BIRCH. 133 



Gerard says, the branches " serve well to 

 the decking up of houses and banquetting 

 roomes for places of pleasure, and beautifying 

 the streetes in the crosse or gang weeke, and 

 such like."* And Coles observes, in 1657, 

 that as he " rid through little Brickhill, in 

 Buckinghamshire, every signe post in the 

 town was bedecked with green birch." 



* This was rogation week, which was called in the north 

 of England, gang week; from the ganging, or processions 

 then used, by the people's going to confession. The Bel- 

 gians call it cruis, or cross week, as it was also called in 

 some parts of England; because the cross was carried before 

 the priests in the processions made in that week. It is called 

 rogation week from rogo, to ask or pray; because on Mon- 

 day, Tuesday, and Wednesday, the litanies are sung, and 

 abstinence from flesh is enjoined by the church, not only by 

 a devout preparation , to the feast of Christ's glorious ascen- 

 sion and pentecost, but also to supplicate the blessing of 

 God on the fruits of the earth. 



K 3 



