Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Notes

Transcription used: text between ~tildes~, _underscores_, and =equal
signs= represents text printed in blackletter, italics and bold face
in the original work, respectively. Small capitals have been
transcribed as ALL CAPITALS. [X] represents a rotated X.

More transcriber’s notes (including a list of corrections) may be
found at the end of this text.

~Explained in the Preface.~]

THE
EVERY-DAY BOOK
AND
TABLE BOOK;

OR,

EVERLASTING CALENDAR OF POPULAR AMUSEMENTS,
SPORTS, PASTIMES, CEREMONIES, MANNERS,
CUSTOMS, AND EVENTS,

INCIDENT TO
~Each of the Three Hundred and Sixty-five Days,~
IN PAST AND PRESENT TIMES;

FORMING A
COMPLETE HISTORY OF THE YEAR, MONTHS, AND SEASONS,

AND A

PERPETUAL KEY TO THE ALMANAC;

INCLUDING

ACCOUNTS OF THE WEATHER, RULES FOR HEALTH AND CONDUCT, REMARKABLE AND
IMPORTANT ANECDOTES, FACTS, AND NOTICES, IN CHRONOLOGY, ANTIQUITIES,
TOPOGRAPHY, BIOGRAPHY, NATURAL HISTORY, ART, SCIENCE, AND GENERAL
LITERATURE; DERIVED FROM THE MOST AUTHENTIC SOURCES, AND VALUABLE
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS, WITH POETICAL ELUCIDATIONS, FOR DAILY USE AND
DIVERSION.

BY WILLIAM HONE.

I tell of festivals, and fairs, and plays,
Of merriment, and mirth, and bonfire blaze;
I tell of Christmas-mummings, new year’s day,
Of twelfth-night king and queen, and children’s play;
I tell of valentines, and true-love’s-knots,
Of omens, cunning men, and drawing lots:

I tell of brooks, of blossoms, birds and bowers,
Of April, May, of June, and July-flowers;
I tell of May-poles, hock-carts, wassails, wakes,
Of bridegrooms, brides, and of their bridal cakes;
I tell of groves, of twilights, and I sing
The court of Mab, and of the fairy king.

HERRICK.

WITH FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX ENGRAVINGS.

IN THREE VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THOMAS TEGG,
73, CHEAPSIDE.

LONDON:
J. HADDON, PRINTER, CASTLE STREET, FINSBURY.

TO
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE
THE EARL OF DARLINGTON,
LORD LIEUTENANT AND VICE-ADMIRAL OF THE COUNTY
PALATINE OF DURHAM, &c. &c. &c.

MY LORD,

TO YOUR LORDSHIP--as an encourager of the old country sports and usages chiefly treated of in my book, and as a maintainer of the ancient hospitality so closely connected with them, which associated the Peasantry of this land with its Nobles, in bonds which degraded neither--

I RESPECTFULLY DEDICATE THIS VOLUME;

not unmindful of your Lordship’s peculiar kindness to me under difficulties, and not unmoved by the pride which I shall have in subscribing myself,

MY LORD,

YOUR LORDSHIP’S HIGHLY HONOURED,

MOST OBEDIENT,

AND VERY HUMBLE SERVANT,

WILLIAM HONE.

_February 27, 1827._