348 VOICES FROM THE WOODLANDS. 



wherever growing, an honoured tree, either in churchyards 

 or beside mansion-houses; presenting an unchanging 

 foliage, which aptly indicates our enduring nature, and 

 which renders us an emblem of sorrow and immor- 

 tality. As the first, we are found in almost every 

 village church ; as the second we are substituted for the 

 palm, on Palm Sunday. Two or three young scions, 

 or else branches from our strong boughs, were anciently 

 selected for the purpose ; and the finest, having been duly 

 consecrated, were valued at twenty times the worth of its 

 own kind, and double that of the finest oak, as you may 

 learn from an ancient record. 



" Wherefore," saith Master Caxton, " holy chirche, this 

 daye, makyth solemne processyon, in mynd of the proces- 

 syon that Chryst made this day. But encheason that we 

 have none olyve that berith greene leaf, algate, therefore, 

 we take ewe insteade of palme and olyve, and beren about 

 in processyon, and so is this day called Palme Sunday." 

 In confirmation of which we may add, that in the church- 



