from authentic information, we are enabled to state, brought into Coventry on that day the amazing number of 15,600 persons. In various parts of the town had been erected triumphal arches of great height, ornamented with flowers and evergreens; and of which verdant materials wreaths were suspended across the public thoroughfares in many other places. Many private houses were also similarly decorated in front. The cavalcade started at eleven o'clock, headed by Mr. Wombwell's elephant bearing a castle, and thus forming a living and literal representation of the city arms of Coventry. Madame Warton's performance of Godiva was regarded as highly satisfactory. She was attired in a close-fitting elastic silk dress, of pinky-white colour, entire from the neck to the toes, excepting the arms, which were uncovered; over this a simple white satin tunic, edged with gold fringe, completed her riding habit. Her only head-dress was the perfectly unartificial and not very profuse supply of glossy black hair, simply braided in front, and hanging down, slightly confined behind. Mr. Warton, her husband, rode a short distance in the rear, as Edward the Black Prince, clad in a suit of mail. Queen Margaret, Sir John Falstaff, Robin Hood, Friar Tuck, William and Adam Botoner (the celebrated mayors of Coventry), Sir Thomas White (its great benefactor), and Sir W. Dugdale, the eminent local historian, also found representatives in the cavalcade. Last in the procession was a sylvan bower bearing the Shepherd and Shepherdess,'-a capacious platform furnished with flowers, fountains, and foreign birds in golden cages. The fleecy lambs and faithful dog formed an object which attracted all eyes, while the arbour of evergreens rising and tapering off to the height of forty feet, formed a magnificent finish to the cavalcade. The show concluded at three o'clock."

There are many who consider this custom would be "more honoured in the breach than in the observance." Some, even, perhaps, who go so far as to recall the adage of Queen Elizabeth,

"Ye men of Coventry,

Good lack, what fools ye be !"]

EVE OF THURSDAY AFTER TRINITY SUNDAY.

"IN Wales, on Thursday after Trinity Sunday, which they call Dudd son Duw, or Dydd gwyl duw, on the eve before, they strew a sort of fern before their doors, called Red yn Mair." This is at Caerwis. Mr. Pennant's MS.

ST. BARNABAS' DAY.

JUNE 11.

IN the Churchwardens' Accounts of St. Mary-at-Hill, in the city of London, 17 and 19 Edward IV., Palmer and Clerk, churchwardens, the following entry occurs: "For Rose garlondis and Woodrove garlondis on St. Barnebe's Daye, xjd." And, under the year 1486: Item, for two doss' di bocse garlands for prestes and clerkes on Saynt Barnabe daye, js. xd." Ibid. 1512, Woulffe and Marten, churchwardens, the following: "Recd of the gadryng of the Maydens on St. Barnabas' Day, vjs. viijd.” And, among the church disbursements of the same year, we have: " Rose-garlands and Lavender, St. Barnabas, js. vjd." In the same accounts, for 1509, is the following: "For bred, wine, and ale, for the singers of the King's Chapel, and for the Clarks of this town, on St. Barnabas, js. iijd."

Collinson, in his History of Somersetshire, ii. 265, speaking of Glastonbury, tells us, that "besides the Holy Thorn, there grew in the Abbey churchyard, on the north side of St. Joseph's Chapel, a miraculous walnut-tree, which never budded forth before the feast of St. Barnabas, viz. the 11th

1 Cerard, in his Historie of Plants, p. 965, says, "Woodrooffe hath many square stalkes full of joints, and at every knot or joint seaven or eight long narrow leaves, set round about like a starre or the rowell of a spurre; the flowers grow at the top of the stemmes, of a white colour, and of a very sweete smell, as is the rest of the herbe, which being made up into garlands, or bundles, and hanged up in houses in the heate of sommer, doth very well attemper the aire, coole, and make fresh the place, to the delight and comfort of such as are therein."

of June, and on that very day shot forth leaves, and flourished like its usual species. This tree is gone, and in the place thereof stands a very fine walnut-tree of the common sort. It is strange to say how much this tree was sought after by the credulous; and, though not an uncommon walnut, Queen Anne, King James, and many of the nobility of the realm, even when the times of monkish superstition had ceased, gave large sums of money for small cuttings from the original." Among Ray's Proverbs, the following is preserved relating

to Saint Barnabas :

"Barnaby Bright,

The longest day and shortest night."

It was formerly believed that storms were prevalent on this day. So in the ancient Romish calendar,-"Barnabæ Apost. tempestas sæpe oritur."

The author of the Festa Anglo Romana says, p. 72, “This Barnaby-day, or thereabout, is the summer solstice or sunsted, when the sun seems to stand, and begins to go back, being the longest day in the year, about the 11th or 12th of June; it is taken for the whole time, when the days appear not for fourteen days together either to lengthen or shorten."

CORPUS CHRISTI DAY AND PLAYS.

CORPUS CHRISTI DAY, says the Festa Anglo Romana, p. 73, in alı Roman Catholic countries is celebrated with music, lights, flowers, strewed all along the streets, their richest tapestries hung out upon the walls, &c.

