Fives. See Tennis. Flapdragon.-See Halliwell in v. Fleas. I find the following in Hill's "Natural and Artificial Conclusions," 1581: "A very easie and merry conceit to keep off fleas from your beds or chambers. Plinie reporteth that if, when you first hear the cuckow, you mark well where your right foot standeth, and take up of that earth, the fleas will by no means breed either in your house or chamber, where any of the same earth is thrown or scattered." So M. Thiers, "La première fois qu'on entend le Coucou, cerner la terre qui est sous le pied droit de celuy qui l'entend, & la répandre dans les maisons afin d'enchasser les puces." Among the jests of Scogin is "How Scogin sold Powder to Kill Fleas." He broke up some wood from a rotten post, and went about among the old wives, pretending that it was a famous receipt. Comp. Old English Jest Books, 1864, ii., 84.

Flibbertigibbet. Gloss., 1859, in v.

See Nares,

however lengthy the courtship may prove. The belief is, that if either party break faith, the other side can lay claim to a moiety of his or her effects.

Flowers, Herbs, &c., on Days of Humiliation and Thanks

giving. In the Parish Accounts of St. Margaret, Westminster, under 1650-1, are the following items, the interest of two of which is more than archæological:

"Item, paid for herbs that were strewed in the windows of the church, and about the same, att two severall daies of Humiliation, 3s. 10d. Item, paid for herbs that of thanksgiving, 2s. 6d. Item, paid for were strewed in the church upon a daie herbs that were strewed in the church on the 24th day of May, 1651, being a day of humiliation, 3s. Item, paid to the ringers, for ringing on the 24th of October, being a day of thanksgiving for the victorie over the Scotts at Worcester, 7s. Item, paid for hearbes and lawrell that were strewed in the church the same day, 8s." Mrs. Joyce Jeffries, of Hereford and other places, in the time of Charles I. used, as her account-books shew, to have her pew in All Saints' Church, Hereford, dressed with flowers at Christmas by the clerk's wife. It is still the universal practice to deck churches and private dwellings with holly at Christmas, and the evergreen is usually left to the end of February, or till Good Friday. towns the custom is rather a mechanical habit, it is to be feared, than any genuine homage to a time-honoured obser

vance.

Archæologia, xxxvii., 200

In

Flowers, &c., at Marriages. -There was anciently a custom at marriages of strewing herbs and flowers, as also rushes, from the house or houses where persons betrothed resided, to the Herrick and Braithwaite refer

Flies.-Willsford says: "Flies in the spring or summer season, if they grow busier or blinder than at other times, or that they are observed to shroud themselves in warm places, expect then quickly for to follow, either hail, cold storms of rain, or very much wet weather; and if those little creatures are noted early in autumn to repare unto their winter quarters, it presages frosty mornings, cold storms, with the approach of hoary winter. Atomes or flies, swarming together and sporting themselves in the sunbeams, is a good omen of fair weather." Nature's Secrets, 1658, p. 135. "Amongst our deep sea fishermen at Greenock there is a most comical idea, that if a fly falls into the glass from which any one has been drink-church. ing, or is about to drink, it is considered a sure and true omen of good luck to the drinker, and is always noticed as such by the company."--Notes and Queries, Dec. 22, 1855. An anecdote in an early jest book possibly alludes to this idea. A traveller being at a banquet, where a fly chanced to fall into his glass, he took it out before he drank, but afterwards put it in again. Being asked his reason, he answered, that for his own part he did not like flies, but others might.

Flouncing.-The custom of flouncing is said to be peculiar to Guernsey. It is an entertainment given by the parents of a young couple, when they are engaged, and the match has received approval. The girl is introduced to her husband's family and friends by her future father-in-law, and the man similarly by hers: after this, they must keep aloof from all flirtation,

to this usage. The former writes:
"All haile to Hymen and his marriage
day,

Strew rushes and quickly come away;
Strew Rushes, maides, and ever as you
strew,

Think one day, maydes, like will be done for you.'

