FLORAL DIRECTORY.
Lancashire Asphodel. Asphodelus Luteus.
Dedicated to St. Mammertus.
May 12.
Holy Thursday, holiday at the Public Offices, except Excise, Stamp, and Custom.
Sts. Nereus and Achilleus. St. Flavia Domitilla. St. Pancras, A. D. 304. St. Epiphanius, Abp. A. D. 403. St. Germanus, Patriarch of Constantinople, A. D. 733. St. Rictrudes, Abbess, A. D. 688.
Holy Thursday,
Or Ascension Day.
The anniversary of Christ’s Ascension as kept by the Romish church, is set forth in the “Popish Kingdome,” thus:
Then comes the day when Christ ascended to his father’s seate
Which day they also celebrate, with store of drinke and meate,
Then every man some birde must eate, I know not to what ende,
And after dinner all to church they come, and their attende
The blocke that on the aultar still, till then was seene to stande,
Is drawne vp hie aboue the roofe, by ropes, and force of hande:
The Priestes about it rounde do stand, and chaunt it to the skie,
For all these mens religion great, in singing most doth lie.
Then out of hande the dreadfull shape of Sathan downe they throw,
Oft times, with fire burning bright, and dasht a sunder tho,[144]
The boyes with greedie eyes do watch, and on him straight they fall,
And beate him sore with rods, and breake him into peeces small.
This done, they wafers downe doe cast, and singing Cakes the while,
With papers round amongst them put, the children to beguile.
With laughter great are all things done: and from the beames they let
Great streames of water downe to fall, on whom they meane to wet.
And thus this solemne holiday, and hye renowned feast,
And all their whole deuotion here, is ended with a ieast.[145]
It is sufficient for the present to observe of Holy Thursday, that with us on this day it is a common custom of established usage, for the minister of each parish, with the parochial officers and other inhabitants of the parish, followed by the boys of the parish school, headed by their master, to go in procession to the different parish boundaries; which boundaries the boys strike with peeled willow wands that they bear in their hands, and this is called “beating the bounds.” More, concerning this and other practices connected with the day, is purposely deferred till the subject be properly set forth hereafter.