mass till they received the benediction, after which they were dismissed.

The Hereford Missal directs that, at a particular prayer, the married couple shall prostrate themselves, while four clerks hold the pall, i.l., the care cloth, over them. The rubric in the Sarum Manual is somewhat different; and the York Manual also varies here.

There is a curious wedding sermon by William Whateley, preacher of Banbury in Oxfordshire (1624), entitled A Care-Cloth, or a Treatise of the Cumbers and Troubles of Marriage. The etymology of the word "Care" used here in composition with "Cloth" is dubious. Whateley has given it the ordinary meaning of the word, but, as we think, erroneously. Like many other etymologists, he has adapted it to his own purpose.

Something like this care cloth is used by the modern Jews, from whom it has probably been introduced into the Christian Church. Modena's History of Jewish Rites refers to "a square Vestment called Taleth, with pendants about it, put over the Head of the Bridegroom and the Bride together;" and Levi, in his work on the same subject, speaks of a Velvet Canopy." The latter writer adds that, when the priest has taken the glass of wine into his hand, he says as follows

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"Blessed art thou, O Lord our God! King of the Universe, the Creator of the fruit of the Vine. Blessed art thou, O Lord our God! King of the Universe, who hath sanctified us with his commandments, and hath forbid us fornication, and hath prohibited unto us the betrothed, but hath allowed unto us, those that are married unto us, by the means of the CANOPY, and the Wedding Ring: Blessed art thou, O Lord! the sanctifier of his people Israel, by the means of the CANOPY and Wedlock."

In Sinclair's Statistical Account of Scotland (1793) the minister of Logierait, in Perthshire, under the head of Parish Superstitions, deposes: "Immediately before the Celebration of the Marriage Ceremony, every Knot about the Bride and Bridegroom (Garters, Shoe-strings, Strings of Petticoats, &c.) is carefully loosened. After leaving the Church, the whole company walk round it, keeping the Church walls always upon the right hand. The Bridegroom, however, first retires one way with some young men to tie the Knots that were loosened about him; while the young married woman, in the same manner, retires somewhere else to adjust the disorder of her Dress."

BRIDE-ALE, CALLED ALSO BRIDE-BUSH, BRIDE-STAKE, BIDDING, AND BRIDE-WAIN.

Bride-ale, bride-bush, and bride-stake, are nearly synonymous terms, being all derived from the circumstance of the bride's selling ale on the wedding-day, for which she received, by way of contribution, whatever handsome price the friends and relatives assembled on the occasion chose to pay her for it; and it may be inferred that the

institution was designed to enable the happy pair to defray the expense of a wedding-dinner.

In the Christian State of Matrimony (1543) we read: "When they come home from the Church, then beginneth excesse of eatyng and dryncking-and as much is waisted in one daye, as were sufficient for the two newe maried Folkes halfe a year to lyve upon.” From the Court Rolls of Hales-Owen Borough, Salop, of the 15th year of Elizabeth, I excerpt

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"Custom of Bride-Ale.

Item, a payne is made that no person or persons that shall brewe any Weddyn Ale to sell, shall not brewe above twelve strike of Mault at the most, and that the said persons so married shall not keep nor have above eight messe of persons at his dinner within the burrowe: and before his brydall daye he shall keep no unlawfull Games in hys house, nor out of hys house, on pain of 20 shillings."

In Harrison's Description of Britain it is remarked: "In feasting also the Husbandmen do exceed after their manner, especially at Bridales, &c. where it is incredible to tell what meat is consumed and spent, ech one brings such a Dish, or so manie with him, as his Wife and he doo consult upon, but alwaies with this consideration, that the leefer Friend shall have the better provision."

Thus it appears that among persons of inferior rank a contribution was made for the express purpose of assisting the bridegroom and bride in their new situation. Doubtless the custom was often abused; yet it betokened large philanthropy, and would naturally help to increase population by encouraging matrimony. This custom of making presents at weddings seems also to have prevailed amongst the higher classes. From the account of the nuptials of the Lady Susan with Sir Philip Herbert, in the reign of James I., which I have cited before, it appears that the presents of plate and other things given by the noblemen were valued at £2500, and that the king gave £500 for the bride's jointure. His Majesty gave her away, and, as his manner was, archly observed on the occasion that "if he were unmarried, he would not give her but keep her for himself."

