The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1883-12-20

Ceremonies Formerly Prevalent at
Hymcn's Altar.
Pfovidenca Press.

Ceremonies Formerly Prevalent at
Hymcn's Altar.
Providenca Press.
We occasionally read of an old mar
riace custom in ENGLAND, in which TIN,
bride appeared at church in single,
long white garment. This practice hal
its origin in the popular and erroneou
notion that the husband was not an
Swerahle for the debts of his wife who
came to him thus insutiiciently clad even
rs patient Griselda was clothed When
she was turned ont of the palace of her
Marquis
The reas ming which caused the error
IS obvious. 1t being leg doctrine.
laid down in Bacons "Abridgemeut,'
that Il husband was answerabie for his
wIfe's debts because he acquired an alb
solute interest in her personal state. il
WAS inferred by the populace that
if he acquired no property with
her, he could not be compelled
to SATISFY the claims of her cred
tors. Hene it comes TO pass
that now and then grooms of the rudest
and stupidest kind, bent on securing
themselves against one OF the legal con-
sequences of marriage, insisted trat
their brides should, by their insufficient
dress at the church porch, give u practl'
cal demonstration OF their utter want OF
worldly wealth.
Nor were those exhibitions OF women,
shivering i'll white sheets N the open
air, ike creatures doing pcnance in the
nublsc ways, peculiar to the qua I'd
barbarian of our teudal period. Both in
London and the provinces such marri-
ages now and then scandalized dece Mt
spectators AZ late as the earlier years of
The eighteenth century. One
If them is recorded in the
Parish register of Chiltern,
All saints, Wiltshire, under date of DC.
to,,er II, i7l4; and another took place
November s, l725, at Ulcomb, Ke t.
Mr.. John Southerdon Burn mentions
another that occurred in the purieus
or the London Fleet about Is years ago,
but the offensive practice altogether
disappeared in the earlier days of the
period of the four Georges.
The question now and then arises,
Have there been similar cases in tins
country? In the first book of marriage
records in the town of Warwick, in this
state. may be found the following entry:
'rhese are to sIgnifi unto all MINIS
ters Of Justice that henry Straight, Jnr !,
of East Greenwich, in We Colony of
Rhode Island an Providence planta-
tations. Took Mary Webb, Of We Town
of Warwick, III the Colony aforesaid,
Widow, in only shift and no other
garment, in ye presence OF Avis GortJn,
Mary Collins and Presilah Crandall,
and was Lawfully Married in sd War
wick We first Of August, 1925, by me.
JOHN WARNER Justice.
Recorded We 5,h OF Novembr., 1925,
for John Wickes, [. c."
Through the courtesy of Town Clerk
j. B. Pierce. OF Wexford. and Mr.. Jas.
n. Arnold, of Hamilton, r. l., am en-
abled to give three similar records as
follows:
North KINGSTON, Marcn Goth day,
the highway, and she had no other
Eldrat to be her husband, and he took
her to be his wi e, and led her across
the highway, and were married before
me. VIM SPRINGER, Justice.
Thomas Culver we'll Was joyned in
Marriage TO Abigail, his wife, the 22l OF
FEBRUARY, l7t9-20. He took her in mar
rage after she had gone four times
across the highway in only her shift and
hair lace, and no other clothing. JOY
ned together in marriage by me.
GEORGE HHzlsRD, Justice.
To all people to whom it may concern:
This n ~ certify tina; Nathaniel Bundv,
of Westerly, took We widow Mary Pol
meter, OF sd Town, 10 We highway, with
no other clothing but shifting or smock
on We evening of We Goth day of A ril,
1924, and was joined together in that
honorable estate of Matrimony in We
present John Corey, Peter Cundall,
George Stillman, M 'rcy Hill; and Was
joined together as above on we day and
year above mentioned; by ma
JOHN SAUNDERS Justice.
Registered We 9th day OF April, 1924,
per john Babcock, town clerk.
Three points are noticeable in the
above records, viz; l. The "unGress
uniform" of the bride; g The taking
her after crossing the highway; ami .,
in the last, the fact that the ceremony
was performed in the evening. Some
friend has suggested an indistnct recol-
lection of a CEREMONY performed in the
house. the bride attired after the man.
ner of ''old Mother Eve" before the fall
standing in a closet and reaching out
her hand to be Joined in marriage. An
=, Their suggestion has been made that, OF
the three records last given, each cere-
mony was performed in the evening an,
by the roadside.
Mr.. Hamilton suggests that the cer,.
mony is svmboIIcal, and gives the idea
that the woman is taken without home
or clothing. coming rs she does from the
highway, and therefore brings nothing
with her which sheriff might consider
attacha lie under color of The law. the
husband gives her clothing, credit and II
home that she be not again brought to
such dire necessity.
Can any one give other records of
similar nature, and can and willany one
give more ighton this obsolete custom OF
.,icnial time?
How 10 Use 1t.
There are two ways o u,ing medicine
The wrong way aid the right way. A med