The American citizen. [volume] (Topeka, Kan.) 1888-1909, 1889-02-22

Eight Children Of Very Tender Year.
United In WedlOck.

Many persons will be considerably
astonished to hear how recently our
social annals disclose the frequency OF
Juvenile unions in England and Scot !
land. We do not refer to those we'll
known instances Of princes and poten-
tates being contracted in marriage
while still children and for grounds OF
state alone, but to the general custom
in other classes to as late date as TO
the last two centuries These mar
riages were not mere betrothals' put
genuine marriages, sin the face OF the
Church and duly solemnized accord
ing to the Book Of Common Prayer FER
haps the youngest bride on record IN
English annals was the daughter OF Dir
William Brereton at the age OF two 70 a
husband who was yea" older imam
herself. Tn this case the children were
carried into church and their elders
spoke for them. ~
But in another case where little
bow Of three was married to orlde oL
five. he was carried by clergyman
who coaxed him to repeat the neces-
sary formulas. The task was not easy,
however, as the child said ne hau
learnt enough lessons for that day pc
fore he was half through, and was only
kept up to it by the priest saying:
..You must speak little more, and
then 90 play YOU" In further IN
stance recorded in Lancashire the
bridegroom was bribed to go to church
by the present Of an apple. Frequently
the brides were year or two o1oer
than their lords and masters, as IN the
case Of Vergery Vernon, who, IN 1907
she being nearly ten years old-waS
married to Randle More, who was but
EIGHT. Another record tells OF how
Gilbert Girard and Emma Talbot were
married at Leigh Church, when the
bows uncle held up the bridegroom
who was FIVE years old, and spoke the
words Of matrimony for the chllds
part and the woman-who was not SIX
years Of age spake for herself as she
was taught"
It seems incredible that, during the
reigns Of Henry VIII, Edward VIZ
Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth 1t
was quite customary for persons OF all
ranks in life to marry their children at
astonishing early ages. But the
Bishops Registry at Chester-not to
speak Of local records in all parts OF
England-cOuld testify many instances
instances, too, among people anx
ious for the intellectual progress o.
their day. and among whom sordlo
reasons for such marriages were no
supposed to exist.
VIM. Chaderton, successfully Bishol
of Chester and Lincoln, well-knowl
scholar and distinguished ecclesiastl'
OF the reign Of Elizabeth, and who wa
notable for the encouragement he CAV
To ministers, and his zeal in establish
ing lectureships and daily morning
PRAYER did not scruple to marry nj
daughter Joan, in 1882. at the age {
nine, to Richard Brooke, then nearl
eleven.
Four years later the marriage wa
ratifed-as was usual in such cases
bv the consent of the young people. tn
lengthy documents testifying to the ra
iication being still extant in tn
records Of Chester. UnfOrtunatel.
their early love did not develop into a
enduring love, and twenty years late
we read that the Bishop had mo gre'
comfort Of that matrimony' OF his on
daughter, and that she was separate
from her husband.
1t sometimes happens, when years
consent we're attained, l. e., twel
for the girl and fourteen for the DO
that the child bride and child Bird
groom disliked each other so hearth
that they refused to ratify the contra
and then an action for divorce was U
dertaken and the marriage declar
void. Juvenile marriages in the
DAYS were fortunately always voldab
and where it could be proved tt
there had been no renewal Of prOml
no exchange Of gifts, messages or me
ing between the children, the uni
was annulled, and each was set free.
The divorce court was at that ii
the scene Of many appeals from
most useful couples until about the
ginning Of the seventeenth centu
when Strype notes that 1.-The nation
came scandalous for the frequency
divorces, especially among the ric
sort, and one occasion was the COZ
BUSINESS Of the nobility and gentry, y
used often to marry their child
when they were young boys and G
that they might join land to land
being grown up, they many times
liked each other and then separa
and divorce followed to the breal
Of espousals and displeasure OF Gt
London Td-Bits.
ModestY Of Greatness.