From a passage in Ben Jonson's Silent Woman, Andrews (in his Continuation of Henry's History of Great Britain) infers it to have been a general custom to make presents to the married pair, in proportion to the gay appearance of their wedding.

Morant's History of Essex, under the head of Great Yeldham in Hinckford Hundred, records of a house near the church, since converted into a school, that it ". was antiently used and appropriated for dressing a Dinner for poor Folks when married, and had all Utensils and Furniture convenient for that purpose;" and of Matching in Harlow Half-hundred we read that "A House close to the Church

* The following lines are in Christopher Brooke's Epithalamium, in England's Helicon"The Board being spread, furnish'd with various plenties; The Brides fair object in the middle plac'd.”

In the margin is introduced the explanation of “Dinner."

yard, said to be built by one ... Chimney, was designed for the entertainment of poor people on their Wedding Day. It seems to be very antient but ruinous." Similarly Gough's edition of Camden (1789) relates of Herefordshire: "At Therfield, as at Braughing, was till lately a set of Kitchen Furniture lent to the poor at Weddings; and Hutchinson's History of Cumberland affirms of the parish of Whitbeck that " Newly married Peasants beg Corn to sow their first Crop with, and are called Cornlaiters."

According to Owen's Welsh Dictionary (v. CAWSA), "it is customary in some parts of Wales for poor Women newly married to go to Farmers' Houses to ask for Cheese; which they call Cawsa;" and under Cymhorth we read that the poor in Wales have “a marriage of Contribution, to which every Guest brings a present of some sort of provision or money, to enable the new Couple to begin the World."

Bride-ales are mentioned by Puttenham in his Arte of Poesie (1589): "During the course of Queen Elizabeth's Entertainments at Kenilworth Castle, in 1575, a Bryde-Ale was celebrated with a great variety of shews and sports."

Newton's Herbal for the Bible says of rushes: "Herewith be made manie pretie imagined Devises for Bride-Ales, and other Solemnities, as little Baskets, Hampers, Paniers, Pitchers, Dishes, Combes, Brushes, Stooles, Chaires, Purses with strings, Girdles, and manie such other pretie, curious, and artificiall Conceits, which at such times many do take the paines to make and hang up in the Houses, as tokens of goodwill to the new married Bride: and after the Solemnitie ended, to bestow abroad for Bride-Gifts or Presents."

Referring to the rose, the same writer attests: At Bride-Ales the Houses and Chambers were woont to be strawed with these odoriferous and sweet Herbes, to signifie that in Wedlocke all pensive sullennes, and lowring cheer, all wrangling strife, jarring, variance, and discorde, ought to be utterly excluded and abandoned; and that, in place thereof, al Mirth, Pleasantnes, Cheerfulnes, Mildnes, Quietnes, and Love should be maintained, and that in matters passing betweene the Husband and the Wife, all secresie should be used."

A bush at the end of a stake or pole was the ancient badge of a country alehouse, and around this bride-stake the guests used to dance as about a Maypole.

Thus Jonson

"With the Phant'sies of Hey-troll

Troll about the Bridal Bowl,

And divide the broad Bride Cake
Round about the Bride's Stake."

In some places the bride-ale seems to have been called a bidding, from the circumstance of the bride and bridegroom's bidding or inviting the guests.

A writer in the Gentleman's Magazine for May 1784 records the partial prevalence, at the marriage of servants, tradesfolk and small farmers in South Wales, of a custom which he regards as peculiar to that country. "Before the Wedding an Entertainment is provided, to which all the Friends of each party are bid or invited, and to which

none fail to bring or send some Contribution, from a Cow or Calf down to Half-a-crown or a Shilling. An account of each is kept ; and, if the young Couple do well, it is expected that they should give as much at any future bidding of their generous Guests. I have frequently known of fifty pounds being thus collected, and have heard of a bidding which produced even a hundred."

