A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

said see LEAST said, soonest mended; what the SOLDIER said isn’t evidence. sailor see HEAVEN protects children, sailors, and drunken men.
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.

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  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.

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  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 B2^V 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
  

bring rain, For forty days it will remain. ^weather lore