Verses commemorating Religious Festivals
These are, perhaps, more frequent than any others. Especially is this the case with those referring to Easter, which is again and again the subject of one or other of the following verses:—
“The holy feast of Easter was injoined
To bring Christ’s Resurrection to our Mind,
Rise then from Sin as he did from the Grave,
That by his Merits he your Souls may save.
“White robes were worn in ancient Times they say,
And gave Denomination to this Day
But inward Purity is required most
To make fit Temples for the Holy Ghost.”
Mary Wilmot, 1761.
Or the following:—
“See how the lilies flourish wite and faire,
See how the ravens fed from heaven are;
Never distrust thy God for cloth and bread
While lilies flourish and the Raven’s fed.”
Mary Heaviside, 1735.
Or the variation set out on [Fig. 19].
![[Larger Image]](#6059282136365608635_img017.jpg.id-1791662714579056833.wrap-0.html.html){kind=link}
Plate VI.—Portion of Sampler by Elizabeth Creasey.
Dated 1686.
The Late Mr A. Tuer.
This Sampler, of which only the upper half is reproduced, is remarkable not only for the decorative qualities of its design but for its perfect state of preservation. It consists, besides the four rows which are seen, of one other in which the drawn work is subservient in quantity to the embroidery, and of seven rows in which the reverse is the case. The inscription, which is set out below, alternates in rows with those of the design. The butter colour of the linen ground is well reproduced in the plate. The original measures 32×8.
INSCRIPTION.
“Look Well to that thou takest in
Hand Its Better Worth Then house
Or Land When Land is gone and
Money is spent Then learn
ing is most Excelent
Let vertue Be Thy guide and it will kee
p the out of pride Elizabeth Creasey
Her work Done in the year 1686.”
As also in that by Kitty Harison, in our illustration, [Fig. 13].
![[Larger Image]](#6059282136365608635_img018.jpg.id-1833911198126684814.wrap-0.html.html){kind=link}
Fig. 13.—Easter Sampler by Kitty Harison. Dated 1770.
The Christmas verse is usually:—
“Glory to God in the Highest”;
but an unusual one is that in Margaret Fiddes’s sampler, 1773:—
“The Night soon past, it ran so fast. The Day
Came on Amain. Our Sorrows Ceast Our Hopes
Encreast once more to Meet again A Star appears
Expells all Fears Angels give Kings to
Know A Babe was sent With that intent to
Conquer Death below.”
Ascension Day is marked by:—
“The heavens do now retain our Lord
Until he come again,
And for the safety of our souls
He there doth still remain.
And quickly shall our King appear
And take us by the hand
And lead us fully to enjoy
The promised Holy Land.”
Sarah Smith, 1794.
Whilst Passion Week is recognisable in:—
“Behold the patient Lamb, before his shearer stands,” etc.
The Crucifixion itself, although it is portrayed frequently in German samplers (examples in The Fine Art Society’s Exhibition were dated 1674, 1724, and 1776), is seldom, if ever, found in English ones, but for Good Friday we have the lines:—
“Alas and did my Saviour bleed
For such a worm as I?”