gyle and scorne, and ayenst divers wonderous doyng, and multiplieth fruite and spedeth begynnyng and ending of causes and of nedes." Coles, in his Adam in Eden, pronounces of coral: "It helpeth Children to breed their teeth, their gums being rubbed therewith; and to that purpose they have it fastened at the ends of their mantles." And Plat, in his Jewel-House of Art and Nature, writes: "Coral is good to be hanged about Children's necks, as well to rub their gums, as to preserve them from the falling sickness. It hath also some special simpathy with nature, for the best Coral being worn about the neck, will turn pale and wan, if the party that wears it be sick, and comes to its former colour again, as they recover health." In The French Garden, for English Ladyes and Gentlewomen to walke in or a Sommer Dayes Labour, &c. by Peter Erondell and John Fabre (1621), in a dialogue relating to the dress of a child, we have another proof of the long continuance of this custom: "You need not yet give him his CORRAL with the small golden Chayne, for I beleeve it is better to let him sleepe until the afternoone." In A Short Description of Antichrist (1554) is this passage: "I note all their Popishe traditions of Confirmacion of yonge Children with oynting of oyle and creame, and with a Ragge knitte aboute the necke of the yonge Babe." MARRIAGE CUSTOMS AND CEREMONIES. M° OST profusely various have been the different rites, ceremonies, and customs adopted by the several nations of the Christian world, on the performance of that most sacred of institutions by which the Maker of mankind has directed us to transmit our race. The inhabitants of this island do not appear to have been outdone by any other people on this occasion. Before we enter upon the discussion of these, however, it will be necessary to consider distinctly the several ceremonies peculiar to betrothing by a verbal contract of marriage, and promises of love previous to the marriage union. BETROTHING CUSTOMS. There was a remarkable kind of marriage contract among the ancient Danes called Hand-festing. In The Christen State of Matrimony (1543) we read: "Yet in thys thynge also must I warne everye reasonable and honest parson, to beware that in contractyng of Maryage they dyssemble not, ner set for the any lye. Every man lykewyse must esteme the parson to whom he is handfasted, none otherwyse than for his owne spouse, though as yet it be not done in the Church ner in the Streate.-After the Handfastynge and makyng of the Contracte y Churchgoyng and Weddyng shuld not be differred to longe, lest the wickedde sowe hys ungracious sede in the meane season. Into this dysh hath the Dyvell put his foote and mengled it wythe many wycked uses and coustumes. For in some places ther is such a maner, wel worthy to be rebuked, that al the HANDEFASTING ther is made a greate feaste and superfluous Bancket, and even the same night are the two handfested personnes brought and layed together, yea certan wekes afore they go to the Chyrch." In the Statistical Account of Scotland (1794), the minister of Eskdalemuir, in Dumfries, mentioning a now extinct annual fair held at the meeting of the black and white Esks, writes: "At that Fair it was the custom for the unmarried persons of both sexes to choose a companion, according to their liking, with whom they were to live till that time next year. This was called Hand-fasting, or hand in fist. If they were pleased with each other at that time, then they continued together for life: if not they separated, and were free to make another choice as at the first. The fruit of the connexion (if there were any) was always attached to the disaffected person. In later times, when this part of the country belonged to the Abbacy of Melrose, a priest, to whom they gave the name of Book i' bosom, (either because he carried in his bosom a Bible, or perhaps a register of the marriages,) came from time to time to confirm the marriages. This place is only a small distance from the Roman encampment of Castleoe'r. May not the Fair have been first instituted when the Romans resided there? and, may not the 'Hand-fasting' have taken its rise from their manner of celebrating Marriage, ex usu, by which if a woman, with the consent of her parents, or guardians, lived with a man for a year, without being absent three nights, she became his wife? Perhaps, when Christianity was introduced, this form of Marriage may have been looked upon as imperfect, without confirmation by a priest, and therefore, one may have been sent from time to time for this purpose." In Whitford's Werke for Housholders, &c. by a professed Brother of Syon (1537), is the following caution on the above subject: "The ghostely Enemy doth deceyve many persones by the pretence and coloure of Matrimony in private and secrete contractes. For many men when they can nat obteyne theyr unclene desyre of the woman, wyll promyse Maryage and ther upon make a contracte promyse and gyve fayth and trouth eche unto other, sayng "Here I take the Margery unto my wyfe, and thereto I plyght the my troth. And she agayne unto him in lyke maner. And after that done, they suppose they maye lawfully use theyr unclene behavyoure, and sometyme the acte and dede dothe folowe, unto the greate offence of God and their owne souls. It is a great jeopardy therefore to make any suche Contractes, specially amonge them selfe secretely alone without Recordes, which muste be two at the lest." Among the Interrogatories for the Doctrine and Manners of Mynisters, early in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, occurs the following, which clearly implies the then use and abuse of betrothing: "28. Whether they have exhorted yong Folke to absteyne from privy Contracts, and not to marry without the consent of such their Parents and Fryends as have auctority over them; or no." In every one of these cases I have no doubt there was a "mutual Interchangement of Rings,” and the fullest indulgence of every sexual familiarity. "The antient Frenchmen," Vaughan's Golden Grove (1608) has it, "had a ceremonie that, when they would marrie, the Bridegrome should pare his nayles and send them unto his new Wije: which done, they lived together afterwards as man and wife.” In the old play of A Woman's a Wether-Cocke (1612), Scudmore tells the priest who is going to marry his mistress to Count Fred ericke "She is contracted, Sir, nay married Unto another man, though it want forme : 'Twould make your short haire start through your blacke Strong traces of this long remained in our villages in many parts of the kingdom. I was assured by credible authority on Portland Island that something very like it is still practised there very generally, where the inhabitants seldom or never intermarry with any on the mainland, and where the young women, selecting lovers of the same place, account it no disgrace to allow them every favour; and that, too, from the fullest confidence of being made wives the moment such consequences of their stolen embraces begin to be too visible for further concealment. Anciently it was very customary, among the common sort of people, to break a piece of gold or silver in token of a verbal contract of marriage and promises of love; one-half being kept by the woman, and the other by the man. Thus in Gay's What d'ye call It— "Yet, Justices, permit us, ere we part, To break this Ninepence as you've broke our heart." "Filbert (breaking the ninepence)-As this divides, thus are we torn in twain. "Kitty (joining the pieces)-And as this meets, thus may we meet again." Strutt, in his Manners and Customs, illustrated this by an extract from the old play of the Widow; from which it also appears that no dry bargain would hold on such occasions, for on the widow's complaining that Ricardo had artfully drawn her into a verbal contract, she is asked by one of her suitors "Stay, stay,-you broke no Gold between you?" To which she answers "We broke nothing, Sir." And, on his adding "Nor drank to each other?" she replies "Not a drop, Sir." Whence he draws the conclusion "that the contract cannot stand good in Law." The latter part of the ceremony is perhaps adverted to in the following passage in Middleton's play of No Wit like a Woman's "Ev'n when my lip touch'd the contracting Cup." An MS. in the Harleian Library, No. 980, cited by Strutt, states that "by the Civil Law, whatsoever is given ex sponsalitia Largitate, betwixt them that are promised in Marriage, hath a condition (for the most part silent) that it may be had again if Marriage ensue not; but if the man should have had a Kiss for his money, he should lose one half of that which he gave. Yet, with the woman it is otherwise, for kissing or not kissing, whatsoever she gave, she may ask and have it again. However, this extends only to Gloves, Rings, Bracelets, and such like small wares." Camden, in his Antient and Modern Manners of the Irish, says that "they are observed to present their lovers with Bracelets of women's hair, whether in reference to Venus' Cestus or not, I know not." In The Dutch Courtezan, a pair of lovers are introduced plighting their troth as follows: "Enter Freeville. Pages with Torches. Enter Beatrice above." After some very impassioned conversation, Beatrice says: "I give you faith; and prethee, since, poore soule! Í am so easie to beleeve thee, make it much more pitty to deceive me. Weare this sleight favour in my remembrance" (throweth down a ring to him). "Frev. Which, when I part from, Hope, the best of life, ever part from me! -Graceful Mistresse, our nuptiall day holds. "Beatrice. With happy Constancye a wished day. Exit." Of gentlemen's presents on similar occasions, a lady in Cupid's Revenge (a play of Beaumont and Fletcher's) says— "Given Earrings we will wear; Bracelets of our Lovers hair, Which they on our arms shall twist (With their names carv'd) on our wrist." In Greene's Defence of Conny-Catching (1592) we have: "Is there not heere resident about London, a crew of terryble Hacksters in the habite of gentlemen wel appareled, and yet some weare bootes for want of stockings, with a locke worne at theyr lefte eare for their Mistrisse Favour" and in Lodge's Wit's Miserie (1596): "When he rides, you shall know him by his Fan; and, if he walke abroad, and misse his Mistres favor about his neck, arme, or thigh, he hangs the head like the soldier in the field that is disarmed." 66 Park, in his Travels in the Interior of Africa, records a singular custom : At Baniseribe-a Slatee having seated himself upon a mat by the threshold of his door, a young woman (his intended bride) brought a little water in a calabash, and, kneeling down before him, desired him to wash his hands: when he had done this, the girl, with a tear of joy sparkling in her eye, drank the water; this being considered as the greatest proof of her fidelity and love." From Howes's additions to Stow's Chronicle we gather that, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, it was "the custome for maydes and gentilwomen to give their favorites, as tokens of their love, little Handkerchiefs of about three or four inches square, wrought round about, and with a button or a tassel at each corner, and a little one in the middle, with silke and thread; the best edged with a small gold lace, or twist, which being foulded up in foure crosse foldes, so as the middle might be seene, gentlemen and others did usually weare them in their hatts, as favours of their loves and mistresses. Some cost six pence apiece, some twelve pence, and the richest sixteene pence." In the old play of The Vow-Breaker, or the fayre Maid of Clifton (1636), Miles, a miller, is introduced telling his sweetheart, on going away to the wars: Mistress Ursula, 'tis not unknowne that I have 66 lov'd you; if I die, it shall be for your sake, and it shall be valiantly : I leave an hand-kercher with you; 'tis wrought with blew Coventry : let me not, at my returne, fall to my old song, she had a clowte of mine sowde with blew Coventry, and so hang myself at your infidelity." The Arraignment of lewd, idle, froward, and unconstant Women (1632) points out some of the vagaries of lovers of that age: "Some thinke that if a woman smile on them she is presentlie over head and eares in love. One must weare her Glove; another her Garter; another her Colours of delight." So does the following epigram in The House of Correction (1619)— "Little Pigmeus weares his mistris Glove, Her Ring and Feather (favours of her love), 'Tis strange, yet true, her Glove, Ring, Scarfe, and Fan, According to Hudibras the piece broken between the contracted lovers was required to be a crooked one "Like Commendation Ninepence crook't, a circumstance confirmed also in the Connoisseur (No. 56), with the additional custom of giving locks of hair woven in a true lover's knot. "If, in the course of their amour, the mistress gives the dear man her hair wove in a true lover's knot, or breaks a crooked ninepence with him, she thinks herself assured of his inviolate fidelity." This "bent Token" has not been overlooked by Gay, in his Fifth Pastoral "A Ninepence bent A Token kind to Bumkinet is sent." Bowed money appears anciently to have been sent as a token of love and affection from one relation to another. Thus we read in The Third Part of Conny-Catching (1592); "Then taking fourth a bowed Groat, and an old Pennie bowed, he gave it her as being sent from her uncle and aunt." In Dogget's Country Wake (1696), Hob, who fancies he is dying, before he makes his last will and testimony, as he calls it, when his mother desires him to try to speak to Mary," for she is thy wife, and no other," answers: "I know I'm sure to her-and I do own it before you all; I ask't her the question last Lammas, and at Allhollow's-tide we broke a piece of money; and if I had liv'd till last Sunday we had been ask'd in the church." In The Vow-Breaker, already quoted, young Bateman addresses Anne "Now, Nan, heres none but thou and I; thy love Here is a peece of gold, 'tis but a little one, |