The Jasper weekly courier., 1876-09-15
Queer English Marriages.

Marriages ca chemiSe, or in a white
sheet, have from time 10 time been cele-
brated. The following is an instance "a
few days ago a handsome, well dressed
young woman came 10 a church I'm White
haven TO be married TO a man who wa,
attending there with the clergyman.
When she had advanced little into the
church, a nymph, her bridemaid, began
to undress her, and by degrees strip,
her 10 her shift; thus was she led
blooming and unadorned To the altar.
where the marriage ceremony was per.
formed. Ii seems this droll wedding
was occasioned by an embarrassment
in the affairs of the intended husband,
upon which account the girl was adj
yised 10 do this, that he might be en-
titled TO no other marriage portion than
her smock. ."-Annuai Register, 1866;
Chronicle, y. log. The motive, howev-
er, for the adoption of this strange brid-
al garb, was evidently that the wife's
property might not be seized by
the husbands creditors 70 pay
his own debts. See, also, Jeflerson's
Brides and Bridalsn (vol. ii, page Y3),
where the author gives the following
elucidation Of the custom: alt being
legal doctrine laid down in Bacon's
Arrangement that a husband was
snswerable for his wife's debts, because
he acquired an absolute interest in her
personal estate, it was inferred by the
pOpulace that U he acquired no prop
erty with her he could not be compelled
10 satisfy the claims Of her creditors
an explanation which equally meets the
cases cited from the "Annnal Regs-
ter;" for, IL the man acquired no prop
erty with his wife, il is plain that there
would be no more for his creditors 10
lay their hands upon after than before
his marriage. In his list of "Narious
Vulgar Errors" Brand Pop. Antlq.,
vol. iii, p. 2S0. Bohn's ed J includes the
following: "When q man designs Ia
marry a woman who is in debt, if he
takes her from the hands Of the priest,
clothed only in her shift, it is supposed
that he will not be liable TO her engage
ments." Ofthis custom ! have met with
two examples "An extraordinary meth
od was adopted by a brewers servant in
February, 1928, 10 prevent his liability
for the payment Of the debts of Mrs.
Britain, whom he intended 20 marry.
The lady made her appearance Ut the
door of ST. Clement Danes, habited in
her shift hence her eHdDi0rata convey
ed the modest fair 70 neighboring
apothecary's where she was completely
equipped with clothing purchased by
him; and in these Mrs. Britain chang
ed her name at the CD Irch. Md
cOlm'S anecdotes OF London, .. 233
"At Ashton Church, in Lancashire,
short time ago, a woman was persuaded
that If she went 10 chruch naked her in
tended husband would not be burdenea
with her debts, and she actually went
as bride like Mother Eve; bat, to the
honor of the clergyman, he refused the
damsel the honors of wedlock. ."-Ches-
ter C0urant, June (, 1900. Wood,
in " The Wedding Day in all Ages and
Countries" states "ln Lincolnshire,
between ls3S and 1914, woman was
married onveloped in n sheet. And
not many years back a similar marriage
took place; the Clergyman, finding
nothing in the rubric about the wom-
ans dress, thought he could not refuse
to marry her in her chemise only"
George Walker, linen-weayer, and Mary
Gee, of the George and Dragon" on
GortOn Green, widow, were married AT
the ancient chapel close by on June %,
1888. She was in her "shift" sleeves
during the ceremony, believing that
would make her free from her debts.
Nathan Adler married Widow Hilbert
with only a smock on (for the same rea-
SOM at the old church in the adjoining
parish of Ashtonunder-Lyne, on March
:, l71l.
Isafui Traa