The Celtic Literature Collective

The Auguries of the Year
The White Book of Rhydderch (ca. 1325)

If the Calends fall on a Sunday, the winter will be good and the spring windy and the summer dry, and vineyards thriving and sheep prospering, and abundance of honey; and the old women will die, and there will be peace.

If it is a Mondays there will be a variable winter and good spring and windy and tempestuous summer; the vineyards will not be good; and men may expect to thrive; and there will be disease among the bees. And it was God gave these signs to men.

If the Calends are a Tuesday, there will be a showery winter and a windy spring and a rainy summer, and disease among the women, and the ships in peril on the sea, and the kings will die, and there will be much produce in the vineyards.

If the Calends are on Wednesday, there will be a hard wild winter and a bad spring and a good summer, and the vineyards will be good, and the women will die and many people will be sick; and there will be honey.

If it is a Thursday, there will be a good winter and a windy spring and a good summer, and abundance of good things in that year, and peace between the chiefs.

If it is a Friday, there will be a changeable winter and a good spring and a good summer, and pain in the eyes, and the vineyards will flourish, and the sheep and the bees will die, and there will be plenty of corn­crops and the old folk will die.

If the Calends are on a Saturday, there will be a disturbed winter and a bad windy spring, and a good summer and abundant produce, and the sheep will die and houses will often be burned.

These signs are true, if the sun appears upon the earth.


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