barkaby tide. 163 



JUNE 11. St. Baunabas, apostle, 1st cent. 

 St. Tochumra, virgin in Ireland. 

 St. Tochumra, another Saint of this name. 



Obs. St. Barnabas, though not of the number of the twelve 

 chosen by Christ, is nevertheless styled an apostle by the primitive 

 fathers and by St. Luke himself.' After a life spent in preaching 

 the gospel, St. Barnabas suffered many torments, and was stoned to 

 death. The remains of St. Barnabas were found near the city of 

 Salamis, with a copy of the gospel of St. J.Iatthew in Hebrew laid 

 on him. — Butler. 



St. Barnaby's Day was antiently a great feast among the English 

 people. The almost nightless day of the solstitial season, already 

 begun, was and is still sung in the following old popular distich : 



Barnaby bright, Barnaby bright, 



The longest day and the shortest night. 



This was literally the longest day according to the old style a cen- 

 tury and more ago, and now there is very little difference in its 

 length, being so near to the summer solstice. This day is Solstitiulis 

 in the Ephemeris of Nature. Great bonfires used to be lighted this 

 evening, as well as on that of St. John the Baptist. Garlands of 

 Roses, of Lavander, of Rosemary, and of Woodroof, used also to be 

 worn and used to decorate the churches on St. Barnabas' Day, as 

 we find by many old entries and church books, and they were often 

 paid for by the parish. 



Midsummer Daisy Chrysanthemum Leucanthemum ti. 

 Woodroof Asperula odorata flowers. 



We find particular mention made of Woodroof as worn on this 

 and on some other festivals. We find entries of money paid for it 

 on St. Barnabas as early as the reign of Edward IV. 



On Woodroof, Gerard has the following note : — " Woodrooft 

 Asperula hath many square stalkes full of joynts, and at every knot 

 or joynt seven or eight long narrow leaves, set round about like a 

 star or the rowell of a spurre. The flowres grow at the top of the 

 stems, of a white colour and of a very sweet smell, as is the rest of 

 the herbe, which, being made up into garlands or bundles, and 

 hanging up in houses in the heat of summer, doth very well attem- 

 per the aire, coole and make fresh the place, to the delight and com- 

 fort of such as are therein." — "Woodrooffe is named of divers in 

 Latine Asperula odorata, and of most men Aspergula odorata ; of 

 others, Cordialis and Stellaria ; in English, Woodrooffe, Wood- 

 rowe, and Woodrowell. It is reported to be put into wine to make 

 a man merry, and to be good for the heart and liver." — Gerard's 

 iferfroi/, p. 1124. 



