The Proclamations of St. Peter's and Bridge Fair by the Town Crier, in
the presence of the Mayor and Corporation, is still continued.

A copy of the proclamation was fortunately obtained for me before the
old Beadle died. He had not a copy but used to repeat it from memory.


SHEEP SHEARING. (JUNE).

It was the custom, when the shearing was finished, for the Shepherds and
Shearers to be entertained at supper by the Farmer. The Farmer's
Daughter used to tie up posies of roses with ribbons and give a posy to
each man, but the Head Shepherd always had the largest and best posy. It
was considered by the girls to be great fun to put a quantity of pepper
in the roses for the Head Shepherd, so that the poor Shepherd had severe
fits of sneezing. Being expected, the joke never failed to cause a
tremendous noise of sneezing, both natural and mock.

June was the month during which the feast was held and it was held as
recently as 1856.

In some parts of Northamptonshire the last sheep to be sheared had a
garland of roses placed round its neck.


MIDSUMMER EVE CHARMS.

As the clock strikes Midnight take some hempseed and go into the garden
and begin to throw the hempseed on the ground, repeating these words:--