A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

If SAINT Paul’s day be fair and clear, it will betide a happy year

The Conversion of St. Paul is traditionally celebrated on 25 January. Cf. c 1340 ROBERT
OF AVESBURY Hist. (1720) 266 clara dies Pauli bona tempora denotat anni, a clear St.
Paul’s day denotes good times for the year.

1584 R. SCOT Discovery of Witchcraft xi. xv. If Paule th’apostles daie be cleare, it

dooth foreshew a luckie yeare. 1687 J. AUBREY Gentilism & Judaism (1881) 94 The old

verse so much observed by Countrey-people: ‘If Paul’s day be faire and cleare It will

betyde a happy yeare.’ 1846 M. A. DENHAM Proverbs relating to Seasons, &c. 24 If St.

Paul’s day be fine and clear, It doth betide a happy year; But if by chance it then should

rain, It will make dear all kinds of grain. 1975 M. KILLIP Folklore of Isle of Man xiii. In

January the testing day was.. the 25th: St. Paul’s Day stormy and windy, Famine in the

world and great death of mankind, Paul’s day fair and clear, Plenty of corn and meal in

the world. weather lore

SAINT Swithun’s day, if thou be fair, for forty days it will remain; Saint Swithun’s
day, if thou bring rain, for forty days it will remain

St. Swithun (or Swithin) was a bishop of Winchester. He died in 862 and his feast-day is
15 July. The association of St. Swithun with persistent rain is at least as old as the early 14th-
century MS 27 in Emmanuel College, Cambridge (fo. 163; quoted in I. Opie and M. Tatem
Dictionary of Superstitions): In the daye of seynte Svithone rane ginneth rinigge Forti dawes
mid ywone [on St. Swithun’s day it usually starts to rain for forty days]. The rhyme has many
variants.

1600 JONSON Every Man out of Humour I. iii. O, here, S. Swithin’s the xv day,

variable weather, for the most part raine. .. Why, it should raine fortie daies after, now,

more or lesse, it was a rule held afore I was able to hold a plough. 1697 Poor Robin’s

Almanack July B2V In this month is St. Swithin’s day; On which, if that it rain, they say,

Full forty days after it will, Or more or less some rain distill. 1846 M. A. DENHAM

Proverbs relating to Seasons, &c. 52 St. Swithin’s day, if thou dost rain, For forty days it

will remain: St. Swithin’s day, if thou be fair, For forty days ‘twill rain na mair. 1892 C.

M. YONGE Old Woman’s Outlook 169 St. Swithin’s promise is by no means infallible,

whether for wet or fair weather. In.. Gloucestershire, they prefer a shower on his day, and

call it christening the apples; but Hampshire.. hold[s] that—If Swithun’s day be fair and

clear, It betides a happy year; If Swithun’s day be dark with rain, Then will be dear all

sorts of grain. 1978 R. WHITLOCK Calender of Country Customs viii. Even today

innumerable people take note of the weather on St. Swithun’s Day, 15 July. .. St.

Swithun’s Day, if thou be fair, For forty days it will remain. St. Swithun’s Day, if thou