Mullen — On a Clogg Almanack. 81 



Saints' Days and Festivals are not numerous, nor are the daily 

 notches always correct. A reasonable way to account for this is 

 that when it was made such almanacks were not in very general 

 use, and the signs to denote the different saints not being hitherto 

 necessary were, with a few exceptions, unknown — at all events in 

 the locality in which this clogg was made. 



The four edges are notched evenly and cleanly, and evidently 

 with a sharp instrument, for in all cases the notches are made by 

 two oblique incisions. The Sunday notches are carried round to 

 one surface, and the signs to the other. 



Before I go seriatim through the principal days, I wish to say 

 that in identifying the Saints' Days I have received much valuable 

 assistance from a Paper by Mr. John Harland, F.S.A., published 

 in 1865 in The Antiquary. 



The Almanack does not begin with 1st January, but with 14th 

 April, which was reckoned as the commencement of Summer. 



The carving and initials I mentioned are here, and this alone 

 would lead one to imagine that it is here the reading of the clogg 

 begins. And from the position of the letters " S. E." this carved 

 end must be the top. Each quarter reads downwards ; the first, 

 from 14th April (PI. v. fig. 1), goes down the left half for thirteen 

 weeks ; then, turning the stick (fig. 2), it continues on the same half 

 (now at the right hand) from 14th July for another quarter ; cross- 

 ing to the other half it goes (always reading downwards) from 

 14th October for the third quarter; and, again turning (fig. 1), 

 the fourth quarter is read from 14th January. 



Beginning with April 1U, I find a tree, Yalerianus; April 16, 

 St. Magnus, sign, probably some implement for loosening the soil, 

 to signify the commencement of tilling ; April 25, St. Mark, an 

 unknown sign^shaped like a bottle; May 1, SS. Philip and James, 

 a cross, one arm wanting ; May 3, Invention of the Cross, a cross ; 

 May 1U, an unknown sign, perhaps some local festival or family 

 commemoration ; May 15, St. Hallvard, a cross ; May 18, a scythe : 

 the first hay crop would be about this time; June 10, Eve of 

 St. Barnabas, a cross; June 17, St. Botolph, a cross; June 2J±, 

 St. John the Baptist, a cross; June 29, St. Peter, a sign, pro- 

 bably meant to represent a key (Janitor) ; July 2, Visitation of 

 the Virgin, a three-branched candlestick ; July 8, a "T" or rake. 

 This is the last sign in the first quarter ; but there is one day too 



