To grasp the bounty of the year,
The reapers to the scene repair,
With hook in hand and bottles slung,
And dowlas scups beside them hung,—
The sickles stubble all the ground,
And filful hasty laps go round;
The meals are done, as soon as tasted,
And neither time nor viands wasted.
The fifth day of August is noticed in England for two reasons: it is the birthday of Saint James, and oysters on this day come into use. They are not allowed to be eaten, by order of parliament, till this time, as they are deemed unwholesome during the summer. The event is thus celebrated by the rhymester:
Green groves rise at dawn of sun,