17^ 



Flowers and Festivals 



The youthfull Box, which now hath grace, 



Your houses to renew, 

 Grown old, surrender must his place 



Unto the crisped Yew. 



When Yew is out, the Birch comes in, 



And many flowers besides ; 

 Both of a fresh and fragrant kinne. 



To honour Whitsuntide. 



Green Rushes then, and sweetest Bents 



With cooler Oken Boughs, 

 Come in for comely ornaments. 



To re-adorn the house." 



Thus times do shift ; each thing his turne do's hold ; 

 New things succeed, as former things grow old." 



A writer in the "Gentleman's Magazine" for May, 

 1811, speaking of the manner in which the inhabitants 

 of the North Riding of Yorkshire celebrate Christmas, 

 says : " The windows and pews of the Church are 

 adorned with branches of Holly, which remain until 

 Good Friday y 



^ Either the Bent, a kind of grass; or Herb Bennet, smelling 

 somewhat like unto Cloves." — Culpepper's Herbal. 



