yard, said to be built by one. itions, but by a Club among the Guests. Two entertainment of poor people or both sexes, will sometimes be convened on an very antient but ruinous." ." And in the issue of the same work for 1799, (1789) relates of Herefordshire arish of Monquhitter, speaking of the time of "our till lately a set of Kitchen Fur "Shrove Tuesday, Valentine Eve, the Rood-day, and Hutchinson's History of ompanied by Pastimes and Practices congenial to Whitbeck that "Newly marri orant mind. The Market place was to the Peasant Crop with, and are called Corroom is to the Peer, the Theatre of Shew and of According to Owen's Wel Scene, however, which involved every Amusement tomary in some parts of Wale idle and illiterate age, was the PENNY BRIDAL. to Farmers' Houses to ask for Contracted, they for a stipulated consideration under Cymhorth we read that ding at a certain Tavern, and then ranged the Contribution, to which every ection to solicit Guests. One, two, and even three provision or money, to enable Convened on these occasions, to make merry at Bride-ales are mentioned two or more days. This scene of feasting, drink(1589): "During the course fighting, &c. was always enjoyed with the highest Kenilworth Castle, in 1575, a bliterated by a similar scene, furnished ample variety of shews and sports." Mirth and rural Scandal. But now the Penny Newton's Herbal for the Bas an Index of want of Money and of want of manie pretie imagined Devis-Place is generally occupied by people in business. as little Baskets, Hampers, Pts are confined to School-Boys. Dancing taught Stooles, Chaires, Purses with, Cards and Conversation, are the Amusements pretie, curious, and artificial, the pleasures of the Table, enlivened by a moderate take the paines to make and ly enjoyed in a suitable degree by people of every will to the new married B and sweet Herbes, to signif and lowring cheer, all wran ought to be utterly exclu, thereof, al Mirth, PleasanLove should be maintained Husband and the Wife, bestow abroad for Bride-Gi the Parish of Avoch in Ross it is said: "Marriages Referring to the rose, th nerally conducted in the stile of Penny Weddings. Houses and Chambers were Provided except Bread, Ale, and Whisky. The emble in the morning, are entertained with a dram But, after the ceremony is performed, every Man The neighbours then convene in great numbers. with perhaps a boy to scrape on an old violoncello, "barn is allotted for the dancing, and a house for hus they make merry for two or three days, till A bush at the end of a of Dinner or Entertainment to the present friends country alehouse, and aroun hat these Weddings, on the whole, bring little gain as about a Maypole. Thus Jonson all Sabbath, after returning from church, the married had the appellation of a Bride-Wain; a term "With the Pplained by the following extract from the Glossary Troll about. Thig: "There was a Custom in the Highlands And divide rd, where new-married persons, who had no great Round abo in their fortune, brought Carts and Horses with In some places the hes of their Relations and Friends, and received from from the circumstand, Wool or whatever else they could get." viting the guesting is taken from a newspaper called the Cumberland rds partial pr ulia that coun ided which al d si A writer ir farmers i "Bride Wain. There let Hymen oft appear In Saffron robe and Taper clear, 2 B And Pomp and Feast and Revelry, "George Hayton, who married Ann, the daughter of Joseph and Dinah Collin of Crossley Mill, purposes having a Bride Wain at his House at Crossley near Mary Port on Thursday May 7th next, (1789) where he will be happy to see his Friends and Well-wishers, for whose amusement there will be a Saddle, two Bridles, a pair of Gands d'amour Gloves, which whoever wins is sure to be married within the Twelve Months, a Girdle (Ceinture de Venus) possessing qualities not to be described, and many other Articles, Sports, and Pastimes, too numerous to mention, but which can never prove tedious in the exhibition." A short time after a match is solemnised, the parties give notice, as above, that on a certain day they propose to have a bride-wain; whereupon the whole neighourhood for several miles round assemble at the bridegroom's house, and join in all the various pastimes of the country. This meeting resembles our wakes and fairs; and a plate or bowl is fixed in a convenient place, where each of the company contributes in proportion to his inclination and ability, and according to the degree of respect the parties are held in; and by this very laudable custom a worthy couple have frequently been benefited on setting out in life, with a supply of money of from ten to fourscore pounds. The custom, writes Eden in The State of the Poor (1797), "of a general Feasting at Weddings and Christenings is still continued in many Villages in Scotland, in Wales, and in Cumberland; Districts, which, as the refinements of Legislation and Manners are slow in reaching them, are most likely to exhibit Vestiges of Customs deduced from remote antiquity, or founded on the simple dictates of Nature: and indeed it is not singular that