The Jesuit Ribadeneira relates that the emperor Alexander IV., having decreed that all christians should sacrifice to the Roman gods, or die, insinuated to St. Martina, that if she would conform to the edict, he would make her his empress but on her being taken to the temple, “by a sudden earthquake the blockish idol of Apollo was broken in pieces, a fourth part of his temple thrown down, and, with his ruins, were crushed to death; his priests and many others, and the emperor himself, began to fly.” Whereupon St. Martina taunted the emperor; and the devil, in the idol, rolling himself in the dust, made a speech to her, and another to the emperor, and “fled through the air in a dark cloud; but the emperor would not understand it.” Then the emperor commanded her to be tortured. The jesuit’s stories of these operations and her escapes, are wonderfully particular. According to him, hooks and stakes did her no mischief; she had a faculty of shining, which the pouring of hot lard upon her would not quench; when in gaol, men in dazzling white surrounded her; she could not feel a hundred and eighteen wounds; a fierce lion, who had fasted three days, would not eat her, and fire would not burn her; but a sword cut her head off in 228, and at the end of two days two eagles were found watching her body. “That which above all confirmeth the truth of this relation,” says Ribadeneira, “is, that there is nothing herein related but what is in brief in the lessons of the Roman Breviary, commanded by public authority to be read on her feast by the whole church.”
CHRONOLOGY.
On this day, in the year 1649, king Charles I. was beheaded. In the Common Prayer Book of the Church of England, it is called “The Day of the Martyrdom of the Blessed King Charles I.;” and there is “A Form of Prayer, with Fasting, to be used yearly” upon its recurrence.
The sheet, which received the head of Charles I. after its decapitation, is carefully preserved along with the communion plate in the church of Ashburnham, in this county; the blood, with which it has been almost entirely covered, now appears nearly black. The watch of the unfortunate monarch is also deposited with the linen, the movements of which are still perfect. These relics came into the possession of lord Ashburnham immediately after the death of the king.--_Brighton Herald._
Lord Orford says, “one can scarce conceive a greater absurdity than retaining the three holidays dedicated to the house of Stuart. Was the preservation of James I. a greater blessing to England than the destruction of the Spanish armada, for which no festival is established? Are we more or less free for the execution of king Charles? Are we at this day still guilty of his blood? When is the stain to be washed out? What sense is there in thanking heaven for the restoration of a family, which it so soon became necessary to expel again?”
According to the “Life of William Lilly, written by himself,” Charles I. caused the old astrologer to be consulted for his judgment. This is Lilly’s account: “His majesty, Charles I., having intrusted the Scots with his person, was, for money, delivered into the hands of the English parliament, and, by several removals, was had to Hampton-court, about July or August, 1647; for he was there, and at that time when my house was visited with the plague. He was desirous to escape from the soldiery, and to obscure himself for some time near London, the citizens whereof began now to be unruly, and alienated in affection from the parliament, inclining wholly to his majesty, and very averse to the army. His majesty was well informed of all this, and thought to make good use hereof: besides, the army and parliament were at some odds, who should be masters. Upon the king’s intention to escape, and with his consent, madam Whorewood (whom you knew very well, worthy esquire) came to receive my judgment, viz. In what quarter of this nation he might be most safe, and not to be discovered until himself pleased. When she came to my door, I told her I would not let her come into my house, for I buried a maid-servant of the plague very lately: however, up we went. After erection of my figure, I told her about twenty miles (or thereabouts) from London, and in Essex, I was certain he might continue undiscovered. She liked my judgment very well; and, being herself of a sharp judgment, remembered a place in Essex about that distance, where was an excellent house, and all conveniences for his reception. Away she went, early next morning, unto Hampton-court, to acquaint his majesty; but see the misfortune: he, either guided by his own approaching hard fate, or misguided by Ashburnham, went away in the night-time westward, and surrendered himself to Hammond, in the Isle of Wight. Whilst his majesty was at Hampton-court, alderman Adams sent his majesty one thousand pounds in gold, five hundred whereof he gave to madam Whorewood. I believe I had twenty pieces of that very gold for my share.” Lilly proceeds thus: “His majesty being in Carisbrook-castle, in the Isle of Wight, the Kentish men, in great numbers, rose in arms, and joined with the lord Goring; a considerable number of the best ships revolted from the parliament; the citizens of London were forward to rise against the parliament; his majesty laid his design to escape out of prison, by sawing the iron bars of his chamber window; a small ship was provided, and anchored not far from the castle to bring him into Sussex; horses were provided ready to carry him through Sussex into Kent, that so he might be at the head of the army in Kent, and from thence to march immediately to London, where thousands then would have armed for him. The lady Whorewood came to me, acquaints me herewith. I got G. Farmer (who was a most ingenious locksmith, and dwelt in Bow-lane) to make a saw to cut the iron bars in sunder, I mean to saw them, and aqua fortis besides. His majesty in a small time did his work; the bars gave liberty for him to go out; he was out with his body till he came to his breast; but then his heart failing, he proceeded no farther: when this was discovered, as soon after it was, he was narrowly looked after, and no opportunity after that could be devised to enlarge him.”
