infer that the wearing of the shamrock on a particular day, like the Welshman's badge of the leek, was merely the Christian adoption of some forgotten pagan custom,* or else that it proceeded from the regard in which the herb was held for its medicinal properties. The two suppositions are so far from being inconsistent with each other, that they might be considered as cause and effect, this triad of leaves being one reason for attributing to the herb its sanative virtues.

In Ireland this day is one of national rejoicing, the saint being in high odour for his numerous miracles, the most useful of which was unquestionably his driving all noxious reptiles out of the country, and forbidding them to return, under penalty it may be presumed of spiritual censure.

* It is not a little singular that Spenser, who had such good opportunities of knowing the truth, should have described the shamrock as being synonymous with the water-cress; when speaking of the distress, to which the Irish were reduced by the wars in Munster, he says, "if they found a plot of water-cresses, or shamrocks, there they flocked as to a feast for the time." View of the State of Ireland, A. D. 1596, Fol. Dublin, 1633. p. 72. That the Irish used the shamrock for food is certain, whatever it may have been. Thus in Wyther's Abuses Stript and Whipt, 8vo. London, 1613, p. 71,

"And for my cloathing in a mantle goe,

And feed on Sham-roots, as the Irish doe."

Again in Sir Henry Piers' Description of Westmeath in Vallancey's Collectanea de rebus Hibernicis, v. i. p. 121, "They have a custom every May-day, which they count their first day of summer, to have to their meal one formal dish, whatever else they have, which some call stir-about or hasty-pudding, that is flour and milk boiled thick; and this is holden for an argument of the good-wife's good housewifery, that made her corn hold out so well; for if they can hold out so long with bread they count they can do well enough for what remains of the year till harvest; for then milk becomes plenty; and butter, new cheese, and curds, and shamrocks, are the food of the meaner sort all this season.

Even spiders were included in the general ban ;* nor is it any impeachment of the truth of the record that the prohibition has long since ceased to have effect except in the eyes of the faithful, who are gifted with a clearness of vision unfortunately denied to the Sassenach and the unbeliever.

Another feature of this day remains to be noticed. In February 1783, a brotherhood was created by letters patent, under the name of "Knights of the Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick ;" and for the more grace of the new institution the sovereign of the day was to be its head, under whom were fifteen knights companions, while the lieutenant general, and general governor of Ireland, or the lord deputy, or deputies, or lords justices, or other chief governor or governors for the time being, were to officiate as deputy grand-masters." By the statutes of the order the badge is to be of gold, surmounted with a wreath of shamrock, in this instance understood to mean trefoil, surrounding a golden circlet, on which is the motto of the brotherhood in letters of the same quis separabit ?-with the date of their foundation, encircling Saint Patrick's cross gules, surmounted with a trefoil vert, each leaf charged with an imperial crown or, upon a field argent. This badge, encircled with rays in form of a silver star of eight points, four greater and four lesser, is directed to be worn on the left side of the outer garment.

Mid-lent Sunday is the fourth Sunday in Lent, or that

* According to Hone, Ribadeneira when speaking of this miracle says, "it is reported of King's College, Cambridge, that being built of Irish wood no spider doth ever come near it." I do not, myself, remember to have heard such a report in my college-days, but nevertheless believe it just as firmly as if I had. In regard to the quotation, Hone must have made some mistake, for nothing of the kind occurs in Ribadeneira's short notice of St. Patrick.

which immediately precedes Palm Sunday; and was variously called, Mothering Sunday, Rose Sunday, Lætare Sunday, Care or Carl Sunday, Passion Sunday, and Refreshment Sunday. The name of Mid-lent speaks for itself, and needs no explanation. Mothering Sunday may involve a question; yet it seems highly probable that it came in the first instance from the Roman Hilaria,* a festival held by the ancients in honour of the Mother of the Gods. The Catholic Clergy, who could not well get rid of a holiday so firmly established with the multitude, turned it to their own purpose, as they did so many other ancient festivals, and introduced a custom amongst the people of visiting the Mother Church, to make their offerings at the high altar; which, in some way or other, was supposed to be typical of the Jerusalem above, "the mother of us all." +