The following is Googe's translation of what Naogeorgus has said upon the ceremonies of this day in his Popish King. dom, f. 53.

"Then doth ensue the solemne feast of Corpus Christi Day,

Who then can shewe their wicked use, and fond and foolish play:
The hallowed bread, with worship great, in silver pix they beare
About the church, or in the citie passing here and theare.

His armes that beares the same two of the welthiest men do holde, And over him a canopey of silke and cloth of golde.

Foure others used to beare aloufe, least that some filthie thing Should fall from hie, or some mad birde hir doung thereon should fling.

Christe's passion here derided is with sundrie maskes and playes,
Faire Ursley, with hir maydens all, doth passe amid the wayes:
And, valiant George, with speare thou killest the dreadfull dragon here
The Devil's house is drawne about, wherein there doth appere
A wondrous sort of damned sprites, with foule and fearfull looke;
Great Christopher doth wade and passe with Christ amid the brooke :
Sebastian, full of feathred shaftes, the dint of dart doth feele,
There walketh Kathren, with hir sworde in hande, and cruel wheele :
The challis and the singing cake with Barbara is led,

And sundrie other pageants playde, in worship of this bred,
That please the foolish people well: what should I stand upon
Their banners, crosses, candlestickes, and reliques many on,
Their cuppes and carved images, that priestes, with count'nance hie,
Or rude and common people, beare about full solemlie?
Saint John before the bread doth go, and poynting towards him,
Doth shew the same to be the Lambe that takes away our sinne :
On whome two clad in angels shape do sundrie flowres fling,
A number great with sacring belles, with pleasant sound doe ring.
The common wayes with bowes are strawde, and every streete beside,
And to the walles and windowes all are boughes and braunches tide.
The monkes in every place do roame, the nonnes abrode are sent,
The priestes and schoolmen lowd do rore, some use the instrument.
The straunger passing through the streete upon his knees doe fall.
And earnestly upon this bread, as on his God, doth call;
For why, they counte it for their Lorde, and that he doth not take
The form of flesh, but nature now of breade that we do bake.

A number great of armed men here all this while do stande,

To looke that no disorder be, nor any filching hande:

For all the church-goodes out are brought, which certainly would bee
A bootie good, if every man might have his libertie.

This bread eight dayes togither they in presence out do bring,
The organs all do then resound, and priestes alowde do sing:
The people flat on faces fall, their handes held up on hie,
Beleeving that they see their God, and soveraigne Majestie.
The like at masse they doe, while as the bread is lifted well,
And challys shewed aloft, whenas the sexten rings the bell.
In villages the husbandmen about their corne due ride,
With many crosses, banners, and Sir John their priest beside,
Who in a bag about his necke doth beare the blessed breade,
And oftentyme he downe alightes, and Gospel lowde doth reade.
This surely keepes the corne from winde, and raine, and from the

blast;

Such fayth the Pope hath taught, and yet the Papistes hold it fast."

In Lysons's Environs of London, i. 229, I find the following extracts from the Churchwardens' and Chamberlains' Accounts at Kingston-upon-Thames, relating to this day

“21 Hen. VII. Mem. That we, Adam Backhous £. s. d.
and Harry Nycol, amountyd of a play

27 Hen. VII. Paid for packthred on Corpus

Christi Day

4 0 0

0,0 1

"This," Lysons adds, "was probably used for hanging the pageants, containing the History of our Saviour, which were exhibited on this day, and explained by the Mendicant Friars." The Cotton MS. Vesp. D. viii. contains a Collection of dramas in old English verse (of the fifteenth century) relating principally to the History of the New Testament. Sir William Dugdale mentions this manuscript under the name of Ludus Corporis Christi, or Ludus Coventriæ, and adds, "I have been told by some people, who, in their younger years were eye-witnesses of these pageants so acted, that the yearly confluence of people to see that shew was extraordinary great, and yielded no small advantage to this city." See Antiq. of Warwickshire, p. 116. It appears by the latter end of the prologue, that these plays or interludes were not only played in Coventry, but in other towns and places upon occasion. [This MS. was edited by Mr. Halliwell in 1841, for the Shakespeare Society. The elder Heywood thus alludes to the devil, as a character in these mysteries,—

"For as good happe wolde have it chaunce,
Thys devyll and I were of olde acqueyntaunce;
For oft in the play of Corpus Christi
He hath played the devyll at Coventry."]

In the Royal Entertainment of the Earle of Nottingham, sent Ambassador from his Majestie to the King of Spaine, 1605, p. 12, it is stated that on Corpus Christi Day, "the greatest day of account in Spaine in all the yeare,' at Valladolid, where the Court was, "the king went a procession with all the apostles very richly, and eight giants, foure men and foure women, and the cheefe was named Gog-magog."

In the Churchwardens' Accounts of St. Mary-at-Hill, in the city of London, 17 and 19 Edw. IV., Palmer and Clerk