till the Font hallowing, if it may savely for perrill of death, and ells not.'"

Collinson, in his History of Somersetshire, speaking of Yatton, says that "John Lane of this parish, gent., left half an acre of ground, called the Groves, to the poor for ever, reserving a quantity of the grass for strewing the church on Whitsunday."

A superstitious notion appears anciently to have prevailed in England that, "whatsoever one did ask of God upon Whitsunday morning, at the instant when the sun arose and play'd, God would grant it him.” Arise Evans, in his Echo to the Voice from Heaven (1652), says he went up a hill to see the sun arise betimes on Whitsunday morning, and he " saw it at its rising skip, play, dance, and turn about like a

wheel."

Till within the last century the inhabitants of the parish of Ensham in Oxfordshire were allowed on Whitmonday to cut down and carry away as much timber as could be drawn by men's hands into the abbey-yard, the churchwardens previously marking out such timber by giving the first chop. As much as they could carry out again, notwithstanding the efforts of the servants of the abbey to prevent it, they kept for the repair of the church. By this service they held their right of commonage at Lammas and Michaelmas.

"At Kidlington, in Oxfordshire," says Beckwith in his edition of Blount's Jocular Tenures, "the custom is, that, on Monday after Whitson Week, there is a fat live lamb provided; and the maids of the town, having their thumbs tied behind them, run after it, and she that with her mouth takes and holds the lamb is declared Lady of the Lamb, which being dressed, with the skin hanging on, is carried on a long pole before the lady and her companions to the green, attended with music, and a Morisco dance of men, and another of women, where the rest of the day is spent in dancing, mirth, and merry glee. The next day the lamb is partly baked, boiled, and roast, for the Lady's Feast, where she sits majestically at the upper end of the table, and her companions with her, with music and other attendants, which ends the solemnity."

In Poor Robin's Almanack for 1676, stool-ball and barley-break are spoken of as Whitsun sports. In the almanack for the following year, in June, opposite Whitsunday and Holidays, we read—

"At Islington

A fair they hold,
Where cakes and ale
Are to be sold.

At Highgate and
At Holloway,
The like is kept
Here every day.

At Totnam Court

And Kentish Town, And all those places Up and down."

161

TRINITY, OR TRINITY SUNDAY, EVEN.

AMONG the curious extracts, in Lyons, from the Churchwardens'

Accounts at Lambeth are the following

1519. Item, for garlonds and drynk for the chylderne on Trenyte Even

£ s. d.

To Spryngwell and Smyth for syngyng with the Procession
on Trenete Sonday Even

o 6

O O 12

Item. for four onssys of garnesyng rebonds, at 9d. the onse o

3 0.

In a letter from E. G. to Aubrey (Miscellanies on several curious subjects, 1714) dated Ascension Day 1682, is an account of Newnton in North Wiltshire, to perpetuate the memory of the donation by King Athelstan of a common to which place, and of a house for the hayward, i.e., the person who looked after the beasts that fed upon this common, the following ceremonies were appointed: "Upon every Trinity Sunday, the Parishioners being come to the Door of the Hayward's House, the door was struck thrice, in honour of the Holy Trinity; then they entered. The Bell was rung; after which, silence being ordered, they read their prayers aforesaid. Then was a Ghirland of Flowers (about the year 1660. one was killed striving to take away the Ghirland) made upon an Hoop, brought forth by a Maid of the Town upon her Neck, and a young Man (a Bachelor) of another Parish, first saluted her three times, in honour of the Trinity, in respect of God the Father. Then she puts the Ghirland upon his neck, and kisses him three times, in honour of the Trinity, particularly God the Son. Then he puts the Ghirland on her neck again, and kisses her three times, in respect of the Holy Trinity, and particularly the Holy Ghost. Then he takes the Ghirland from her neck, and, by the Custom, must give her a penny at least, which, as Fancy leads, is now exceeded, as 2s. 6d. or &c.

"The method of giving this Ghirland is from House to House annually, till it comes round.