In process of time, after the Reformation had superseded the ancient faith, the oblations brought to the Church were converted into gifts presented by children to their parents; hence some have erroneously derived this designation from the latter custom, in utter ignorance, it would seem, that such affectionate remembrances were but the shadows of an older ceremony. But whatever we

* The Hilaria, from which we have got our term of Hilary, took place at the time of the vernal equinox, being the eighth of the kalends of April, and was evidently borrowed from the Egyptians. The Mother of the Gods, the Earth-" quis enim ambigat matrem Deûm terram haberi ?"-rejoiced in the return of Sol, just as Isis was supposed to mourn or rejoice for Osiris according to the change of season. There is surely deep meaning and much beauty in these religious fables of the old heathens, however they may have been disfigured by the gross additions of popular superstitions. In all of them there breathes a profound spirit of veneration for the One, the Omnipotent, through the medium of his works. For the ceremonies of the day consult Macrobius Saturnaliorum, Lib. 1, Vol. 1, p. 313. Biponti, 1778.

+ Galat. iv. 26.

may choose to consider its origin, the thing is beyond all question, as the following instance will show, and hundreds might be given were it at all requisite:-" I happened to reside last year near Chepstow, in Monmouthshire, and there for the first time heard of Mothering Sunday. My enquiries into the origin and meaning of it were fruitless; but the practice thereabouts was for all servants and apprentices on Mid-Lent Sunday to visit their parents and make them a present of money, a trinket, or some nice eatable; and they are all anxious not to fail in this custom."*

It had the title of Refreshment Sunday or Dominica de Panibus, because the miracle of the five loaves in the holy gospel was then explained in the Roman Church.†

The name of Rose Sunday, or Dominica de Rosa, was also given to this day—an appellation it received from the Pope's carrying a golden rose in his hand, which he exhibited to the people in the streets as he went to celebrate the Eucharist, and at his return. If we may believe Durandus this rose had a twofold signification, according as it was explained, after the letter, or in the spirit. Taken in its literal meaning it signified that the faithful, who might be supposed worn out by the long fast, were now to indulge themselves, for it was a season which the church allowed and wished to be one of general enjoyment. Three things, therefore, belong to this day; charity after fasting; joy after sorrow; and satiety after hunger; all of which are typified in the qualities of the rose; charity in its colour; joy in its perfume; and satiety in its flavour; for the rose above all flowers delights by its colour, refreshes by its perfume, and comforts by its

* Gentleman's Magazine, Feb. 1784

+ Festa Romanorum, p. 36. London, 1677.

Shepherd's Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer, Vol. 2,

p. 100.

flavour. In addition to this the rose in the hand of the Roman Pontiff signifies the joy of the Israelites when by the grace of Christ they were permitted to return from their Babylonish captivity. And many other reasons there are, equally metaphysical and equally cogent, as to the literal meaning of the ceremony.

Next as to its spiritual import. The rose is that flower, which says of itself in the Psalms, "I am the flower of the field, and the lily of the valley." It is the flower of flowers, i. e. the holy of holies, all its qualities having a symbolical reference to the superiority of the Church, which they who wish to understand will do well to consult Durandus.*

Latare Sunday was derived from the first word of the Introit, "Latare Jerusalem, et conventum facite omnes, qui diligitis eam; gaudete cum lætitia, qui in tristitia fuistis, ut exultetis et satiemini ab uberibus consolationis vestræ." Rejoice, O Jerusalem, &c.

Care or Carl Sunday was one of the most general appellations given to this day, and is that which has occasioned the greatest trouble to antiquarians, who, when they had found the truth, could not keep fast hold of it, but preferred exhausting their ingenuity in a parcel of vain conjectures. In the first place it should be remembered that rites more peculiarly appropriate to Good Friday were used by the Roman Catholics on this day, from which they also called it Passion Sunday; and, taking this for our guide, we shall have no difficulty in understanding what follows. Amongst the Germans, Good Friday had not unfrequently the name Karr or Carrfreitag, as Passion Week had that of Carwoche, meaning the penalty of a crime, or rather the satisfying of

* Rationale Divin. Officia, p. 207. 4to. Venetiis, 1609.

+ Shepherd's Elucidation of the Book of Common Prayer, vol. 2, p. 101.

G