When hoo fulls at ye midnight, or soone after that,
In ye sommer, great heat,
In ye winter, hard frost.
When hoo fulls at ye midday, or soone after that,
Winter cries, “O ye rain,”
Summer says, “Cheshire’s lost.”
--_Old Cheshire Household Book_, 1675-85.
(_Hoo_ is the old English “she.”)
A winde from Sandbach in the Easte
Blows good to neither man nor beast.
Malpas ales and Malpas gales
Cheer the farmer, fill his pails.
Whenever Chester chimes at Congleton do sound
A flood, like Noah’s, will wash away ye ground.
_The towns are thirty miles apart._
It rains, it pains, it patters i’ the docks,
Mobberley wenches are weshin’ their smocks.
As long as Helsby (hill) wears a hood,
The weather’s never very good.
If Wednesday, Thursday, or if Friday
Happen this year to be May day,
Then begin some harmless thing
And it will thee much credit bring.
--Randle Holme, _Harleian MSS._