A Medley of Weather Lore

Part 1

A MEDLEY OF WEATHER LORE

A MEDLEY OF WEATHER LORE

COLLECTED BY M. E. S. WRIGHT

"An almanack is out at twelve months day, My legacy it doth endure for aye, But take you notice, though 'tis but a hint, It far exceeds some books of greater print."

THE SHEPHERD'S LEGACY. (John Claridge, 1670)

Horace G. Commin, Bournemouth 1913

THE ANCHOR PRESS, LTD., TIPTREE, ESSEX.

CONTENTS

PAGE

PREFACE 5

JANUARY 9

FEBRUARY 17

MARCH 24

APRIL 37

MAY 52

JUNE 67

JULY 85

AUGUST 94

SEPTEMBER 100

OCTOBER 109

NOVEMBER 116

DECEMBER 121

INDEX 131

PREFACE

In this collection of Weather Lore and Poetry I beg to acknowledge with gratitude permission from Messrs. Macmillan to quote lines from Tennyson, Charles Turner, Alfred Austin, Matthew Arnold, Christina Rossetti, T. E. Brown, and Francis Doyle.

From Messrs. Longman and Green from Jean Ingelow, from "Four Bridges," and "An Afternoon at a Parsonage." Andrew Lang, from "A Ballade of Summer." William Morris' from "The Earthly Paradise," and "Love is Enough," and Edwin Arnold, from "Bloom of an Almond Tree."

From Messrs. Kegan Paul and Trench from Lewis Morris. From Messrs. Chatto and Windus (by the courtesy of Mr. Theodore Watts-Dunton) for the inclusion of verses by A. Swinburne, and from the Walter Scott Publishing Company for the use of Selections of R. W. Emerson and Owen Meredith. I have endeavoured to avoid infringing copyrights, but if I should have done so inadvertently I beg that my sincere apologies maybe accepted.

M. E. S. WRIGHT.

Part 2

A MEDLEY OF WEATHER LORE

A MEDLEY OF WEATHER LORE

JANUARY

Ancient Cornish name for the month: Mis-jenver, cold air month.

* * * * *

Jewel for the month: Garnet. Constancy.

* * * * *

If Janiveer calends be summerly gay, 'Twill be wintry weather till the calends of May.

* * * * *

The wind of the South will be productive of heat and fertility; the wind of the West, of milk and fish; the wind from the North, of cold and storm; the wind from the East, of fruit on the trees.

Scotland.

* * * * *

At New Year's tide The days lengthen a cock's stride.

Proverb in the North.

* * * * *

A cold January, a feverish February, a dusty March, a weeping April, a windy May, presage a good year and gay.

France.

* * * * *

Warwickshire countrymen to ensure good luck bow nine times to the first New Moon of the year.

* * * * *

A snow year, a rich year.

* * * * *

The blackest month of all the year Is the month of Janiveer.

* * * * *

Through all the sad and weary hours Which cold and dark and storms will bring, We scarce believe in what we know-- That time drags on at last to Spring.

* * * * *

The empty pastures blind with rain.

* * * * *

Part 3

If the grass grow in Janiveer 'Twill be the worse for 't all the year.

* * * * *

A fair day in winter is the mother of a storm.

* * * * *

Under water famine, under snow bread.

* * * * *

March in Janiveer, Janiveer in March I fear.

* * * * *

A year of snow a year of plenty.

Spain.

* * * * *

Winter time for shoeing; Peascod time for wooing.

Devon.

* * * * *

1565

On Twelve-eve in Christmas, they used to set up as high as they can a sieve of oats, and in it a dozen candles set round, and in the centre one larger, all lighted. This in memory of our Saviour and His Apostles, lights of the world.

Westmeath custom.

* * * * *

In the South-hams of Devonshire, on the Eve of the Epiphany, the farmer attended by his workmen, with a large pitcher of cyder, goes to the orchard, and there, encircling one of the best bearing trees, they drink the following toast three several times:

"Here's to thee, old apple-tree, Whence thou mayst bud, and whence thou mayst blow! And whence thou mayst bear apples enow! Hats-full, caps-full! Bushel-bushel-sacks-full! And my pockets full too! Huzza!"