Lilly goes on to say, “He was beheaded January 30, 1649. After the execution, his body was carried to Windsor, and buried with Henry VIIIth, in the same vault where his body was lodged. Some, who saw him embowelled, affirm, had he not come unto this untimely end, he might have lived, according unto nature, even unto the height of old age. Many have curiously inquired who it was that cut off his head: I have no permission to speak of such things; only thus much I say, he that did it is as valiant and resolute a man as lives, and one of a competent fortune. For my part, I do believe he was not the worst, but the most unfortunate of kings.”
Lilly elsewhere relates, “that the next Sunday but one after Charles I. was beheaded, Robert Spavin, secretary unto lieutenant-general Cromwell at that time, invited himself to dine with me, and brought Anthony Pierson, and several others, along with him to dinner. Their principal discourse all dinner-time was, who it was beheaded the king: one said it was the common hangman; another, Hugh Peters; others also were nominated, but none concluded. Robert Spavin, so soon as dinner was done, took me by the hand, and carried me to the south window; saith he, ‘These are all mistaken, they have not named the man that did the fact; it was lieutenant-colonel Joice: I was in the room when he fitted himself for the work, stood behind him when he did it; when done, went in again with him. There is no man knows this but my master, viz. Cromwell, commissary Ireton, and myself.’--‘Doth not Mr. Rushworth know it?’ said I. ‘No, he doth not know it,’ saith Spavin. The same thing Spavin since hath often related unto me when we were alone.”
MOVEABLE FEASTS.
SHROVE TUESDAY regulates most of the moveable feasts. _Shrove Tuesday_ itself is the next after the first new moon in the month of February. If such new moon should happen on a Tuesday, the next Tuesday following is Shrove Tuesday. A recently published volume furnishes a list, the introduction of which on the next page puts the reader in possession of serviceable knowledge on this point, and affords an opportunity for affirming, that Mr. Nicolas’s book contains a variety of correct and valuable information not elsewhere in a collected form:--
MOVEABLE FEASTS
FROM
“_Tables, Calendars, &c. for the use of Historians, Antiquaries, and the Legal Profession, by N. H. Nicolas, Esq._”
_Advent Sunday_, is the nearest Sunday to the feast of St. Andrew, November 30th, whether before or after.
_Ascension Day_, or _Holy Thursday_, is the Thursday in Rogation week, i. e. the week following Rogation Sunday.
_Ash Wednesday_, or the first day in lent, is the day after Shrove Tuesday.
_Carle_, or _Care Sunday_, or the fifth Sunday in lent, is the fifth Sunday after Shrove Tuesday.
_Corpus Christi_, or _Body of Christ_, is a festival kept on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday; and was instituted in the year 1264.
_Easter Day._ _The Paschal Sabbath._ _The Eucharist_, or _Lord’s Supper_, is the seventh Sunday after Shrove Tuesday, and is always the first Sunday after the first full moon, which happens on or next after the 21st of March.
_Easter Monday_ { are the Monday and { Tuesday following _Easter Tuesday_ { Easter day.
_Ember Days_, are the Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, after the first Sunday in lent; after the Feast of Pentecost; after Holy-rood Day, or the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, viz. 14th September; and after St. Lucia’s day, viz. 15th December.
_Ember Weeks_, are those weeks in which the Ember days fall.
_The Eucharist._ See Easter day.
_Good Friday_, is the Friday in Passion Week, and the next Friday before Easter day.
