At grammar schools it is, or was, an universal custom for the children attending schools to make small presents of money to their teachers. The master sits at his desk or table, exchanging for the moment his usual authoritative look for one of bland civility, and each child goes up in turn and lays his offering down before him, the sum being generally proportioned to the abilities of the parent. Sixpence and a shilling are the usual sums in most schools, but some give half, and whole crowns, and even more. The boy and girl who give most are respectively styled king and queen. The children being then dismissed for a holiday proceed along the streets in a confused procession, carrying the king and queen in state, exalted upon that seat, formed of crossed hands, which, probably from this circumstance, is called “the king’s chair.” In some schools it used to be customary for the teacher, on the conclusion of the offerings, to make a bowl of punch, and regale each boy with a glass to drink the king and queen’s health, and a biscuit. The latter part of the day was usually devoted to what was called the _Candlemass bleeze_ or blaze, namely, the conflagration of any piece of furze which might exist in their neighbourhood, or, were that wanting, of an artificial bonfire. According to Sinclair the king’s power lasted for six weeks, and during his reign he was not only entitled to demand an afternoon’s play for the scholars once a week, but had also the royal privilege of remitting punishments.--_Book of Days_, vol i. p. 214. _Stat. Acc. of Scotland_, Sinclair, 1794, vol. xiii. p. 211. It was formerly customary in Scotland to hold a football match, the east end of a town against the west, the unmarried men against the married, or one parish against another. The “Candlemas ba’,” as it was called, brought the whole community out in a state of high excitement. On one occasion when the sport took place in Jedburgh, the contending parties, after a struggle of two hours in the streets, transferred the contention to the bed of the river Jed, and there fought it out amidst a scene of fearful splash and dabblement, to the infinite amusement of a multitude looking on from the bridge.--_Book of Days_, vol. i. p. 214. WESTERN ISLES OF SCOTLAND. As Candlemas Day comes round, the mistress and servants of each family taking a sheaf of oats, dress it up in woman’s apparel, and after putting it in a large basket, beside which a wooden club is placed, they cry three times, “Briid is come! Briid is welcome!” This they do just before going to bed, and as soon as they rise in the morning, they look among the ashes, expecting to see the impression of Briid’s club there, which if they do, they reckon it a true presage of a good crop and prosperous year, and the contrary they take as an ill-omen.--_Description of the Western Isles of Scotland_, Martin, 1703, p. 119. COLLOP MONDAY.