If Candlemas day be fair and bright, Winter will have another flight; If on Candlemas day it be shower and rain, Winter is gone and will not come again. (John Ray, “A Collection of English Proverbs,” 2d ed., Cambridge, 1678.) February 12. St. Eulalia’s Day: If the sun shines on St. Eulalie’s day, It is good for apples and cider they say. February 14. St. Valentine’s Day: On St. Valentine’s day Cast beans in clay But on St. Chad Sow good or bad. (Seed time of this Lenten crop limited between February 14 and March 2.) February 24. St. Matthias’ Day: Saint Matthew (Sept. 21) Get candlesticks new; St. Mattheg Lay candlesticks by. March 1. St. David’s Day: Quoth Saint David, “I’ll have a flood.” Saith our Lady [Mch. 25] “I’ll have as good.” (Referring to spring tides in Wales, from Poor Robin’s Almanack, 1684.) June 15. St. Vitus’ Day: If Saint Vitus’ day be rainy weather, It will rain for thirty days together. (M. A. Denham, “Proverbs and Popular Sayings Relating to the Seasons,” Percy Soc., 1846.) July 15. St. Swithin’s Day: St. Swithin’s day, if thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain; St. Swithin’s day, if thou be fair, For forty days t’will rain nae mair. (M. A. Denham, “Proverbs and Popular Sayings Relating to the Seasons,” Percy Soc., 1846.) July 15: All the tears that St. Swithin can cry Aug. 24: Saint Bartholomew’s dusty mantle wipes dry. (R. Inwards, “Weather Lore,” London, 1893.) July 20. St. Margaret’s Day: “Margaret’s floods” (heavy rains). July 25. St. James’ Day: “Whoever eats oysters on St. James’ day will never want money.” (M. A. Denham, “Proverbs and Popular Sayings Relating to the Seasons,” Percy Soc., 1846.) August 24. St. Bartholomew’s Day: St. Bartholomew Brings cold dew. (John Ray, “A Collection of English Proverbs,” 2d ed., Cambridge, 1678.) October 28. St. Simon and St. Jude: Simon and Jude All the ships on the sea home they do crowd. Dost thou know her then? Trap. As well as I know ’twill rain upon Simon and Jude’s day next. (Middleton, “The Roaring Girl,” Act 5, Sc. 1.) Now a continual Simon and Jude’s rain beat all your feathers as flat down as pancakes! (Idem, Act II, Sc. 1.) November 11. St. Martin’s Day: Expect St. Martin’s summer, halcyon days. (Shakespeare, “I Henry VI,” Act 1, Sc. 2.) December 13. St. Lucy’s Day: Lucy [bright] light The shortest day and the longest night (For a long time, before the change of the calendar, St. Lucy’s Day corresponded to our 21st of December.)