There is yet another bit of Folk-lore anent flowers and Christ-tide which may be found in The Connoisseur, No. 56, Feb. 20, 1755. "Our maid, Betty, tells me that, if I go backwards, without speaking a word, into the garden, upon Midsummer Eve, and gather a Rose, and keep it in a clean sheet of paper, without looking at it, 'till Christmas day, it will be as fresh as in June; and, if I then stick it in my bosom, he that is to be my husband will come and take it out."
It is perhaps as well to know what will happen to us if the Feast of the Nativity falls on a particular day in the week—as, according to the proverb, "forewarned is fore armed."
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Nowe takethe heed, euery man, That englisshe vnderstonde can, If that Crystmasse day falle Vpon Sonday, wittethe weel alle, That wynter saysoun shal been esy, Save gret wyndes on lofft shal flye. The somer affter al-so bee drye, And right saysounable, I seye. Beestis and sheepe shal threue right weel, But other vytayle shal fayle, mooste deel. * * * * *[52] Be kynde shal, with-outen lees, Alle landes thanne shal haue pees. But offt-tymes, for synne that is doone, Grace is wyth-drawen from many oone And goode tyme alle thinges for to do; But who-so feelethe, is sone for-do. What chylde that day is borne, Gret and ryche he shal be of Corne. If Cristmasse day on Monday bee, Gret wynter that yeer shal ghee see, And ful of wynde lowde and scille;[53] But the somer, truwly to telle, Shal bee sterne with wynde also, Ful of tempeste eeke ther-too; And vitayles shal soo multeplye, And gret moryne of bestes shal hye. They that bee borne, with-outen weene, Shoulle be strong men and kene. If Crystmasse day on Tuysday be, Wymmen shal dye gret plentee. That wynter shal shewe gret merveylle Shippes shal bee in gret parayle; That yeer shal kynges and lordes bee sleyne, In lande, of werre gret woone,[54] certayne. A drye somer shal be that yeere; Alle that been borne that day in-feere, They been stronge and coveytous, But theyre ende shal be petous;[55] They shal dye with swerd or knyff. If thou stele ought, hit leesethe thy lyfe; But if thou falle seeke, certayne, Thou shalt tourne to lyf ageyne. If that the Cristmasse day Falle vpon a Weddensday, That yeere shal be hardee and strong, And many huge wyndes amonge. The somer goode and mury shal be, And that yeere shal be plentee. Yonge folkes shal dye alsoo; Shippes in the see, tempest and woo. What chylde that day is borne is his Fortune to be doughty and wys, Discrete al-so and sleeghe of deede, To fynde feel[56] folkes mete and weede.[57] If Cristmasse day on therusday bee, A wonder wynter yee shoule see, Of wyndes, and of weders wicke,[58] Tempestes eeke many and thicke. The somer shal bee strong and drye, Corne and beestes shal multeplye, Ther as the lande is goode of tilthe; But kynges and lordes shal dye by filthe What chylde that day eborne bee, He shal no dowte Right weel ethee,[59] Of deedes that been good and stable. Of speeche ful wyse and Raysonable. Who-so that day bee thefft aboute, He shall bee shent,[60] with-outen doute; But if seeknesse that day thee felle, Hit may not long with thee dwelle. If Cristmasse day on fryday be, The frost of wynter harde shal be, The frost, snowe and the floode; But at the eende hit shal bee goode. The somer goode and feyre alsoo, Folke in eerthe shal haue gret woo. Wymmen with chylde, beestes and corne, Shal multeplye, and noon be lorne.[61] The children that been borne that day, Shoule longe lyve, and lechcherous ay. If Cristmasse day on saturday falle, That wynter wee most dreeden alle. Hit shal bee ful of foule tempest, That hit shal slee bothe man and beest. Fruytes and corne shal fayle, gret woone, And eelde folk dye many oon. What woman that of chylde travayle, They shoule bee boothe in gret parayle. And children that been borne that day, With June half yeere shal dy, no nay. |
The Shepherd's Kalendar says: "If the sun shines clear and bright on Christmas day, it promises a peaceful year, free from clamours and strife, and foretells much plenty to ensue; but if the wind blows stormy towards sunset, it betokens sickness in the spring and autumn quarters."
Another authority, Husband-man's Practice, warns us that "when Christmas day cometh while the moon waxeth, it shall be a very good year, and the nearer it cometh to the new moon, the better shall that year be. If it cometh when the moon decreaseth, it shall be a hard year, and the nearer the latter end thereof it cometh, the worse and harder shall the year be."
The same book says: "The wise and cunning masters in Astrology have found that men may see and mark the weather of the holy Christmas night, how the whole year after shall be in his working and doing, and they shall speak on this wise:
"When on the Christmas night and evening it is very fair and clear weather, and is without wind and rain, then it is a token that this year will be plenty of wine and fruite.
"But if the contrariwise, foul weather and windy, so shall it be very scant of wine and fruite.
"But if the wind arise at the rising of the sun, then it betokeneth great dearth among beasts and cattle this year.