me with God and the rood,
With his sweet flesh and precious blood;
With his crosse and his creed,
With his length and his breed,
From my toe to my crowne,
And all my body up and downe,
From my back to my brest,
My five wits be my rest;
God let never ill come at ill,
But through Jesus owne will,
Sweet Jesus, Lord. Amen."

"Many also use to weare vervein against blasts; and when they gather it
for this purpose, firste they crosse the herbe with their hand, and
then they blesse it thus:

"Hallowed be thou, Vervein,
As thou growest on the ground,
For in the Mount of Calvary,
There thou wast first found.
Thou healedst our Saviour Jesus Christ,
And staunchedst his bleeding wound;
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,
I take thee from the ground."

These passages may be seen in the "Preface to the Reader," s. 13., no page,
but on the reverse of Sig. A 4.

It might at first appear somewhat strange that these interesting remnants
of early belief should have escaped the notice of your numerous
correspondents, whose attention has for so long a period been directed to
this inquiry: but this may be accounted for if we remember that the volume
in which they occur is one which would seem, _prima facie_, least likely to
afford any such materials. It is one of those uninviting bulky folios of
which the reigns of James and Charles I. furnish us with so many specimens.
Here we might fairly expect to discover abundant illustrations of patristic
and scholastic theology, of learning and pedantry, of earnest devotion, and
ill-temper no less earnest; but nothing whereby to illustrate the manners
or customs, the traditions, or the popular usages or superstitions, of the
common people. This may be a hint for us, however, to direct our attention
to a class of literature which hitherto has scarcely received the attention
to which it would appear to be entitled; and I would venture to express my
conviction, that if those who are interested in the illustration of our
popular antiquities were to give a little of their time to early English
theology, the result would be more important than might at first be
anticipated.

L. B.

* * * * *

THE BALLAD OF SIR HUGH, ETC.

The fact mentioned by your correspondent C. CLIFTON BARRY, at p. 357., as
to the affinity of Midland so