In the Cambrian Register for 1796 we read: “Welsh weddings are frequently preceded, on the evening before the Marriage, by presents of Provisions and articles of Household Furniture, to the Bride and Bridegroom. On the Wedding-Day, as many as can be collected together accompany them to the Church, and from thence home, where a Collection is made in money from each of the Guests, according to their Inclination or Ability; which sometimes supplies a considerable aid in establishing the newly married couple, and in enabling' them to begin the world,' as they call it, with more comfort: but it is, at the same time, considered as a debt, to be repaid hereafter, if called upon, at any future Wedding of the Contributors, or of their Friends or their Children, in similar circumstances. Some time previous to these Weddings, where they mean to receive Contributions, a Herald with a Crook or Wand, adorned with ribbons, makes the circuit of the neighbourhood, and makes his 'Bidding' or Invitation in a prescribed form. The knight errant Calvacade on horseback, the Carrying off the Bride, the Rescue, the wordy War in rythm between the parties, &c. which formerly formed a singular Spectacle of mock contest at the celebration of Nuptials, I believe to be now almost, if not altogether, laid aside everywhere through the Principality."

The Gentleman's Magazine for 1789 contains the following

"Bidding.

"As we intend entering the Nuptial State, we propose having a Bidding on the occasion on Thursday the 20th day of September, instant, at our own House on the Parade: where the favour of your good Company will be highly esteemed; and whatever Benevolence you please to confer on us, shall be gratefully acknowledged and retaliated on a similar occasion by your most obedient humble servants, William Jones, Caermarthen, Ann Davies, Sept. 4. 1787.

"N.B. The Young Man's Father (Stephen Jones) and the Young Woman's Aunt (Ann Williams) will be thankfull for all favours conferred on them that Day."

In the same publication for 1784 mention is made of a similar custom in Scotland under the style of PENNY WEDDINGS: "When there was a Marriage of two poor people who were esteemed by any of the neighbouring Gentry, they agreed among themselves to meet, and have a dance upon the occasion; the result of which was a handsome Donation, in order to assist the new married Couple in their out-set in Life."

The Statistical Account of Scotland (1792), referring to the Parish of Drainy in Elgin, explains: "A Penny Wedding is when the expense of the Marriage entertainment is not defrayed by the young

Couple, or their Relations, but by a Club among the Guests. Two hundred people, of both sexes, will sometimes be convened on an occasion of this kind." And in the issue of the same work for 1799, the minister of the Parish of Monquhitter, speaking of the time of "our Fathers," observes: "Shrove Tuesday, Valentine Eve, the Rood-day, and others, were accompanied by Pastimes and Practices congenial to the youthful and ignorant mind. The Market place was to the Peasant what the Drawing-room is to the Peer, the Theatre of Shew and of Consequence. The Scene, however, which involved every Amusement and every Joy of an idle and illiterate age, was the PENNY BRIDAL. When a Pair were contracted, they for a stipulated consideration bespoke their Wedding at a certain Tavern, and then ranged the Country in every direction to solicit Guests. One, two, and even three hundred would have convened on these occasions, to make merry at their own expence for two or more days. This scene of feasting, drinking, dancing, wooing, fighting, &c. was always enjoyed with the highest relish, and, until obliterated by a similar scene, furnished ample Materials for rural Mirth and rural Scandal. But now the Penny Bridal is reprobated as an Index of want of Money and of want of Taste. The Market-place is generally occupied by people in business. Athletic amusements are confined to School-Boys. Dancing taught by itinerant Masters, Cards and Conversation, are the Amusements now in vogue; and the pleasures of the Table, enlivened by a moderate Glass, are frequently enjoyed in a suitable degree by people of every class."

So also (1795) of the Parish of Avoch in Ross it is said: "Marriages in this place are generally conducted in the stile of Penny Weddings. Little other fare is provided except Bread, Ale, and Whisky. The Relatives, who assemble in the morning, are entertained with a dram and a drink gratis. But, after the ceremony is performed, every Man pays for his drink. The neighbours then convene in great numbers. A Fiddler or two, with perhaps a boy to scrape on an old violoncello, are engaged. A barn is allotted for the dancing, and a house for drinking. And thus they make merry for two or three days, till Saturday night. On Sabbath, after returning from church, the married Couple give a sort of Dinner or Entertainment to the present friends on both sides. So that these Weddings, on the whole, bring little gain or loss to the parties."

In Cumberland it had the appellation of a Bride-Wain; a term which will be best explained by the following extract from the Glossary to Douglas's Virgil, v. Thig: "There was a Custom in the Highlands and North of Scotland, where new-married persons, who had no great stock, or others low in their fortune, brought Carts and Horses with them to the Houses of their Relations and Friends, and received from them Corn, Meal, Wool or whatever else they could get."

The following is taken from a newspaper called the Cumberland Packet

"Bride Wain.

There let Hymen oft appear

In Saffron robe and Taper clear,