THE welshmen's jubilee: TO THE honour OF St. DAVID. showing, THE MANNER OF THAT SOLEMN Celebration, which the Welshmen annually hold in honour of St. DAVID. DESCRIBING, LIKEWISE THE true AND REA●● Cause, why they wear that day a Leek on their Hats. With an excellent merry Sonnet, annexed unto it.  
Composed by T. MORGAN, Gent.  
LONDON. Printed for I. Harrison.   

THE welshmen's jubilee, In Honour of St. DAVID.  
FAme, the vicegerent of the Universe, is most to be applauded for her future indulgency to her sons: for whom she cherisheth alive, she will not permit to lie in the odious Sepulchre of Oblivion, nor suffer their names to be razed out of the rolls of honour, but in an annual progression rather to blow their names abroad with the trump of never dying glory. The explication of my meaning, includes the customary observation of the Welshmen, who yearly celebrate one day to the honour of St. David (once their Grand-Signior of Chivalry) in great solemnity. He that was once the Pillar of their hopes, the Glory and sole Fame of their Country, is now honoured (although long since interred) in the memory of his meritorious Name: He that esteemed not his dearest blood sufficient to accommodate his Country, is eternised, or at least solemnised by the same, and hath moreover a respective remuneration for his magnanimous puissance: He lastly, that once greatly honoured Wales, is now himself greatly honoured by the same. To memorize any man, signifies not only the general good opinion, and affection towards the same person, but likewise declares his deserving virtues. Among the Greeks it was called a worthy thing to be solemnised after death: The Romans likewise acknowledged it to be gloriosum quid, a glorious thing to celebrate any day to the Honour of the dead. And I ingenuously confess I cannot but highly extol the indulgent sedulity of the Welshmen, in remembering their Saint with such annual devotion. Polemon when he died at Athens was once in three years honoured with a solemn Celebraeion, and that was acledged to be a most famous deed. It was likewise accounted an eminent act, when Cassiodorus was twice remembered solemnly after his funeral. But neither of these can be reputed to be so glorious, as that of S. David; for his day is not only once every year duly observed, to the memory of his immortal Fame: but successively continueth without any praetermission. Yet one thing I cannot omit, viz. their custom in wearing a green Leek on their hats hn that day likewise: and here (Gentle Reader) give me leave to expatiate myself a while, to see whether I can scrutably, and in a credible probability search out the meaning, and cause of the same: Some report, that they wear this Leek, because of their general affection unto it: others affirm the cause to be, because of the numerous multitude of leeks that grow in their: but either of these are fallible; for it is more credibly declared, that S. David when he always went into the field, in martial exercise, he carried a Leek with him; and once being almost faint to death, he immediately remembered himself of the Leek, and by that means not only preserved his life, but also became victorious: hence is the mythology of the Leek derived, and hence it was that they ever since continued respectively the investigation of the same, to the sempiternal honour of their Champion St. David. There is also a common Proverb in Wales, that St. David is as bright as the Moon; yet I confess, I have oftentimes presumed to wonder at their similitude in comparing him to the Moon, unless be the cause thereof, that the Moon was made of green chief, at whose bright splendour perhaps, they may have the courtesy to toast it. But be more clement Reader, whosoever thou be'st, and think not that I speak this in a ludibrious jeer, or abuse to the country, for I speak altogether in praise and commendation of it: yet however according to the Poet: Interpone tuis, interdum gaudia curis.  
If I have been barren in expressions for the honour of St. David, you must excuse the brevity of time, wherein it was composed: and what remains, I will consummate in a merry Hymn, or panygericks.  

COme quaff off your Sherry, and let us be merry,  
All you that look to be saved:  
Then t●sse of your bowls, and be merry souls  
For this is the day of St. David.  
This is a good week, when we wear a Leek,  
And carouse in Bacchus' fountains:  
We had better be here, thou in poor small beer,  
Or in our Country Mountains.   

Then be merry boys, and leave off your toys  
And care not for drossy wealth,  
We'll swagger in Sack, till our purse-strings crack  
To St. David I'll drink a health.   

Let those that are civil, now go to the devil,  
Let us be as busy as Bees:  
Those Rebels we'll beat, that offer to eat  
Our leeks, or toasted Cheese.   

A pox of all 〈…〉 cheeks pale,  
Come let's be 〈…〉  
For that's very 〈…〉 the blood,  
And for to strengthen the back.   

Drink you to him, till both your brains swim,  
In this Nectarian liquour:  
Let him drink to me, and I'll drink to thee,  
'Twill make all our tongues run the quicker.   

Come cast away grief, we need no relief,  
We'll drink, we'll be merry, and play:  
We'll sing, and we'll laugh, we'll our liquour quaff;  
For this is St. David's day.   
FINIS.