eJPocoer/ of tKe GfturcR'/ iJc(«>fi^af/*. 57 



In old church calendars Christmas Eve is marked " Templa 

 exornantur " — Churches are decked. 



Herrick, in the time of Charles I., thus combines a number 

 of these old customs connected with the decoration of churches — 



" Down with Rosemary and Bays, 



Down with the Mistletoe, 



Instead of Holly now upraise 



The greener Box for show. 



The Holly hitherto did swayj 



Let Box now domineer, 

 Until the dancing Easter Day 



Or Easter's Eve appear. 



Then youthful Box, which now hath grace 



Your houses to renew. 

 Grown old, surrender must his place 



Unto the crisped Yew. 



When Yew is out, then Birch comes in, 

 And many flowers beside, 

 , Both of a fresh and fragrant kin. 



To honour Whitsuntide. 



Green Rushes then, and sweetest Bents, 



With cooler Oaken boughs. 

 Come in for comely ornaments 



To re-adorn the house. 



Thus times do shift ; each thing his turn does hold, 

 New things succeed as former things grow old." 



In the services of the Church every season has its appropriate 

 floral symbol. In olden times on Feast days places of worship 

 were significantly strewed with bitter herbs. On the Feast of 

 Dedication (the first Sunday in October) the Church was decked 

 with boughs and strewn with sweet Rushes ; for this purpose Jimcus 

 aromatiais (now known as Acorns Calamus) was used. 



" The Dedication of the Church is yerely had in minde, 



With worship passing Catholicke, and in a wondrous kinde. 



From out the steeple hie is hanged a crosse and banner fayre. 



The pavement of the temple strowde with hearbes of pleasant ayre ; 



The pulpets and the aultcrs all that in the Church are scene, 



And every pewe and pillar great are deckt with boughs of greene." 



T. A'aogt'orgus, truns. by Barnahe Googe, 1 5 70. 



It was customary to strew Rushes on the Church floor on all 

 high days. Newton, in his 'Herbal to the Bible' (1587), speaks 

 of " Sedge and Rushes, with which many in the country do use in 

 Summer time to strewe their parlors and Churches, as well for 

 coolness and for pleasant smell." Cardinal Wolsey in the pride of 

 his pomp had the strewings of his great hall at Hampton Court 

 renewed every day. Till lately the floor of Norwich Cathedral was 

 strewn with Acoyus Calamus on festal days, and when the Acorus was 