Hesp., 1648, p. 129. Strappado for the Divell, 1615, p. 74. Browne, who wrote his Pastorals before 1614, evidently in the following lines describes some village wedding in his native Devon:

"As I haue seene vpon a Bridall day Full many maids clad in their best

array,

In honour of the Bride come with their flaskets

Fill'd full with flowers: others in

wicker baskets

"Now busie maydens strew sweet Ellis. flowres."

Engl. Hel., ed. 1614, R 1 v°. The strew-
ing herbs and flowers on this occasion, as
mentioned in a note upon Barrey's play
of "Ram Alley," 1611, to have been prac-
tised formerly, is still kept up in Kent
and many other parts of England. Dods-
ley's O. P., by Hazlitt, x., 366. In the
drama just cited, we read: 'Enter Adri-
ana, and another strawing hearbes."
"Adr. Come straw apace. Lord! shall
I never live,

Romans.

Of Paris, the intended husband of Juliet, who, to all appearance, died on their wedding day, it is said, in the language of Shakespear,

"He came with flowers to strew his ladies grave,"

ancient Christians, after the funeral, used to scatter flowers on the tomb. P. 237. There is a great deal of learning in Moresin upon this subject. Papatus, 157. It appears from Pliny's "Natural History," from Cicero in his "Oration on Lucius Plancus,' ," and from Virgil's sixth Æneid, that this was a funeral rite among the when he provoked and met his fate the hand of Romeo. They used also to scatter them by Overbury, in his "Characters," on the unburied corpse. Gough has the describing the "faire and happy milkmaid," says: following passage: "The ancients used to is crown the deceased with flowers, in token "Thus lives she, and all her care of the shortness of life, and the practice is that she may die in the Spring time, to still retained in some places in regard to have store of flowers stucke upon her young women and children. The Romish winding-sheet; " which has a complete Ritual recommends it in regard of those parallel in the Breton usage commemorated in the traditional ballad or song, who die soon after baptism, in token of purity and virginity. It still obtains in The Flowers of May (Bleuniou Mae), of Holland and parts of Germany. which the concluding lines are: The primitive Christians buried young women with flowers, and martyrs with the instruments of their martyrdom. I have seen fresh flowers put into the coffins of children and young girls." Sep. Mon." vol. ii. introd. p. 5. "Cum igitur infans vel Puer baptizatus defunctus fuerit ante usum Rationis, induitur juxta ætatem, et imponitur ei Corona de floribus, seu de herbis aromaticis et odoriferis, in signum integritatis Carnis et Virginitatis." "Ordo Baptizandi, &c., pro Anglia, Hibernia, et Scotia," 1626, p. 97. Bourne further remarks that, as the form of procession is an emblem of our dying shortly after our friend, SO the carrying of

66

or

in our hands ivy, sprigs of laurel, rosemary, other evergreens, is an emblem of the soul's immortality. In the account of the funeral expenses of Sir John Rudstone, Mayor of London, 1531, I find the following article: "For yerbys at the bewryal, £0 1s. Od." So, in a song in "Wit's Interpreter," 1655, we read:

"Shrouded she is from top to toe With lillies which all o'er her grow,

Instead of bays and rosemary.' In a book by Dr. Case, the author says: "I wil end with death, the end of all mortality, which though it be the dissolution of Nature and parting of the soul from the body, terrible in itself to flesh and blood, and amplified with a number of displeasant and uncomfortable accidents, as the shaving of the head, howling, mourning apparel, funeral boughs of yeu, box, cipresse, and the like, yet we shall find by resorting to antiquities, that musick hath had a share amongst them, as being unseasonable at no time." Praise of Musicke, 1586, F 8 v°. Friar Laurence in "Romeo and Juliet

says:

"Dry up your tears, and stick your Rosemary

On this fair corso."

"Heureuses les jeunes personnes, qui meurent au printemps !

Heureuses les jeunes personnes que

l'on couvre de fleurs nouvelles.' Chants Populaires de la Bretagne, par Villemarqué, 1846, ii., 265. Gay describes thus the strewing of flowers upon the graves:

Upon her grave the rosemary they threw,

The daisy, butter'd-flow'r, and endive

blue."

He adds the custom is still used in the South of England, of fencing the graves with osiers, &c.; and glances at clerical economy, for which there is oftentimes too much occasion, in the last two lines:

"With wicker rods we fenced her tomb around,

To ward from man and beast the hallow'd ground.