_Holy Thursday._ See Ascension day.
_Lent_, a Fast from Ash Wednesday, to the Feast of Easter, viz. forty days.
_Lord’s Supper._ See Easter day.
_Low Sunday_, is the Sunday next after Easter day.
_Maunday Thursday_, is the day before Good Friday.
_Midlent_, or the fourth Sunday in Lent, is the fourth Sunday after Shrove Tuesday.
_Palm Sunday_, or the sixth Sunday in Lent, is the sixth Sunday after Shrove Tuesday.
_Paschal Sabbath._ See Easter day.
_Passion Week_, is the week next ensuing after Palm Sunday.
_Pentecost_ or _Whit Sunday_, is the fiftieth day and seventh Sunday after Easter day.
_Quinquagesima Sunday_, is so named from its being about the fiftieth day before Easter. It is also called _Shrove Sunday_.
_Relick Sunday_, is the third Sunday after Midsummer-day.
_Rogation Sunday_, is the fifth Sunday after Easter day.
_Rogation Days_ are the Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday following Rogation Sunday.
_Shrove Sunday_, is the Sunday next before Shrove Tuesday. It is also called _Quinquagesima Sunday_.
_Septuagesima Sunday_, so called from its being about the seventieth day before Easter, is the third Sunday before Lent.
_Sexagesima Sunday_, is the second Sunday before Lent, or the next to Shrove Sunday, so called as being about the sixtieth day before Easter.
_Trinity Sunday_, or the _Feast_ of the _Holy Trinity_, is the next Sunday after Pentecost or Whitsuntide.
_Whit Sunday._ See Pentecost.
_Whit Monday_ { are the Monday and { Tuesday following _Whit Tuesday_ { Whit Sunday.
_Whitsuntide_, is the three days above-mentioned.
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_The Vigil or Eve_ of a feast, is the day before it occurs. Thus the Vigil of the feast of St. John the Baptist is the 23d of June. If the feast-day falls upon a Monday, then the Vigil or the Eve is kept upon the Saturday preceding.
_The Morrow_ of a feast, is the day following: thus the feast of All Souls, is November 2d, and the Morrow of All Souls is consequently the 3d of November.
_The Octave_ or _Utas_ of each feast, is always the eighth day after it occurs; for example, the feast of St. Hillary, is the 13th of February, hence the Octave of St. Hillary, is the 20th of that month.
_In the Octaves_, means within the eight days following any particular feast.
SEPTUAGESIMA
Is the _ninth_ Sunday before Easter Sunday.
SEXAGESIMA
Is the _eighth_ Sunday before Easter.
QUINQUAGESIMA
Is the _seventh_ Sunday before Easter.
QUADRAGESIMA
Is the _sixth_ Sunday before Easter, and the first Sunday in Lent, which commences on Ash Wednesday.
“The earliest term of Septuagesima Sunday is the 18th of January, when Easter day falls on the 22d of March; the latest is the 22d of February, when Easter happens on the 25th of April.”
_Butler._
Shepherd in his “Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer” satisfactorily explains the origin of these days:
“When the words _Septuagesima_, _Sexagesima_, and _Quinquagesima_ were first applied to denote these three Sundays, the season of _Lent_ had generally been extended to a fast of six weeks, that is, thirty-six days, not reckoning the Sundays, which were always celebrated as festivals. At this time, likewise, the Sunday which we call the first Sunday in Lent, was styled simply _Quadragesima_, or the fortieth, meaning the fortieth day before Easter. _Quadragesima_ was also the name given to Lent, and denoted the _Quadragesimal_, or forty days’ fast. When the three weeks before Quadragesima ceased to be considered as weeks after the Epiphany, and were appointed to be observed as a time of preparation for Lent, it was perfectly conformable to the ordinary mode of computation to reckon backwards, and for the sake of even and round numbers to count by decades. The authors of this novel institution, and the compilers of the new proper offices, would naturally call the first Sunday before Quadragesima, Quinquagesima; the second, Sexagesima; and the third, Septuagesima. This reason corresponds with the account that seems to be at present most generally adopted.”
There is much difference of opinion as to whether the fast of _Lent_ lasted anciently during forty days or forty hours.
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FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Common Maidenhair. _Asplenium trichomanes._ Dedicated to _St. Martina_.
