Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-07-25
Origin Of Old Customs.

The use of the bridal veil has been
traced back by some wise men to the
Anglo. Saxon custom of performing the
nuptial ceremony under square piece
of cloth, held at each corner by tall
man over the bridegroom and the bride.
to conceal her virgin bushes; in the
case of widow, however, we are told
that the veil was dispensed with.
Orange blossoms, ever an inseparable
part Of bridal gear, are said to have
been derived from the Saracens, or, at
least, from the East, and are supposed
to have been thus employed as emblems
of fecundity. The wedding ring is
thought to he of heather origin, which
circumstan, nearly caused its abolition
during the Commonwealth by the P uri.
taus and the following lines allude to
this:
Others we're for abolishiug
That tool of mstrimony-a ring
With which til unssnctifyd bridegroom
Is married only to thumb
(As wise NIB ringing of pig
That us'd to break up ground and dig;)
The bride ~ nothing but her will,
That nulls the xfter-marriage still.
We hear of marriages in olden times
occasionally taking place at the church
porch, or door, as in the case of Francis
IL. with Mary Stuart, the ceremony
having been performed at the door Of
Notre Dame, and this was done, we
are told, because by an old law the
marriage dover could be legally as.
signed before the face of aud at the
door of the church. In his " Wife of
Bath Chaucer evidently alludes to this
custom when he says:
Sue WAS worthy woman all alive,
Husbands ut the church.doOr lad she five.
In public proclamatlons in the courts
one always hears the prologue com.
menced with the words, "Oh, yes; oh,
yes" This, however, is q most I'M
meaning p onunciation of the correct
words, which are "Oyez, oyez." or
Hear ye."
Among all the extraordinary modes
of trial which prevailed in ancient days
the most easy method of criminal
proving his innocence seems to have
been the observation-disclosures ordeal.
Ii, after the priest had blessed this food,
the prisoner was able to swallow it, he
was acquitted. Hence" says Bar
riugton, "perhsps the expression, /
w,sh 1t may choke mo-" As regards the
origin Of trial by jury, Blackstone con-
siders this mode Of trial to have been
universally established among all the
northern nations, and SO interviewer in
their v.ry constitution that the earliest
accounts Of the one give US also some
traces of the other" {" Commentaries
He also states that 1t is mentioned in
England as early as the laws of Ethel
red. Mr.. limbs, however, considers it
more probable that we owe the germ of
this institution, as in 80 many other
cases, to the Normans. At the date of
Braetons work, IN Henry LII. s time, it
had III substance taken among US the
shape it now wears but its rudiments
appear US early AS the reign of Henry
Ii. Indeed, the particular species Of
1t called the Grand AsSize, which was
appropriate to the trial OF the question
VI mere right, was established by law
Of that mouurchs reign. 1t is probably
not generally known that, when the jury
retire to consider their verdict, they are
kept without meat, drink, fire, or candle,
unless by permission Of the Judge, until
they are unanimously agreed, III order
to avoid, We are told, incompetence and
causeless delay. Blackstone remarks
that this " method OF accelerating unan-
unity was not wholly unknown in other
constitutions OF Europe, and in matters
of greater concern tor, by the Golden
Bull Of the Empire, if, after the Con-
gress Is opened, the electors delay the
election Ut king of the Romans for
thirty days. they shall be fed Uith bread
AID acater till the same is accomplished.
The jury being denied the use Of
candles is referred to an ancient cannon
enjoining that they could not exercise
AL honest judgment during the night.
N. Y. Home Journal.