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430 st. Andrew's day. [Nov. 30.
Day, was a procession at Paul's, and a priest of every parish attending, each in his cope, and a goodly sermon preached, and after that, the procession, with salve festa dies"
Northamptonshire.
Tander and Tandrew are the names given to the festival of St. Andrew, of which they are corruptions.
The anniversary of this saint is, or rather was, kept by the lacemakers as a day of festivity and merry-making; but since the use of pillow-lace has in a great measure given place to that of the loom, this holiday has been less and less observed. The day in former times was one of unbridled licence: village" scholards " barred out their master; the lace schools were deserted; and drinking and feasting prevailed to a riotous extent. Towards evening the villagers used to become suddenly smitten with a violent taste for masquerading. Women might be seen walking about in male attire, while men and boys clothed in female dress visited each other's cottages, drinking hot " eldern wine," the staple beverage of the season. Then commenced the mumming.—Sternberg, Dialect and Folk Lore of Northamptonshire 1851, p. 183; A. E. Baker, Glossary of Northamptonshire Words and Phrases, 1854, vol. ii. p. 326.
Sussex.
A correspondent of the Athenceum (No. 993) says that the custom of squirrel-hunting was at one time kept up in this county, but, in consequence of the inclosure of the coppices and the more strict observance of the game, it has wholly dropped.
SCOTLAND.
In Scotland this day is called Andrys Day, Androiss Mess. and Andermess.
Singed sheep's heads are borne in the procession before the Scots in London on St. Andrew's Day.—Brand's Pop. Antiq. 1849, voL i. p. 415. |
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