Weather and Folk Lore of Peterborough and District | Page 4

young man to get as large a branch as possible of May in flower on May 1st and fix it to his sweetheart's window. If the shutters were closed it was thrust through the diamond, oval, round, or heartshaped openings at the top of the shutters. The larger the branch and the more the blossoms the greater the compliment. If a quarrel had taken place, and peace not made, then the angry swain would fix a branch of blackthorn in the place which otherwise should have held the May blossom.
In the country if the servant maids had not pleased the farm boys they used to get a branch of the crab apple and put it in the girl's window.
MAY DAY.
A branch of May I have brought you,?And at your door it stands;?Well set out, and well spread about?By the work of our Lord's hands.?Take a Bible in your hands,?And read a chapter through;?And when the day of Judgement comes,?God will remember you,?God bless ye all both great and small,?And I wish you a merry May.
Another variation is:--
Arise! Arise! ye dairy maids,?Shake off your drowsy dreams,?Step straightway to your dairies?And fetch us a bowl of cream,?If not a bowl of your sweet cream,?A pot of your brown beer;?And if we should tarry in this town,?We'll come again next year.
When Caster Common Lands were open to all and the gates taken off on May 13th, there was a struggle with the cottagers as to whose cow would get through the gateway first and the cow which secured the place of honour had a garland of flowers put round its horns when driven home at night, and the cow which was last to get on the Common returned with a "Dish Clout" tied to its tail.
Sunny May.
Cold May, good for corn and Hay.
Rain in May, makes plenty of Hay.
A May flood never did good.
The last two appear to be contradictory but the flood refers to the valley of the Nene and the lowlands which are apt to be flooded when the river overflows its banks. The mud and dirt consequently settle on the grass and make it unfit for hay, but the rainfall does good, causes the grass to grow and it is not injured by the silt.
Till May goes out, change not a clout.
29th May, Restoration Day, commonly called Oak Apple Day from an oak apple with oak leaves being generally worn on that day until noon. The leaves or apple at that time were put out of sight. Before noon everyone was challenged to "show your oak" and if none could be seen a blow or a pinch could be given, but after that hour the wearer of the oak could be struck. School boys used to fix leaves on the top of their boots, hidden by their trousers, and when challenged would lift their foot and kick the challenger, and so showing their oak and punishing the other boy.
When you hear the cuckoo for the first time you must run or you will be late for everything during the year.
WHIT SUNDAY.
In South Northamptonshire it is said:--
"Whatsoever one did ask of God upon Whit Sunday Morning, at the instant when the sun arose and played, God would grant him."
Turn your money in your pocket the first time you hear the cuckoo.
Count the number of times the cuckoo calls when you hear it for the first time and, as many times as it calls, so many years will it be before you are married.
If a maid hears a cuckoo on the first of May, and takes off her left shoe, she will find inside a hair the colour of her future husband's hair. Girls used to get up early on May morning and go into the country and wait to hear the cuckoo.
An old adage is:--Don't change your clothes until the cuckoo picks up dirt.
JUNE.
The oak's slow opening leaf, of deepening hue,?Bespeaks the power of Summer once again. Clare.
JUNE ROSES.
The two June sayings are very optimistic:
A fine June, puts all things in tune.
A rainy June, sets all things in tune.
ST. PETER'S DAY, 29TH JUNE.
The gates of the Minster Precincts are still closed on this day to maintain the right of privacy.
The Proclamations of St. Peter's and Bridge Fair by the Town Crier, in the presence of the Mayor and Corporation, is still continued.
A copy of the proclamation was fortunately obtained for me before the old Beadle died. He had not a copy but used to repeat it from memory.
SHEEP SHEARING. (JUNE).
It was the custom, when the shearing was finished, for the Shepherds and Shearers to be entertained at supper by the Farmer. The Farmer's Daughter used to tie up posies of roses with ribbons and give a posy to each man, but the Head Shepherd always had the largest and best posy.