The leek and the field of Poictiers

1 March · South Wales

No longer kept

Peter Roberts believed the leek worn on St David’s Day recalled the Welsh archers at Poictiers and Cressy, as Fluellen tells it in Henry V, rather than any Druid rite. He had heard that a song on the reason for wearing the leek was once sung in South Wales, but never got the copy he was promised.

I have been informed, that some years ago a song, commemorating the occasion of wearing the leek, was known and sung in South Wales.

From Roberts's Cambrian Popular Antiquities, p. 227. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

Blind Days in Devon Lore and belief DevonOld farmers in one Devon parish called the first three days of March the Blind Days, and no farmer would sow any seed on them.
Round the leek-bed on St David’s Eve Lore and belief WalesA Welsh love charm said that anyone who walked three times round the leek-bed in silence at midnight on St David's Eve would see their future husband or wife.
Gingerbread taffies on a goat No longer kept LondonOn St David's Day the gingerbread bakers and pastry-cooks of London set out taffies, little white figures of a Welshman riding on a goat, stuck on wooden skewers for children to buy.
The daffodil for St David Lore and belief EnglandThe early daffodil was reckoned the flower of St David's Day, coming into bloom about 1 March and soon filling the fields with its hanging yellow cups.
Whuppity Scoorie at Lanark Still kept LanarkshireWhen the Lanark town bell began its six months of nightly ringing in March, the young folk gathered at the cross for Whuppity Scoorie.
Tid, Mid, Misera No longer kept Northern EnglandNorthern country people counted down the Sundays of Lent as Tid, Mid, Miseray, Carling, Palm and Paste-egg Day, with Tid the first of the run.
Leeks in Lide Lore and belief West CountryIn the West Country March was called Lide, and eating leeks that month was thought to keep the doctor away all year.
The crows begin to search Lore and belief Northern EnglandAmong the proverbial sayings for St David's Day that Ellis found still current in the north of England was a short rhyme about the crows.
The serjeant-porter’s leek No longer kept LondonThe Flying Post of 1699 reported that on St David's Day the king, according to custom, wore a leek in honour of the ancient Britons.
Oats and barley in the clay Lore and belief EnglandRay's collection of English proverbs gives a farming rule for St David's Day: it was the time to put oats and barley into the ground.
Swig Day at Jesus College No longer kept OxfordshireOn St David's Day Jesus College, Oxford, the college of the Welsh, filled a great silver-gilt bowl holding ten gallons with swig and passed it round the guests at its table.
A peck of March dust Lore and belief EnglandMarch was expected to be a dry, blustery month, and its dust was welcomed because dry weather was wanted for sowing and planting.
The Ancient Britons’ procession No longer kept LondonSt David's Day in London was the anniversary of the Honourable and Loyal Society of Ancient Britons, founded in 1714, which kept it in aid of the Welsh charity school in Gray's Inn Road.
Hanging Taffy No longer kept LondonOn St David's Day the English used to mock the Welsh by making a stuffed figure of a Welshman, with hay-filled breeches and coat, a hat, shoes and a wooden sword, and hanging it from a public tree.
Wearing the leek Still kept WalesOn St David's Day the Welsh wear a leek, and Chambers collected several reasons given for it.

The leek and the field of Poictiers

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