270 THE MAGIC OF JEWELS AND CHARMS
February
14. St. Valentine's Day : On St. Valentine's day Cast beans in clay But
on St. Chad Sow good or bad. (Seed time of this Lenten crop limited
between February 14 and March 2.)
February 24. St. Matthias' Day : Saint Matthew (Sept. 21) Get candlesticks new; St. Mattheg Lay candlesticks by
Marchi. St. David's Day :
Quoth
Saint David, " I'll have a flood." Saith our Lady [Mch. 25] " I'll have
as good." (Referring to spring tides in Wales, from Poor Robin's
Almanack, 1684.)
June 15. St. Vitus' Day :
If Saint Vitus' day be rainy weather, It will rain for thirty days together.
(M. A. Denham, " Proverbs and Popular Sayings Relating to the Seasons," Percy Soc.,ยป1846.)
July 15. St. Swithin's Day:
St.
Swithin's day, if thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain; St.
Swithin's day, if thou be fair, For forty days t'will rain nae mair.
(M. A. Denham, " Proverbs and Popular Sayings Relating to the Seasons," Percy Soc, 1846.)
July
15 : All the tears that St. Swithin can cry Aug. 24 : Saint
Bartholomew's dusty mantle wipes dry. (R. Inwards, " Weather Lore,"
London, 1893.)
July 20. St. Margaret's Day :
" Margaret's floods " (heavy rains).
