The frontispiece of May garland at Glatton is a copy of a water colour
drawing by the Rev. E. Bradley (Cuthbert Bede) when living there in
1856.

In the earlier part of the last century it was the custom for a young
man to get as large a branch as possible of May in flower on May 1st and
fix it to his sweetheart's window. If the shutters were closed it was
thrust through the diamond, oval, round, or heartshaped openings at the
top of the shutters. The larger the branch and the more the blossoms the
greater the compliment. If a quarrel had taken place, and peace not
made, then the angry swain would fix a branch of blackthorn in the place
which otherwise should have held the May blossom.

In the country if the servant maids had not pleased the farm boys they
used to get a branch of the crab apple and put it in the girl's window.


MAY DAY.

A branch of May I have brought you,
And at your door it stands;
Well set out, and well spread about
By the work of our Lord's hands.
Take a Bible in your hands,
And read a chapter through;
And when the day of Judgement comes,
God will remember you,
God bless ye all both great and small,
And I wish you a merry May.