HANDFASTING.
(Vol. ii., p. 282.)
JARLTZBRG, in noticing this custom, says that the Jews seem to have had a similar one, which perhaps they borrowed from the neighbouring nations; at least the connexion formed by the prophet Hosea (chap. iii., v. 2.) bears strong resemblance to Handfasting. The 3rd verse in Hosea, as well as the 2nd, should I think be referred to. They are both as follows:
"So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: and I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man; so will I also be for thee."
Now by consulting our most learned commentators upon the meaning which they put upon these two verses in connexion with each other, I cannot think that the analogy of JARLTZBERG will be found correct. In allusion to verse 2, "so I bought her," &c., Bishop Horsley says:
"This was not a payment in the shape of a dowry; for the woman was his property, if he thought fit to claim her, by virtue of the marriage already had; but it was a present supply of her necessary wants, by which he acknowledged her as his wife, and engaged to furnish her with alimony, not ample indeed, but suitable to the recluse life which he prescribed to her."
And in allusion, in verse 3., to the words "Thou shall abide for me many days," Dr. Pocock thus explains the context:
"That is, thou shalt stay sequestered, and as in a state of widowhood, till the time come that I shall be fully reconciled to thee, and shall see fit again to receive thee to the privileges of a wife."
Both commentators are here evidently alluding to what occurs after a marriage has actually taken place. Handfasting takes place before a marriage is consummated.
A chapter upon marriage contracts and ceremonies would form an important and amusing piece of history. I have not Picart's Religious Ceremonies at hand, but if I mistake not he refers to many. In Marco Polo's Travels, I find the following singular, and to a Christian mind disgusting, custom. It is related in section l9.:—
"These twenty days journey ended, having passed over the province of Thibet, we met with cities and many villages, in which, through the blindness of idolatry, a wicked custom is used; for no man there marrieth a wife that is a virgin; whereupon, when travellers and strangers, coming from other places, pass through this country and pitch their pavilions, the women of that place having marriageable daughters, bring them unto strangers, desiring them to take them and enjoy their company as long as they remain there. Thus the handsomest are chosen, and the rest return home sorrowful, and when they depart, they are not suffered to carry any away with them, but faithfully restore them to their parents. The maiden also requireth some toy or small present of him who hath deflowered her, which she may show as an argument and proof of her condition; and she that hath been loved and abused of most men, and shall have many such favours and toys to show to her wooers, is accounted more noble, and may on that account be advantageously married; and when she would appear most honourably dressed, she hangs all her lovers' favours about her neck, and the more acceptable she was to many, so much the more honour she receives from her countrymen. But when they are once married, they are no more suffered to converse with strange men, and men of this country are very cautious never to offend one another in this matter."
J.M.G.
Worcester, