Northumberland
Norhumberland 1130 ‘Territory of the Northymbre (i.e. those living north of the River Humber)’
At one time the boys at Newcastle-upon-Tyne had a taunting rhyme, with which they used to insult such persons as they met on this day who had not oak-leaves in their hats:
“Royal oak,
The Whigs to provoke.”
There was a retort courteous by others, who contemptuously wore plane-tree leaves:
“Plane-tree leaves;
The Church folk are thieves.”
Brand, Pop. Antiq. 1849, vol. i. P.274
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