76 WILK FLO WEES. 



preached continually against "doing observance 

 to a morn of May," and were greatly the means 

 of suppressing May-sports, and May-gatherings, 

 The first day of this month was also called 

 Robin Hood's day; and the sincere and earnest 

 bishop Latimer complained, that once when he 

 was about to preach in a town on that day, he 

 could get no audience ; because all the young 

 men and maidens, "were gone a maying." "I 

 found," said he, " the churches fast locked. I 

 tarryed there half an houre or more, and at 

 last, the key was found ; one of the parish came 

 to me and says, ' Syr, this is a busy day with 

 us, we cannot hear you; it is Robin Hood's day. 

 The parish are gone abroad to gather for Robin 

 Hood. I pray you let them not.' So," as the 

 good bishop observes, " he was fain to give place 

 to Robin Hood, and his men." 



An infusion of the hawthorn-bark gives a 

 yellow dye ; and, if mixed with copperas, yields 

 a fine black colour. 



The common hawthorn was the distinguish- 

 ing badge of the royal house of Tudor. Miss 

 Strickland thus states its origin : "When the 

 body of Richard iii. was slain at Redmore 

 Heath, it was plundered of its armour and orna- 

 ments . " The crown was hidden by a soldier 

 m a hawthorn bush ; but was soon found, and 

 carried back to lord Stanley ; who placed it on 

 the head of his son-in-law, saluting him by the 

 title of Henry vii. ; while the victorious arn:y 

 sang Te Deum, on the blood-stained heath. 



* oil Redmore, then it seem'd thy name was not in vaiiii ' 



