The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-02-14
Our 0lio.
Customs in Old Britain.

4
band Of friends and carried her of, proba-
bly, with her own secret connivance. The
relations followed in hot pursuit, feud
between the families ensued, and was only
appeased by the lover agreeing to pay the
value fixed upon by the father for retain
ing possession Of the maiden, he giving a
"wed, or security for his performance Of
the contract-hence the word wedding.
This custom of stealing the bride is as
ancient as the Spartans, AID is still kept
up in Brittany, where it forms one Of the
ceremonies of the marriage festivities.
The bargain made, the amount of the
"morning GIN settled upon, the contract
ing parties took each other BY the hand
and proclaimed themselves man and wife
the ring was placed on the first finger of
the left hand and the father, having re-
ceiyed the purchase money, delivered his
daughter over to her husband, as the an
eient laws say:
=" lfa man buy maiden
With cattle, let the bargain stand,
If 1t be without guile;
But il there be deceit,
Let him bring her home again,
And let the man give him back his money"
The transfer Of authority was made BY a
symbolical gift the father delivered the
brides shoe 10 the bridegroom, and the
latter touched her over the head with it
ceremony which took its origin in the
custom Of placing the foot on the neck of
slave, and was typical of the wife's sub
lection to her husband--a ceremony still
preserved in the popular custom Of "throw.
ing the shoe"
The day after the wedding the BRIDE
groom gave the morning gift'--supposed
to be voluntary, but according to the value
stipulated. 1t was general among the
Teuton race, and often estates Of some
value were thus bestowed When Athel-
stan's sister, Eadgirth, married the Emper-
or Otho his morning gift was the city Of
Magdeburg.
The garments worn by the Anglo-Saxon
women were few and simple. An under
garment, sometimes of linen, sometimes Of
various colors, reached nearly to the
ground, SO as to cover the greater part Of
the feet the sleeves, descending to the
wrists, were arranged in small rolls or
wrinkles as high as the elbows. The
exterior garment-gunna or gown--was a
long robe with loose sleeves, confined with
a girdle adorned with embroidery, for
which the Anglo-Saxon ladies were 50
famed.
The mantle, an essential part of the
dress, hung down before and behind, except
when looped up by the raised arms. No
change for three centuries took place in
its form or in the manner of wearing it.
But the most indispensable part of dress
appropriated to the Anglo-Saxon women
was the kerchief, by the Normans called
courrechel, or head-dress always worn out
of doors. Its breadth was sufficient to
reach from the top Of the forehead to the
shoulders, and covered the head complete
ly, so that no part of the hair could be
seen. 1t was usually wrapped round the
neck so as entirely to cover the chest, one
end of It being sometimes left loose, flow
ing on one side or the other Of the should
ers, and must have been of great elegance.
1t was worn ofyarious colors-grcen, blue,
or red
Although the kerchief completely con-
cealed the hair, yet this was carefully cher.
ished and allowed to grow most luxuriantly,
probably twisted aud curled with irons,
like that of the men, whose flowing golden
hair often hung down on either side of the
shoulders. Edward the Coufessor is re-
corded to have worn bis so long that
Bishop Wulfstan preached sermon
against the fashion in the kings presence !;
but, finding his words unheeded, when any
one Of the mobiles bent down before him to
receive his blessing, he cut of lock of
his hair with sharp knife he kept in his
pocket for the purpose, enjoining him,
under dreadful judgments, to sever the
rest himself.
The Anglo-Saxons were celebrated
throughout Europe for their jewelry, their
gold fligree ornaments. Rings and brace
lets were not abundant, for they cared
more for the decoration of their necks.
Necklaces Of variegated eolors, blue, yel-
low. red, and white beads Of vitreous
coating single lump of amber drilled and
worn round the neck as preservatiye
against witchcraft filigree gold ibula, set
with garnets, enamcls, or glass paste, were
their chief jewels, and an ornament de-
pendent from the waist, kind Of chate-
laine, held the keys Of the chest, cupboard,
and store, knife, scissors, toothpick,
bOdkin, needles, tweezers, and other neces-
saries for needlework or the toilet.
The Anglo-saxon tenement consisted Of
an outer wall or earthwork inclosing the
yard or court; tho chief room was the
hall here the family dined, and many
slept. Little rooms were set apart for the
ladies outside, detached from the building;
the "bur," or blower" as Il was termed,
the walls hung with tapestry Of their own
workmanship; for the Anglo-Saxon ladies'
were much skilled in works Of the needle.
Here they worked and taught their child
rem. Alfred's lessons were the teaching
Of his mother, 0sburga. And most rigidly