only kept by opulent persons. But these birds being esteemed in perfection early in the autumn, most families now have a goose dressed on St. Michael's day for

"At Michaelmas, by custom right divine,

Geese are ordained to bleed at Michael's shrine.'

In "Gascoigne's Flowers" we find

"And when the tenantes come to paie their quarter's rent, They bringe some fowle at Midsummer, a dish of fish in

Lent;

At Christmas a capon, at Michaelmas a goose;

And somewhat else at Newyere's tide, for feare their lease flies loose."

A writer in The World, No. 10, probably Lord Orford, remarking on the effects of the alteration of the style, says, "When the reformation of the calendar was in agitation, to the great disgust of many worthy persons, who urged how great the harmony was in the old establishment between the holidays and their attributes, and what confusion would follow if Michaelmas Day, for instance, was not to be celebrated when stubble geese are in their highest perfection; it was replied that such a propriety was merely imaginary, and would be lost of itself even without any alteration

*See origin of Goose on Michaelmas Day.

of the calendar by authority; for if in it the errors were suffered to go on, they would in a certain number of years, produce such a variation, that we should be mourning for good King Charles on a false 30th of January, at a time of year when our ancestors used to be tumbling over head and heels in Greenwich Park, in honour of Whitsuntide; and at length be choosing king and queen for Twelfth Night, when we ought to be admiring the London 'Prentice at Bartholomew Fair."

It is a popular saying, that "If you eat goose on Michaelmas Day, you will never want money all the year round." In the British Apollo the proverb is

thus discussed :

"Supposing now Apollo's sons,

?

Just rose from picking of goose bones,
This on you pops, pray tell me whence
The custom'd proverb did commence,
That who eats goose on Michael's Day,
Sha'n't money lack his debts to pay
This notion, framed in days of yore,
Is grounded on a prudent score;
For, doubtless, 'twas at first design'd
To make the people Seasons mind;
That so they might apply their care
To all those things which needful were,
And, by a good industrious hand,

Know when and how t'improve their land."

ST. CRISPIN'S DAY,

(October 25th.)

St. Crispin and his brother Crispinian were natives of Rome; after being converted to Christianity, they travelled into France, to propagate the faith. They preached to the people during the day, and at night earned their living by making shoes. These they furnished to the poor at a low price, an angel (so runs the legend) supplying them with leather. They have long been regarded as the patron saints of the shoemakers.

This day, in 1415, the memorable battle of Agincourt was fought.

ALL SAINTS' DAY.

This day (the 1st of November) is thus denominated in the calendar, because it celebrates the commemoration of those worthies whom, on account of their number, particular days could not be appropriated to their individual honour.

ST. MARTIN'S LITTLE SUMMER.

We are told that the few fine days which sometimes occur about the beginning of November, have been denominated "St. Martin's Little Summer:" to this Shakespeare alludes in the First Part of King Henry IV.

(Acti., Scene 2), where Prince Henry says to Falstaff, "Farewell, thou latter spring! Farewell, All-hallown summer!"—and in the First Part of King Henry VI. (Act i., Scene 2), Joan la Pucelle says,

66 Assign'd am I to be the English scourge,
This night the siege assuredly I'll raise;
Expect St. Martin's Summer, halcyon days,
Since I have entered into these wars.

ALL SOULS' DAY.

A festival of the Roman Catholic Church on behalf of the souls in purgatory. It is kept on the 2nd of November, and was said to have been first introduced in the ninth century by Odilon, Abbot of Cluny.

THE GUNPOWDER PLOT.

The fifth of November is still by no means forgotten, though the discovery of the plot dates as far back as the year 1605; some fresh papal aggression, or new phase of ritualism, serving to give additional zeal to the carriers of guys, and those who are fond of amusing themselves with bonfires and fireworks.

When the Prince of Orange came in sight of Torbay, in 1688, it was the particular wish of his partizans (says Burnet) that he should defer his landing till the day the English were celebrating their former deliverance from Popish tyranny.

*

Bishop Sanderson, in one of his sermons, prays: "God grant that we nor ours ever live to see November the fifth forgotten, or the solemnity of it silenced."

The service formerly used in the Church of England on this day, was ordered to be discontinued by Royal warrant, dated 17th January, 1859.

ST. THOMAS'S DAY.

The festival of St. Thomas, surnamed Didymus, is kept on the 21st of December (the shortest day). He is said to have preached the gospel to the Parthians, Medes, and Persians. He suffered martyrdom on the coast of Coromandel, being first stoned, and afterwards run through with a spear.

At the village of Thornton, near Sherborne, an ancient custom exists among the tenants, of depositing 5s. in a hole in a certain tombstone in the churchyard, which prevents the lord of the manor from taking tithe of hay during the year. This must invariably be done on St. Thomas's Day, before 12 o'clock, or the privilege is lost.

On this day the election of Common Councilmen for the City of London takes place.

CHRISTMAS.

The 25th of December has been long set apart by the Church for the celebration of the birth of our

* Of Lincoln; died 1663.