Marriages, Births, Christenings, House-warmings, &c. should be occasions in which people of all Classes and all Descriptions think it right to rejoice and make merry. In many parts of these Districts of Great Britain, as well as in Sweden and Denmark, all such institutions, now rendered venerable by long use, are religiously observed. It would be deemed ominous, if not impious, to be married or to have a Child born, without something of a Feast. And long may the custom last, for it neither leads to drunkenness and riot, nor is it costly; as alas! is so commonly the case in convivial Meetings in more favoured regions. On all these occasions, the greater part of the provisions is contributed by the Neighbourhood: some furnishing the Wheaten Flour for the Pastry; others, Barley or Oats for Bread and Cakes; some, Poultry for Pies; some, Milk for the Frumenty; some, Eggs; some, Bacon; and some, Butter; and, in short, every article necessary for a plentiful Repast. Every Neighbour, how high or low soever, makes it a point to contribute something. "At a Daubing (which is the erection of a House of Clay), orta BRIDE WAIN (which is the carrying of a Bride home) in Cumberla many hundreds of persons are thus brought together; and as it is th Custom also, in the latter instance, to make presents of money, one in - u. each p. even two hundred pounds are said to have sometimes been collected. A deserving young Couple are thus, by a public and unequivocal Testimony of the good will of those who best know them, encouraged to persevere in the paths of Propriety, and are also enabled to begin the world with some advantage. The birth of a Child also, instead of being thought or spoken of as bringing on the parents new and heavy burthens, is thus rendered, as it no doubt always ought to be, a Comfort and a Blessing: and in every sense, an occasion of rejoicing." "I own,” adds this honourable advocate in the cause of humanity, "I cannot figure to myself a more pleasing, or a more rational way of rendering sociableness and mirth subservient to prudence and virtue." In Essex, generally, writes the author of the History of S'. Billy of Billericay, and his Squire Ricardo (an admirable parody on Don Quixote), "it is a common Custom, when poor people marry, to make a kind of Dog-hanging or Money-gathering, which they call a Wedding-Dinner, to which they invite Tag and Rag, all that will come : where, after Dinner, upon summons of the Fidler, who setteth forth his Voice like a Town-Crier, a Table being set forth, and the Bride set simpering at the upper end of it: the Bridegroom standing by with a white Sheet athwart his shoulders, whilst the people march up to the Bride, present their money and wheel about. After this offering is over, then is a Pair of Gloves laid upon the Table, most monstrously bedaubed about with Ribbon, which by way of auction is set to sale, at who gives most; and he whose hap it is to have them shall withall have a Kiss of the Bride." In the Parish of Gargunnock in Stirling, according to the Statistical Account (1796), it is seldom there are social meetings. "Marriages, Baptisms, Funerals, and the Conclusion of the Harvest, are almost the only occasions of Feasting. At these times there is much unnecessary expence. Marriages usually happen in April and November. The Month of May is cautiously avoided. A principal tenant's son or daughter has a crowd of attendants at Marriage, and the Entertainment lasts for two days at the expence of the Parties. The Company at large pay for the Musick." Waldron, on the subject of Manx Wedding Feasts, writes: "Notice is given to all the Friends and Relations on both sides, tho' they live ever so far distant. Not one of these, unless detained by sickness, fails coming and bringing something towards the Feast. The nearest of kin, if they are able, commonly contribute the most, so that they have vast quantities of Fowls of all sorts. I have seen a dozen of Capons in one platter, and six or eight fat Geese in another; Sheep and Hogs roasted whole, and Oxen divided but into quarters.' In Vaughan's Golden Grove (1608) we read: "The Marriage Day being come, in some Shires of England, the invited Ghests do assemble together, and at the very instant of the Marriage, doe cast their Presents (which they bestowe upon the new-married Folkes) into a Bason, Dish, or Cup, which standeth upon the Table in the Church, ready prepared for that purpose. But this Custome is onely put in use amongst them which stand in need." From Allan Ramsay's Poems (1721) it would seem that it was usual Scotland for the friends to assemble in the newly married couple's house, before they had risen out of bed, and to throw them their several presents upon the bed-clothes "As fou's the House cou'd pang, To see the young Fouk or they raise, And wi' a soss aboon the claiths, which a note explains: "They commonly throw their Gifts of Household Furniture above the Bed-cloaths where the young Folks are lying. One gives twelve horn spoons; another a pair of tongs, &c." In Mungo Park's Travels into the Interior of Africa is a description of a wedding among the Moors. In the evening the tabala, or large drum, was