Lest her new grave the parson's cattle

raze,

66

For both his horse and cow the church yard graze.' Gough says: It is the custom at this day all over Wales to strew the graves both within and without the church, with green flags, for one year; after which, such as herbs, branches of box, flowers, rushes and can afford it lay down a stone. Sep. Mon. ii., Introd. 294. The common Welsh graves are curiously matted round with single or double matting, and stuck with flowers, box, or laurel, which are frequently renewed." Pepys churchyard near Southampton, in his Diary, April 26, 1662, mentions a where the graves were sowed with sage." In Lancashire, it is "accustomed to be all still usual in some districts for each mourner to carry with him to the place of interment a sprig of box prepared for the purpose, and cast it, before leaving, into the grave of the departed. Notes and Queries, Dec. 26, 1868.

Williams, gilliflowers, and carnations, mignonette, thyme, hyssop, camomile, and rosemary, make up the pious decora tion of this consecrated garden. Turnsoles, pionies, the African marigold, the anemone, and many others I could mention, though beautiful, are never planted on graves, because they are not sweetscented. It is to be observed, however, that this tender custom is sometimes con

that where persons have been distinguished for their pride, vanity, or any other unpopular quality, the neighbours whom they may have offended plant these also by stealth upon their graves. In the Easter week most generally the graves are newly dressed, and manured with fresh earth, when such flowers or ever-greens as may be wanted or wished for are planted. In the Whitsuntide holidays, or rather the preceding week, the graves are again looked after, weeded, and otherwise dressed, or if necessary, planted again. It is a very common saying of such persons as employ themselves in thus planting and dressing the graves of their friends, that they are cultivating their own freeholds. This work the nearest relations of the deceased always do with their own hands, and never by servants or hired persons. Should a neighbour assist, he or she never takes, never expects, and indeed is never insulted by the offer of any reward, by those who are acquainted with the ancient customs.

Flowers, &c., on Graves in South Wales. Mr. Brand borrowed some notes from Malkin's South Wales, which, though perhaps of no great authority, I scarcely like to disturb: "The bed on which the corpse lies is always strewed with flowers, and the same custom is observed after it is laid in the coffin. They bury much earlier than we do in England; seldom later than the third day, and very frequently on the second. The habit of fill-verted into an instrument of satire; so ing the bed, the coffin, and the room, with sweet-scented flowers, though originating probably in delicacy as well as affection, must of course have a strong tendency to expedite the progress of decay. It is an invariable practice, both by day and night, to watch a corpse; and so firm a hold has this supposed duty gained on their imaginations, that probably there is no instance upon record of a family so unfeeling and abandoned as to leave a dead body in the room by itself, for a single minute, in the interval between the death and burial. Such a violation of decency would be remembered for generations. The hospitality of the country is not less remarkable on melancholy than on joyful occasions. The invitations to a funeral are very general and extensive, and the refreshments are not light and taken standing, but substantial and prolonged. Any deficiency in the supply of ale would be as severely censured on this occasion as at a festival. The grave of the deceased is constantly overspread with plucked flowers for a week or two after the funeral. The planting of graves with flowers is confined to the villages and the poorer people. It is perhaps a prettier custom. It is very common to dress the graves on Whitsunday and other festivals, when flowers are to be procured and the frequency of this observance is a good deal affected by the respect in which the deceased was held. My father-in-law's grave in Cowbridge Church has been strewed by his surviving servants every Sunday morning for these twenty years. It is usual for a family not to appear at church till what is called the month's end, when they go in a body, and then are considered as having returned to the common offices of life. It is a very antient and general practice in Glamorgan to plant flowers on the grave; so that many church yards have something like the splendour of a rich and various parterre. Besides this, it is usual to strew the graves with flowers and evergreens, within the church as well as out of it, thrice at least every year, on the same principle of delicate respect as the stones are whitened. No flowers or evergreens are permitted to be planted on graves but such as are sweetscented: the pink and polyanthus, sweet

:

