What I most earnestly do crave
A Valentine endow’d with love,
That will both kind and constant prove.
Then to your content you’ll either have the Valentine you desire, or one more excellent.
Sixthly, the old experiment of the Midsummer smock found out in a much better method than before, by my sublime and painful study in philosophy. And now, my daughters, said she, it is thus: Let seven of you go together on Midsummer Eve, just at sunset, into a silent grove, and gather every one of you a sprig of red sage, and return into a private room, with a stool in the middle; each one having a clean smock, turned wrong side outwards, hanging on a line cross the room, and let every one lay their sprig of red sage in a clean bason of rose water, set on the stool; which done place yourselves on a row, and continue till twelve or one, saying nothing, be it what you will you see; for after midnight each one’s sweetheart or husband that shall be, will take each maids sprig out of the rose water, and sprinkle his love’s shift; and those who are so unfortunate, as never to be married, their sprigs will not be moved, but in lieu of that, sobs and sighs will be heard. This has been often try’d and it never failed of its effects.
These things I have found out of late,
To make young lovers fortunate.
And now, my dear daughters, I have but a word or two more to say at the present, and that by way of caution.
In the twelvemonths I find about thirty-one days unlucky; so as you tender your own happiness, take care you marry not on those days, and for your better instruction I will set down those days for you.
In January are four, the 7th, 14th, 17th, and 18th.