The Cheshire rhyme says:
“He that marls sand may buy the land,
He that marls moss shall have no loss,
He that marls clay flings all away.”
RUSH-BEARING
The strewing of the floors with rushes is an old custom, and has died hard. The farmhouses in Cheshire were strewn on the first of May with green rushes, over which lavender and rosemary were scattered. Rushes are no longer used, but a pattern is frequently worked on the flagged floor by the juice of dock leaves.[61]
Formerly all churches were strewn with rushes, and these were generally renewed on great festivals:
| “1551 | Rysshes at Wytsontyd | vid | ||
| ” | ”” Mydsomer | viijd | ||
| ” | ”against All Hallowtyde | xd | ||
| 1584 | To Edward Griffith for boughs, rishes, and other things what time the Earl of Leicester came hither | xviijs | ijd” | [62] |
| “1630 | Paid to Robert Raborne for getting out the old rushes of the church | viijd” | [63] |
The custom of carrying rushes to church gradually developed into a festival, and the rushes were then decorated and carried in procession. In some parishes, where the time of year was suitable, this was done on the “Wake” day of the village. Flowers and garlands were added, which “were hung up in the church; we saw these garlands remaining in several places.”[64] Finally, the graves were strewn with them. This custom is still observed at Farndon with much ceremony on July 16th or the first Sunday afterwards.
[61] Utkinton Hall, 1908.