124 



HOLY CnOSsJ TIDE. 



MAY 3. Invention of the Holy Cross, a.d. 326. 



St. Alexander, pope and martyr, 119. 

 Holy Cross Day. 



Obs. St. Helena the mother of Constantine the Great undertook 

 a journey into Palestine in 326, out of a desire of visiting the holy 

 places tliere. On her arrival at Jerusalem she was inspired with a 

 great desire of finding tlie identical cross on whicii Christ had suf- 

 fered. The pious Empress therefore ordered the profane buildings 

 to be pulled down, and on digging to a great depth they discovered 

 three crosses ; not knowing which was the cross of our Saviour, the 

 holy Bishop Macarius, says Butler, suggested to the Empress to 

 cause the three crosses to be carried to a lady who was extremelv 

 ill. The crosses were singly applied to the patient, who perfectly 

 recovered by the touch of one, the other two having been tried with- 

 out effect. The discovery of the cross must have happened about 

 the month of May or early in the spring. St. Helena went in the 

 same year to Constantinople, and died on the 18th of August, 326, 

 From Butler. See account of Holy Rood Day, September 14. 



Poetic Narcissus Narcissus poeticus flowers. 



Crosswort Gallium cruciatum flowers. 



Wallflower Cheiranthus cheiri full flower. 



Crossflower Polygala vulgaris flowers. 

 Besides the above we have many other plants in blow in early 

 years, and most that we have registered before in April are now in 

 their fullest flower. The Red Lychnis or Campion flowers in abun- 

 dance in Essex. We remember this plant in the fields about 

 Waithamstow at this time of year for a series of years past ; but in 

 Sussex it is somewhat later. It does not grow on the sandy and 

 clay soils about Hartfield, where there are neither Poppies nor this 

 plant to be found, but as soon as the soil changes, it is found on the 

 chalk as well as on the gravel, just where the Popples begin to be 

 seen ; that is northward at Limpsfield, westward at Blechinglye, 

 southward at Chaley, but eastward not till we get into the chalky 

 parts of Kent, towards Maidstone. 



We may now bei;in to expect the arrival of a strangling Swift, though in 

 general tliey begin to come ahout May the 8th or yth, and get common about 

 the i4th. 



Birds now being in full sonir, and fields and gardens in full flower, the coun- 

 try may be s lid to be in perfection. The Nightingrile, the Thrush, and the 

 Cuckoo, sing [lii^ht and day. The following verses on the Cuckoo are well 

 known, and refer to her change of note : 



Proverbial Lines on the C'lunges uf the Ciic/too's Note. 

 In April the Cuckoo shew his bill. 

 In May he sing night and day. 



In .hine he change his tune. * 



In July away he fly. 

 In August away he ipust. 



The children, wandering in the wood 



To pull tlie flowers gay, 

 Startle thy cuiious voice to hear. 



And imi'ate thy lay. 