"In the Evening every Commoner sends his supper up to this House, which is called the Eale House; and having before laid in there equally a Stock of Malt, which was brewed in the House, they sup together, and what was left was given to the poor."

EVE OF THURSDAY AFTER TRINITY SUNDAY.

PENNANT'S MS, supplies the following: "In Wales [i.e., at

Caerwis], on Thursday after Trinity Sunday, which they call Dudd son Duw, or Dydd gwyl duw, on the Eve before, they strew a sort of fern before their doors, called Redyn Mair."

L

162

ST BARNABAS' DAY.

11th of June.

IN the Churchwardens' Accounts of St Mary-at-Hill, London, 17

IN and 19 Edward IV., the following entry occurs

"For Rose-garlondis and Woodrove*-garlondis on St. Barnebes' Daye, xjd” And, under the year 1486

"Item, for two doss' di BOCSE GARLANDS for prestes and clerks on Saynt Barnabe daye, js. xd."

In 1512

"Reca of the gadryng of the Maydens on St. Barnabas' Day, vjs. viijd.” And, among the disbursements of the same year, we have—

"Rose-garlands and Lavender, St. Barnabas, is. vjd.”

In the same Accounts, for 1509, we read

"For bred, wine, and ale, for the Singers of the King's Chapel, and for the Clarks of this town, on St. Barnabas, Is. iijd.”

Collinson, in his History of Somersetshire, speaking of Glastonbury, tells us that, "besides the holy Thorn, there grew in the Abbey Church-yard, on the North side of St. Joseph's Chapel, a miraculous Walnut Tree, which never budded forth before the feast of St. Barnabas, viz. the eleventh of June, and on that very day shot forth leaves, and flourished like its usual species. This tree is gone, and in the place thereof stands a very fine Walnut-tree of the common sort. It is strange to say how much this tree was sought after by the credulous; and, though not an uncommon Walnut, Queen Anne, King James, and many of the nobility of the realm, even when the times of monkish superstition had ceased, gave large sums of money for small cuttings from the original."

Among Ray's Proverbs the following is preserved relating to Saint Barnabas

"Woodroofe, Asperula, hath many square stalkes full of joynts, and at every knot or joynt seven or eight long narrow leaves, set round about like a star, or the rowell of a spurre. The flowres grow at the top of the stems, of a white colour and of a very sweet smell, as is the rest of the herbe, which being made up into garlands or bundles, and hanging up in houses in the heat of summer, doth very well attemper the aire, coole and make fresh the place, to the delight and comfort of such as are therein."- "Woodrooffe is named of divers in Latine Asperula odorata, and of most men Aspergula odorata: of others Cordialis, and Stellaria: in English, Woodrooffe, Woodrowe, and Woodrowell. It is reported to be put into wine, to make a man merry, and to be good for the heart and liver."-Gerard's Herball.

The author of the Festa Anglo-Romana writes: "This Barnaby-day, or thereabout, is the Summer Solstice or Sun-sted, when the Sun seems to stand, and begins to go back, being the longest day in the year, about the 11th or 12th of June; it is taken for the whole time, when the days appear not for fourteen days together either to lengthen or shorten."

CORPUS CHRISTI DAY, AND PLAYS.

14th of June.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Dights, lowers strewed all along the streets,

“ORPUS CHRISTI Day in all Roman Catholic countries is cele

rich tapestries hung out upon the walls, and other signs of rejoicing. The following is Googe's translation of what Naogeorgus has said upon the ceremonies of this day in his Popish Kingdome

"Then doth ensue the solemne feast of Corpus Christi Day,

Who then can shewe their wicked use, and fond and foolish play?

The hallowed bread, with worship great, in silver pix they beare

About the church, or in the citie passing here and theare.

His armes that beares the same two of the welthiest men do holde,
And over him a canopey of silke and cloth of golde.