The vulgar practice and illiberal prejudice against old maids and old bachelors subsists among the Welsh in a very disgraceful degree, so that their graves have not unfrequently been planted by some satirical neighbours, not only with rue, but with thistles, nettles, henbane, and other noxious weeds. When a young unmarried person dies, his or her ways to the grave are also strewed with sweet flowers and ever-greens; and on such occasions it is the usual phrase, that those persons are going to their nuptial beds, not to their graves. There seems to be a remarkable coincidence between these people and the ancient Greeks, with respect to the avoiding of ill-omened words. None ever molest the flowers that grow on graves; for it is deemed a kind of sacrilege to do so. A relation or friend will occasionally take a pink, if it can be spared, or a sprig of thyme, from the grave of a beloved or respected person, to wear it in remembrance; but they never take much, lest they should deface the growth on the grave. This custom prevails principally in the most retired villages; and I have been assured, that in such villages where the right of grazing the church yard has been enforced, the

practice has alienated the affections of, and head of a cock on the top, and a bell very great numbers from the clergymen thereon." His hood is blue, guarded or and their churches; so that many have be-edged with yellow at its scalloped bottom, come Dissenters for the singularly uncom- his doublet is red, striped across, or rayed mon reason that they may bury their with a deeper red, and edged with yellow, friends in Dissenting burying-grounds, his girdle yellow, his left-side hose yellow, plant their graves with flowers, and keep with a red shoe, and his right-side hose them clean and neat, without any danger blue, soled with red leather. In Gibson's of their being cropt. The white rose is "Memoranda," 1510-11, a charge of a always planted on a virgin's tomb. The halfpenny is made for a turnyd ladyll red rose is appropriated to the grave of spent for the foole," in connection with any person distinguished for goodness, the Court Revel of the 15th November in and especially benevolence of character. that year. It seems from the prologue The natives of the principality pride them- to Henry the Eighth," that Shakeselves much on these antient ornaments spear's Fools should be dressed "in a long (the yews) of their church yards; and it is motley coat, guarded with yellow," which nearly as general a custom in Brecknock- is illustrated by a passage in Rowlands: shire to decorate the graves of the deceased with slips either of bay or yew, "My sleeves are like some Morris-dauncing fellow, stuck in the green turf, for an emblem of pious remembrance, as it is in Glamorganshire to pay a tribute of similar import, in the cultivation of sweet-scented flowers on the same spot. The graves of Glamorganshire, decorated with flowers and herbs, at once gratify the relations of the departed and please the observer."

Flying Coaches.-The older name of the merry-go-round at fairs. They are mentioned in Poor Robin for 1733. See the passage quoted in Nares, Gloss., in v.

Flying Machine. The name bestowed on the mail-coaches, which left London to convey passengers along all the great roads in the eighteenth century. It is found described in Coaching Days and Coaching Ways, 1903.

Font. The font was usually covered, and the cover was made fast with a lock, in order to guard against malignant influences. There was more reason in the practice which formerly prevailed of securing the poor-boxes in the churches with locks and keys, and even iron plates, not propter sortilegia, but to guard the donations of the charitable against common-place depredators. Archæologia," vol. x. p. 207-8, where "Gent. Mag." vol. xliv. p. 500 and vol. xlv. p. 13 are cited. The passage requiring this protection to fonts is curious:" Fontes baptismales sub sera clausi teneantur propter sortilegia."

66

Fool (Christmas). In representations of the Fool, who took part in dramatic performances and in sports at festivals, he appears with all the badges of his office; the bauble in his hand, and a coxcomb hood, with asses' ears, on his head. The top of the hood rises into the form of a cock's neck and head, with a bell at the latter and "Minshew's Dictionary," 1617, under the word Coxcomb, observes, that "natural idiots and fools have accustomed and still do accustome themselves to weare in their capes cockes feathers, or a hat with the necke

My stockings, ideot-like, red, greene,
and yeallow:-"

Comp. Nares, Glossary, 1859, in v.,
excellent note on this subject.

for an

Fool (Court). (4 - In the Privy Purse Expenses of Henry VII." numerous entries occur of money given to fools "in reward." Under date of Jan. 12, 1492-3, there is, "To Peche the fole in reward, 6s. 8d." Two other fools present themselves in this record: the Duke of Lancas