beat to announce the fact; whereupon a number of people of both sexes assembled. A woman beat the drum, and others of the sex joined occasionally in chorus, by setting up a shrill scream. Park soon retired; but, after an interval of sleep in his hut, he was awakened by an old woman, who said she had brought him a present from the bride. She had a wooden bowl in her hand; and, before Park had recovered from his surprise, she discharged its contents full in his face. Finding it to be holy water, like that with which a Hottentot priest is said to sprinkle a new-married couple, he took it to be a mischievous frolic, but was informed that it was a nuptial benediction from the bride's own person, which on such occasions is always received by the young unmarried Moors as a mark of distinguished favour. Such being the case, Park wiped his face, and sent his acknowledgments to the lady. The wedding-drum continued to beat, and the women to sing all night. About nine in the morning the bride was brought in state from her mother's tent, attended by a number of women who carried her tent, which was a present from the husband; some bearing up the poles, others holding by the strings. They marched thus, singing, until they came to the place appointed for her residence, where they pitched the tent. The husband followed with a number of men leading four bullocks, which they tied to the tent-strings; and with the slaughter of a fifth, and the distribution of the beef among the people, the ceremony terminated. WINNING THE KAIL; IN SCOTLAND TERMED BROOSE, AND IN WESTMORLAND RIDING FOR THE RIBBON. Mention of this ceremony occurs in Chicken's Newcastle poem (1764), The Collier's Wedding "Four rustic Fellows wait the while To kiss the Bride at the Church-stile : The Glossary to the Poems of Burns defines BROOSE (which is identical in meaning with KAIL) to be "a Race at Country Weddings, who shall first reach the Bridegroom's House on returning from Church." The meaning of words is everywhere most strangely corrupted. "Broose" was originally, it may be taken for granted, the name of the prize on that occasion, and not of the race itself; for he who was the first to carry the happy intelligence wins the “Kail,” i.e., a smoking prize of spice broth, which stands ready prepared to reward the victor in this singular kind of race. It is doubtful whether the following passage has reference to this, or only describes the bridegroom's awkwardness in supping broth. In Stephens' New Essayes and Characters (1631), of a plain country bridegroom it is written: "Although he points out his bravery with Ribbands, yet he hath no vaine glory; for he contemnes fine cloathes with dropping pottage in his bosome." That riding for the Broose was kept up till recently in Scotland, may be seen by the following passage from the account of marriages in the Courier Newspaper of 16th January 1813: "On the 29th ult. at Mauchline, by the Rev. David Wilson, in Bankhead, near Cumnock, Mr Robert Ferguson, in Whitehill of New Cumnock, to Miss Isabella Andrew, in Fail, parish of Tarbolton. Immediately after the Marriage, four Men of the Bride's company started for the Broos, from Mauchline to Whitehill, a distance of thirteen miles, and when one of them was sure of the prize, a young lady, who had started after they were a quarter of a mile off, outstripped them all, and notwithstanding the interruption of getting a shoe fastened on her Mare, at a smithy on the road, she gained the prize, to the astonishment of both parties." In Macaulay's History and Antiquities of Claybrook in Leicestershire (1791) we read: "A Custom formerly prevailed in this Parish and neighbourhood, of Riding for the Bride-Cake, which took place when the Bride was brought home to her new habitation. A Pole was erected in the front of the House, three or four yards high, with the Cake stuck upon the top of it. On the instant that the Bride set out from her old habitation, a company of young Men started off on horseback; and he who was fortunate enough to reach the Pole first, and knock the Cake down with his stick, had the honour of receiving it from the hands of a Damsel on the point of a wooden Sword; and with this trophy he returned in triumph to meet the Bride and her attendants, who, upon their arrival in the village, were met by a party, whose office it was to adorn their Horses' heads with Garlands, and to present the Bride with a Posey. The last Ceremony of this sort that took place in the parish of Claybrook was between sixty and seventy years ago, and was witnessed by a person now living in the parish. Sometimes the Bride-Cake was tried for by persons on foot, and then it was called 'throwing the Quintal, which was performed with heavy bars of iron; thus affording a trial of muscular strength as well as of gallantry. "This Custom has been long discontinued as well as the other. The only Custom now remaining at Weddings, that tends to recall a classical image to the mind, is that of sending to a disappointed Lover a Garland made of willow, variously ornamented; accompanied, sometimes, with a pair of Gloves, a white Handkerchief, and a Smelling Bottle, |