Foure others use to beare aloufe, least that some filthie thing

Should fall from hie, or some mad birde hir doung thereon should fling.
Christe's passion here derided is, with sundrie maskes and playes,
Faire Ursley, with hir maydens all, doth passe amid the wayes:
And, valiant George, with speare thou killest the dreadfull dragon here,
The Devil's house is drawne about, wherein there doth appere

A wondrous sort of damned sprites, with foule and fearefull looke,
Great Christopher doth wade and passe with Christ amid the brooke :
Sebastian full of feathred shaftes, the dint of dart doth feele,

There walketh Kathren, with hir sworde in hande, and cruel wheele :
The Challis and the singing Cake with Barbara is led,

And sundrie other pageants playde, in worship of this bred,
That please the foolish people well: what should I stand upon
Their Banners, Crosses, Candlestickes, and reliques many on,
Their Cuppes, and carved Images, that priestes, with count'nance hie
Or rude and common people, beare about full solemlie?
Saint John before the bread doth go, and poynting towards him,
Doth shew the same to be the Lambe that takes away our sinne :
On whome two clad in angels shape do sundrie flowres fling,
A number great of Sacring Belles with pleasant sound doe ring.
The common wayes with bowes are strawde, and every streete beside,
And to the walles and windowes all, are boughes and braunches tide.
The monkes in every place do roame, the nonnes abrode are sent,
The priestes and schoolmen lowd do rore, some use the instrument.
The straunger passing through the streete, upon his knees doe fall:
And earnestly upon this bread, as on his God, doth call.

For why, they counte it for their Lorde, and that he doth not take
The form of flesh, but nature now of breade that we do bake.

A number great of armed men here all this while do stande,
To looke that no disorder be, nor any filching hande :

For all the church-goodes out are brought, which certainly would bee
A bootie good, if every man might have his libertie.

This Bread eight dayes togither they in presence out do bring,
The organs all do then resound, and priestes alowde do sing:
The people flat on faces fall, their handes held up on hie,
Beleeving that they see their God, and soveraigne Majestie.
The like at Masse they doe, while as the Bread is lifted well,
And Challys shewed aloft, when as the sexten rings the bell.”

"In villages the Husbandmen about their corne doe ride,
With many Crosses, Banners, and Sir John their priest beside:
Who in a bag about his necke doth beare the blessed Breade,
And oftentyme he downe alightes, and Gospel lowde doth reade.

This surely keepes the corne from winde, and raine, and from the blast,
Such fayth the Pope hath taught, and yet the Papistes hold it fast."

In the Churchwardens' and Chamberlains' Accounts at Kingston. upon-Thames, relating to this day, we find

"21 Hen. VII. Mem. That we, Adam Backhous and Harry Nycol, amountyd of a Play

£. s.

d.

4

27 Hen. VII. Paid for pack-thred on Corpus Christi Day o

O I.

"This," Lysons adds, " was probably used for hanging the pageants, containing the History of our Saviour, which were exhibited on this day, and explained by the Mendicant Friars."

In the Accounts of St Mary-at-Hill, London, 17 and 19 Edw. IV., the following entry occurs

"Garlands on Corpus Christi Day, xa."

We find also, among the ancient annual Church disbursements, "For four (six, or eight) men bearing torches about the parish” on this day, payments of id. each.

Among the same Accounts, for the 19th and 21st years of Edw. IV. we have: "For flaggs and garlondis, and pak-thredde for the torches, upon Corpus Christi Day, and for six men to bere the said torches, iiijs. vijd."

And, in 1485, "For the hire of the garments for pageants, is. viijā.” Rose-garlands on Corpus Christi Day are also mentioned under the years 1524 and 1525, in the Parish Accounts of St Martin Outwich.

The Cotton MS. (Vesp. D. viii.) contains a collection of dramas in old English verse (of the fifteenth century) relating principally to the History of the New Testament. Dugdale, in his Antiquities of Warwickshire, mentions this manuscript under the name of Ludus Corporis Christi, or Ludus Coventriæ; and adds: “I have been told by some people, who in their younger years were eye-witnesses of these pageants so acted, that the yearly confluence of people to see that shew was extraordinary great, and yielded no small advantage to this city."