* * * * *

OLD CUSTOM OF BLESSING APPLE TREES ON TWELFTH DAY.

Apple-tree, apple-tree, Bear apples for me: Hats full, laps full, Sacks full, caps full: Apple-tree, apple-tree, Bear apples for me.

* * * * *

"Twelfth-Day--came in a tiffany suit, white and gold, like a queen on a frost-cake, all royal, glittering, and Epiphanous."

Elia.

* * * * *

January the fourteenth will be either the coldest or wettest day of the year.

Part 4

Huntingdon.

* * * * *

ST. ANTHONY. (January 17th.)

It is affirmed of him that all the world bemoaned his death, for afterwards there fell no rain from heaven for three years.

ST. VINCENT. (January 22nd. Old Style. February 3rd. New Style.)

Remember in St. Vincent's Day If the sun his beams display, 'Tis a token bright and clear, That you will have a prosperous year.

* * * * *

Winter's thunder's summer's wonder.

* * * * *

ST. PAUL'S EVE. (January 24th.)

Winter's white shrowd doth cover all the grounde, And Caecias blows his bitter blaste of woe; The ponds and pooles, and streams in ice are bounde, And famished birds are shivering in the snowe.

* * * * *

Still round about the house they flitting goe, And at the windows seek for scraps of foode Which Charity with hand profuse doth throwe, Right weeting that in neede of it they stoode, For Charity is shown by working creatures goode. The sparrowe pert, the chaffinche gay and cleane, The redbreast welcome to the cotter's house, The livelie blue tomtit, the oxeye greene, The dingie dunnock, and the swart colemouse; The titmouse of the marsh, the nimble wrenne, The bullfinch and the goldspink, with the king Of birds the goldcrest. The thrush, now and then, The blackbird, wont to whistle in the spring, Like Christians seeke the heavenlie food Saint Paul doth bring.

Dr. Forster.

* * * * *

ST. PAUL'S DAY.

If Saint Paul's Day be fair and clear, It promises then a happy year; But if it chance to snow or rain, Then will be dear all sorts of grain; Or if the wind do blow aloft, Great stirs will vex the world full oft; And if dark clouds do muff the sky, Then foul and cattle oft will die.

T. Passenger.

* * * * *

OF GARDENS.

For the latter part of January and February, the mezerion tree, which then blossoms; crocus vernus, both the yellow and the gray; primroses, anemones, the early tulippa, hyacinthus orientalis, chamairis, frettellaria.

Bacon.

* * * * *

A January spring Is worth no thing.

* * * * *

Pluck broom, broom still, Cut broom, broom kill.

Tusser.

* * * * *

Part 5

Good gardener mine, Make garden fine, Set garden pease, And beans if ye please. Set respis and rose, Young roots of those. Who now sows oats Gets gold and groats. Who sows in May, Gets little that way.

Tusser.

* * * * *

A kindly good January freezeth pot by the fire.

* * * * *

O Winter! wilt thou never--never go! O Summer! but I weary for thy coming!

David Gray.

* * * * *

If the robin sings in the bush, then the weather will be coarse; but if the robin sings on the barn, then the weather will be warm.

Norfolk.

FEBRUARY

Ancient Cornish name: Hu-evral, whirling month.

* * * * *

Jewel: Amethyst. Sincerity.

* * * * *

One month is past, another is begun, Since merry bells rang out the dying year, And buds of rarest green began to peer, As if impatient for a warmer sun; And though the distant hills are bleak and dun, The virgin snowdrop, like a lambent fire, Pierces the cold earth, with its green-streaked spire; And in dark woods the wandering little one May find a primrose.

Hartley Coleridge.

* * * * *

Fair rising from her icy couch, Wan herald of the floral year, The snowdrop marks the spring's approach, Ere yet the primrose groups appear, Or peers the arum from its spotted veil, Or violets scent the cold capricious gale.

Charlotte Smith.

* * * * *

Candlemas shined, and the winter's behind.

* * * * *

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright The winter will take another flight; But if it should be dark and drear Then winter is gone for another year.

* * * * *

When on the Purification sun hath shined, The greater part of winter comes behind.

* * * * *

The badger peeps out of his hole on Candlemas Day, and if he finds snows, walks abroad; but if he sees the sun shining, he draws back into his hole.

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