Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders |
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Common terms and phrases
appeared asked auld Barguest believe Berwickshire bird Black Heddon Border bride Brownie called candle charm child church creature cross cure custom Dartmoor dead death Devonshire door dream England evil falchion farmer fire first-foot Gabriel hounds German girl hair hand Hand of Glory hare haunted head heard Hedley Kow horse husband Killmoulis Kludde lady Lambton Lewtrenchard lived looked lore married milk morning mother neighbourhood neighbours never night North Northumberland old woman once parish passed person pins Pixy poor Redcap root round Scotland seen Sir Walter Scott Sockburn spirit sprite Stamfordham stick Stokesley stone story superstition tells Thorpe's Mythology thou told took tree turned unlucky village wife wild wild hunt Wilkie witch witchcraft worm Yorkshire young
Popular passages
Page 68 - Thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days, after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine : and thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.
Page 70 - As, supperless to bed they must retire, And couch supine their beauties, lily white ; Nor look behind, nor sideways, but require Of Heaven with upward eyes for all that they desire.
Page 105 - ... through all the city, for the space almost of forty days, there were seen horsemen running in the air, in cloth of gold, and armed with lances, like a band of soldiers, and troops of horsemen in array, encountering and running one against another, with shaking of shields, and multitude of pikes, and drawing of swords, and casting of darts, and glittering of golden ornaments, and harness of all sorts. Wherefore every man prayed that that apparition might turn to good.
Page 137 - Blagrave, in his Astrological Practice of Physick, p. 135, prescribes a cure of agues by a certain writing which the patient weareth, as follows : " When Jesus went up to the cross to be crucified, the Jews asked him saying, ' Art thou afraid ? or hast thou the ague ?' Jesus answered, and said, ' I am not afraid, neither have I the ague. All those which bear the name of Jesus about them shall not be afraid, nor yet have the ague.' Amen, sweet Jesus, amen ! sweet Jehovah, amen.
Page 73 - March borrowed from April Three days, and they were ill : The first o' them was wind and weet ; The second o' them was snaw and sleet ; The third o' them was sic a freeze, It froze the birds
Page 56 - Take out, then take in ; bad luck will begin. Take in, then take out, good luck comes about.
Page 58 - If New Year's Eve night- wind blow south It betokeneth warmth and growth ; If west, much milk and fish in the sea ; If north, much cold and storms there will be ; If east, the trees will bear much fruit ; If north-east, flee it man and brute.
Page 124 - Foot! foot! foot! is fast asleep! Thumb! thumb! thumb! in spittle we steep: Crosses three we make to ease us, Two for the thieves, and one for Christ Jesus.
Page 216 - Gainst lance and arrow, sword and knife, I shall thy warrant be. " Nor forged steel, nor hempen band, Shall e'er thy limbs confine, Till threefold ropes of sifted sand Around thy body twine. « If danger press fast, knock thrice on the chest, With rusty padlocks bound ; Turn away your eyes, when the lid shall rise, And listen to the sound.
Page 246 - My Lord Bishop, I here present you with the falchion wherewith the Champion Conyers slew the worm, dragon, or fiery-flying serpent, which destroyed man, woman, and child; in memory of which, the king then reigning gave him the Manor of Sockburn, to hold by this tenure, that, upon the first entrance of every Bishop into the county, this falchion should be presented.