34 Ifomtftg mi §*%$. A BRIEF HISTORY OF MONTHS AND REMARKABLE DAYS. JANUARY. with them the cross on the forehead of the The name is derived from the Roman God worshippers. Janus, who was represented with two faces, 11. Death of Csedmon, the earliest English one looking towards the old year, the other poet whose name is known, 680. to the new. 13. St. Valentine's Eve: At Norwich this 1. Feast of the Circumcision: 8th day from eve is still kept as a time for general receiv­ the Nativity. New Year's Day: Generally ing of gifts. They are presented anonymous­ observed as a holiday and day of rejoicing. ly with "St. Valentine's love" and create In Scotland, there are many customs re­ much amusement. garding this day still in use. In France, 14. St. Valentine's Day: The proper cere presents are universally made by and to mony for St. Valentine's Day was the draw every body. ing of a kind of lottery, the names of the 6. Epiphany, or Manifestation to the Gen­ young men and maidens being written on tiles : The Queen still on this day presents separate bits of paper, rolled up, and drawn. gold, frankincense and myrrh at the Chapel The valentines then gave balls and treats to Royal. Twelfth Day: A festival in England their mistresses, &c. In England, in the nearly as mucfrt observed as Christmas, es­ time of Charles the Second, married and pecially by the young. single were alike liable to be chosen as Va­ 20. St. Agnes Eve: Young ladies, by the lentines, and the person so chosen was bound proper observance of certain ceremonies, to make a present to the chooser. Will obtain dreams of their future husbands. 26. This day used to be assigned for the 22. St. Vincent's Day: There is an old say­ Rooks to begin to build their nests, being ing among the vine-culturing peasantry, the twelfth after Candlemas. Old style. that if the sun shines bright on this day •' there will be more wine than water," that MARCH. is, that the season will be dry and favoura­ First month of Spring, dedicated by the ble for grapes. Romans to Mars. Among the Saxons it was 25. Conversion of St. Paul: It was an arti­ called Length-month, from the days getting cle of constant belief in Western Europe, longer, the origin of the term Lent. o\en down to the present day, that the con­ 1. St. David's Day: The Welsh on this day dition of the weather on this day surely in­ wear a leek in honour of their patron saint. dicates the character of the whole year. The custom is said to be in honour of a great Fair weather betokened a prosperous year, victory gained over the Saxons, in which the snow or rain an unfruitful and dear one; Welsh, by order of St. David, put leeks in clouds, great mortality among cattle; and their hats to distinguish themselves from winds, war. their enemies. 28. Pall Mall first lighted with gas, 1807, 2. St. Chad'8 Day: St. Chad was the pa the first street ever so illuminated in any tron saint of medicinal springs. city. The fourth Sunday in Lent is called Mid- 30. King Charles the Martyr: On this day Lent or Mothering Sunday. This last name the Tories used to hang their houses with is derived from the practice in old times of black and no meal of any sort was allowed servants going to visit their parents on Mid- till after midnight. Special services were Lent Sunday, taking with them some little held in the English Church, but were dis­ offering. This was called "going a-mother- continued in 1859. ing." There were several dishes also pecu­ liar to the day, such as "furmety"—wheat FEBRUARY. boiled in sweet milk, sugared and spiced; Introduced into the Roman Calendar by steeped pease fried in butter, with pepper N iima Pompilius. Its name arose from the and salt; a peculiar kind of pancakes, called practice of purification among the Romans "Curlings" and "Simnel Cakes," which are at the beginning of the month. Among the a sort of rich and expensive cake still sold Saxons, the month was called Sprout-Kale, in Shrewsbury during Lent. from the sprouting of cabbage at this season. 17. St. Patrick's Day: The patron saint of 2. Candlemas Day: Purification of the Vir­ Ireland. His birthplace is disputed, but gin: In the Romish Church candles are there is no doubt that he first introduced blessed by the clergy and given to the peo­ Christianity into Ireland. The last snake is ple i'> be carried by them in solemn proces­ said to have been imprisoned by him in sion. Evergreens put up at Christmas used Lough Dilveen, after all the rest were ban­ bo be removed in England. The Christmas ished, and tola to remain until Monday. log was burned till sunset, and then laid a- Every Munday morning the serpent still way till next year. In Scotland, the children calls out in Irish, "It is a long Monday, attending school make presents of money Patrick." In the early English calendars, to their teachers, and have a bonfire in the the 17th of March was given as the day in evening. Good weather indicates a long which Noah entered the Ark. winter and a bad crop; foul weather the re­ On Palm Sunday, the last Sunday in Lent, verse. The snow-drop was called the Puri­ many curious customs were formerly prac­ fication Flower from blossoming about tised in England; one of these still survives Candlemas. at Caistor, in Lincolnshire, connected with Shrove Tuesday: May occur any day be­ the tenure of property. During the reading tween the 2nd February and 8th March. It of the first lesson, a person representing the is generally a day of carnival-like jollity and proprietor of Broughton comes into the drollery and eating of Pancakes. Cock porch of the Church and cracks a gad-whip fighting used also to be practised at Shrove­ three times, and then neatly folds it up. Re­ tide, but is now legally a misdemeanour. tiring for a moment to a seat, he comes dur­ Ash Wednesday: The first day of Lent ing the second lesson to the Minister, holding may fall on any day from February 3rd to the whip upright, having on its upper end a March 9th. The name is derived from the purse with 30 pieces of silver; he then kneels ceremony in the Romish Church of sprink­ before the clergyman, waves the whip three ling ashes with holy water and marking times around his bead, and so remains till YEAR BOOK AND ALMANAO OF CANADA FOR 1872. .