Northumberland.

At one time the boys at Newcastle-upon-Tyne had a taunting rhyme, with which they used to insult such persons as they met on this day who had not oak-leaves in their hats:

“Royal oak,
The Whigs to provoke.”

There was a retort courteous by others, who contemptuously wore plane-tree leaves:

“Plane-tree leaves;
The Church folk are thieves.”

Brand, Pop. Antiq. 1849, vol. i. p. 274.