Staffordshire.
On the feast of St. Clement, a custom exists in Staffordshire for the children to go round to the various houses in the village to which they belong singing the following doggerel:
“Clemany! Clemany! Clemany mine!
A good red apple and a pint of wine,
Some of your mutton and some of your veal,
If it is good, pray give me a deal;
If it is not, pray give me some salt.
Butler, butler, fill your bowl;
If thou fillst it of the best,
The Lord’ll send your soul to rest;
If thou fillst it of the small,
Down goes butler, bowl and all.
Pray, good mistress, send to me
One for Peter, one for Paul,
One for Him who made us all:
Apple, pear, plum, or cherry,
Any good thing to make us merry;
A bouncing buck and a velvet chair,
Clement comes but once a year;
Off with the pot and on with the pan,
A good red apple and I’ll be gone.”
N. & Q. 1st. S. vol. viii. p. 618.
The following rhyme is also sung:
“Clemeny, Clemeny, God be wi’ you,
Christmas comes but once a ye-ar;
When it comes, it will soon be gone,
Give me an apple, and I’ll be gone.”
Ibid. 3rd. S. vol. iv. p. 492; See Oliver’s History of Collegiate Church of Wolverhampton, 1836, p. 16.