~January 31.~
King George IV. proclaimed. Holiday at the Exchequer.
_St. Peter Nolasco_, A. D. 1258. _St. Serapion_, A. D. 1240. _St. Cyrus and John._ _St. Marcella_, A. D. 410. _St. Maidoc_, or _Maodhog_, alias _Aidar_, otherwise _Mogue_, Bishop of Ferns, A. D. 1632.
_St. Peter Nolasco._
Ribadeneira relates, that on the 1st of August 1216, the virgin Mary with a beautiful train of holy virgins appeared to this saint at midnight, and signified it was the divine pleasure that a new order should be instituted under the title of Our Blessed Lady of Mercy, for the redemption of captives, and that king James of Aragon had the same vision at the same time, and “this order, therefore, by divine revelation, was founded upon the 10th, or as others say, upon the 23d of August.” Then St. Peter Nolasco begged for its support, and thereby rendered himself offensive to the devil. For once taking up his lodging in private, some of the neighbours told him, that the master of the house, a man of evil report, had lately died, and the place had ever since been inhabited by “night spirits,” wherein he commended himself to the virgin and other saints, and “instantly his admonitors vanished away like smoke, leaving an intolerable scent behind them.” These of course were devils in disguise. Then he passed the sea in his cloak, angels sung before him in the habit of his order, and the virgin visited his monastery. One night he went into the church and found the angels singing the service instead of the monks; and at another time seven stars fell from heaven, and on digging the ground “there, they found a most devout image of our lady under a great bell,”--and so forth.
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FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Hartstongue. _Asplenium Scolopendium._ Dedicated to _St. Marcella_.
Then came cold February, sitting In an old waggon, for he could not ride, Drawne of two fishes, for the season fitting, Which through the flood before did softly slyde And swim away; yet had he by his side His plough and harnesse fit to till the ground, And tooles to prune the trees before the pride Of hasting prime did make them burgeon round.
_Spenser._
This month has Pisces or the fishes for its zodiacal sign. Numa, who was chosen by the Roman people to succeed Romulus as their king, and became their legislator, placed it the second in the year, as it remains with us, and dedicated it to Neptune, the lord of waters. Its name is from the _Februa_, or Feralia, sacrifices offered to the manes of the gods at this season. Ovid in his _Fasti_ attests the derivation:
In ancient times, purgations had the name Of _Februa_, various customs prove the same; The pontiffs from the _rex_ and _flamen_ crave A lock of wool; in former days they gave To wool the name of Februa. A pliant branch cut from a lofty pine, Which round the temples of the priests they twine, Is Februa called; which if the priest demand, A branch of pine is put into his hand; In short, with whatsoe’er our hearts we hold Are purified, was Februa termed of old; _Lustrations_ are from hence, from hence the name Of this our month of February came; In which the priests of Pan processions made; In which the tombs were also purified Of such as had no dirges when they died; For our religious fathers did maintain Purgations expiated every stain Of guilt and sin; from Greece the custom came, But here adopted by another name; The Grecians held that pure lustrations could Efface an impious deed, or guilt of blood Weak men; to think that water can make clean A bloody crime, or any sinful stain.
_Massey’s Ovid._
Our Saxon ancestors, according to Verstegan, “called February _Sprout-kele_, by kele meaning the kele-wurt, which we now call the colewurt, the greatest _pot-wurt_ in time long past that our ancestors used, and the broth made therewith was thereof also called kele; for before we borrowed from the French the name of potage, and the name of herbe, the one in our owne language was called _kele_, and the other _wurt_; and as this kele-wurt, or potage-hearbe, was the chiefe winter-wurt for the sustenance of the husbandman, so was it the first hearbe that in this moneth began to yeeld out wholesome yong sprouts, and consequently gave thereunto the name of _Sprout-kele_.” The “kele” here mentioned, is the well-known kale of the cabbage tribe. But the Saxons likewise called this month “Solmonath,” which Dr. Frank Sayers in his “Disquisitions” says, is explained by Bede “mensis placentarum,” and rendered by Spelman in an unedited manuscript “_pan-cake_ month,” because in the course of it, cakes were offered by the pagan Saxons to the sun; and “Sol,” or “soul,” signified “food,” or “cakes.”