JTTNE. 249 



by a thunder-storm, when I hastened to shelter in the 

 porch of Shrawley church,* whose adjacent wood, 

 famed for botanical rarities, I have visited oft and 

 again. It was the day before "Whitsunday, and find- 

 ing the church door open, I walked into the edifice. 

 The old clerk was busily engaged in decorating the 

 interior with birchen branches just come into leaf 

 the "gay green birk" sacred to joy and Whitsuntide. 

 The old man observed that this was an ancient cus- 

 tom, the origin of which he did not know ; but the 

 Yew at Easter, the Birch at Whitsuntide, and the 

 Holly at Christinas, was used to be of old time beyond 

 memory. This is alluded to in the following quaint 

 lines, which have reference to the four festivals of 

 Christmas, Candlemas, Easter, and Whitsuntide, 

 which w r ere each distinguished by their peculiar 

 frondal ornaments. 



VERSES FOR CANDLEMAS EVE. 



Down with the Rosemary and Bayes ; 



Down with the Mistletoe ; 

 Instead of Holly, now upraise 



The greener Box for show. 



The Holly hitherto did sway, 



Let Box now domineere 

 Until the dancing Easter Day, 



Or Easter Eve appeare. 



Then youthful Box which now hath grace 



Your houses to renew ; 

 Grown old, surrender must his place, 



Unto the crisped Yew. 



* About eight miles north-west of Worcester. 



