The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-01-10
SELLING WIVES IN MARKET
some Of ths Customs which Marked tn
Reicns ri the Norman Kings.

some of The Customs Which Marked the
Reigns ri the Norman Kings
The earlier Norman kings lay on
straw. and land was held at Aylesbury
on condition OF finding this commodity
for the royal couch. Some of the old
tenures were exceedingly comfortable
things The service was nominal and
the nav was gold The kings cham
pion, who rode into Westminster hall
to challenge all corners who disputed
his masters title. was handsomely re-
warded. One of the Russians obtained
grant of land in Dorsetshire for put
ting away the pieces after playing at
chess with the king.
A gentleman at Stafford, who held
the kings stirrsip when he came to that
town, enjoyed a perpetual grant OF
Ash pond. Some obtained grants on
condition of saying daily paternoster
for the throne Others gave an annual
snow ball or an annual rose in exchange
for most substantial privileges
AT Norwich-when Norwich was
fishing station, though it is eighteen
miles from the sea-the-e was, by IN
denture. an annual delivery OF her
rings to the king A certain number
of fish from the first yield were put IN
twenty-four s'pycs" we'll favored with
spices. and sent up to town. 1t was I'M
derstood that there should be at least
five behring's in every pye, but occa-
sionally the officers of the royal house
hold had to complain of short measure
The wolf and boar hunting tenures
involved by no means nominal serv'
ice in the early part of our history. nor
could the gentlemen in Hants be said
10 have a sinecure whose business 1t
was s'to keep in order the female do
nestle servants and disinember male
factors The latter must have beer
bv far the lighter task Women were
always bad to manage until some one
invented the art of treating them prop
erly.
The old art of management included
the right, or, at any rate. the custom
OF. selling wives in the open market.
There is no room for doubt on this sub
iect after many instances which Mr..
Andrews has given by chapter and
verse. The common people had no
ton that a husband might lawfully dis
pose of his wife in this way. provided
he conducted the transaction in some
hubble place and delivered her to the
nurchaser with a halter about her neck.
The sales were duly reported in the
newspapers of the period, without any
snecial comment, as items of every day
news
ssIn some instances market tolls were
collected similar to those charged for
animals brought to the public market "
| The business was usually conducted by
auction, but now and then it was man
aged by private tender. One OF the
| lowest prices is six dimes and a quid OF
tobacco. In one instance a writer
ironically instanced the increasing
value of women in the market as a Ger.
tain criterion of advancing civilization,
the price of wives at Smithfeld having
risen from half guinea to three and
one-half guineas
At Carlisle, in 1882, farmer offered
his wife for sale in the following
terms: Gentlemen, it is her wish, as
well as mine, to part forever. She has
been to me only born serpent
took her for my comfort and the good
of my home; but she became my tor
mentor, domestic curse, night IN
vasion and daily plague" He Their
thought proper to say word or two
on 1.-THE bright and sunny side" of ths
picture. "She can read novels ant
milk cows.
'sshe can laugh and weep with thu
same case that you can take glass o
ale when thirsty. She can make but
ter and scold the maid; she can sinf
Moore's melodies and plat her frill'
and caps. | therefore offer her, witt
all her projections and imperfections
for the sum of fifty shillings.
Good old timesl But stay. In 1852
az Alfreton. Derbyshire, husband solo
his wife in public house for glass o
! beer London News,