Cataloo'iie of Brand Material.
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II. Natural Phenomena. {a) Weather Omens.
Wind on Martinmas Eve will last till Christmas -
Bright sunset, hard winter, and vice versa -
Martinmas to Christmas, " water's worth wine "
If ice bear a duck before Martlemas, it will not bear a goose after - - -
Notts., Northants.
Suffolk.
North Countrv.
Northants., Leic, Staffs.
III. Observances
(a) Love Divination practised.
Sowing Hempseed (on Eve ?) Norfolk.
(6) Roast goose eaten (Sunday in holiday called Rive-kite Sunday) - - - - East Riding. Pig's cheek and parsnips
(village Feast) - - Glos. (Bisley).
(c) Waits, wassailers, and Plough
Lads begin their rounds - Yorkshire.
York.
Totnes.
IV. Special Local Observances.
Sheriff's Ride and subsequent Dinner -----
Millers' Holiday (cf. Ireland, " Pro- hibitions ")
Village Feast, formerly Fair. Pub- licans kept open house
Holiday week for servants, mum- ming, dressing up " guys," pro- cessions, begging contributions, dancing -----
Church Service (anniversary erec- tion of chapel) , followed by dinner at Bull Inn. Guns fired - - Bucks. (Fenny Stratford).
Marrowbones claimed from butchers,
ale tasted . - . . Cornwall (Camborne).
Bull-running, Nov. 13th, St. Brice's Day, " the day six weeks before Christmas " - - - - Stamford.
Glos. (Bisley).
North Yorks. (Thoralby).