Mythology

11 The dying of St. Valentine s Day is a testimony to the growth of a sense of restraint and fine feeling. But even this year (1910) in London one can see the old vulgar Valentine shown in shop windows. (3) SIMNEL SUNDAY. The fourth Sunday in Lent is in most Lancashire towns called Simnel Sunday, and Simnel cakes ornamental and rich cakes like those made at Xmas time are eaten. A writer in The Gentleman s Magazine (1867) informs us that from time beyond memory thousands of persons come from all parts to that town (Bury) to eat Simnels. Formerly, nearly every shop was open, with all the public-houses, quite in defiance of the law respecting the closing during service ; but of late years, through the improved state of public opinion, the disorderly scenes to which the custom gave rise have been partially amended. Efforts have been made to put a stop to the practice altogether, but in vain. This was forty years ago, and the trade in Bury Simnels, owing to quick and cheap transit, has practically put an end to the local celebrations. The origin of the word Simnel is in doubt. In Wright s Vocabularies it appears thus: Hic arlaecopus=symnelle. This form was in use during the fifteenth century. In the Dictionarius of John de Garlande, completed in Paris in the thirteenth century, it appears thus: Simeneus=placentae=simnels. Such cakes were stamped with the figure of Christ or of the Virgin. We can only conclude that as cakes witness the shewbread of the Hebrews have always occupied an important place in early forms of worship, there was a successful effort in the north to localise a Christianised form of celebration; for the mixture of joviality and religious austerity which characterised Simnel Sunday in past centuries is in keeping with the same display on other occasions in countries further south. (4) MAUNDAY THURSDAY (OR SHERE THURSDAY). There seems to be much dispute between antiquarians as to the origin of both Maunday and Shere, and of course the spelling has the usual vagaries. For instance The British Apollo (1709) says: Maunday is a corruption of the Latin word Mandatum, a command. The day is therefore so called, because as on that day our Saviour washed his disciples feet, to teach them the great duty of being humble. And therefore he gives them in command to do as he had done, to imitate their Master in all proper instances of condescension and humility. On the other hand Maunday Thursday, says a writer in The Gentleman s Magazine (1779), is the poor people s Thursday, from the Fr. maundier, to beg. The King s liberality to the poor on that Thursday in Lent [is at] a season when they are supposed to have lived very low. Maundiant is at this day in French a beggar. Which are we to believe? The preponderating weight of evidence seems to be in favour of the former. In reference to Shere, one authority says it is so called for that in old Fathers days the people would that day shere theyr hedes and clippe theyr berdes and pool theyr heedes, and so make them honest agenst Easter Day. But another writer in The Gentleman s Magazine (1779) finds a different origin for the word. Maundy Thursday, called by Collier, Shier Thursday, Cotgrave calls by a word of the same sound and import, Sheere Thursday. Perhaps, for I can only go upon conjecture, as sheer means purus mundus, it may allude to the washing of the disciples feet (John xiii. 5, et seq.), and be tantamount to clean. Please to

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