Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/455

Rh Holly. Only "free" (smooth) holly used in house

If smooth holly used or brought in first, wife rules; if rough, husband

To be lucky, use rough, smooth, and variegated. White patches on var. holly caused by Virgin's milk spilt on holly brought by shepherds

Smooth holly, ivy, and mistletoe hung behind shippon door before noon on Christmas Day prevents cows miscarrying

Holly masculine, ivy feminine (see Shrove Tuesday)

Ivy. Man must supply maid with ivy or she would steal his breeches (Aubrey)

Ivy alone, or predominating, a bad omen

Yew. Used if not cut from churchyard

Unlucky, portends death during year

Box. Used when procurable

Used in "kissing-bush"

Rosemary. (Obs.). Houses dressed with

Bays. (Obs.) Churches dressed with

Laurel. Used in South of England, esp. Universities, including college chapels; not in North

Holly, box, fir, and laurel, in houses, 1878

LOCALITY.

Salop (Burford).

Locality?

Derbysh.

Derbysh. (Hazelwood).

Kent, Salop.

Oxon. (Launton).

Northants.

Derbysh., Northants.

East Anglia.

Derbysh., Northants. (See below.)

(Aubrey, 1686.)

London (St. Peter Cheap, 1572, 1599), Worcester (St. Michael's, St. Nicholas, 16th and 17th cent.).

Bourne, 1725.

Lines, (nr. Grantham).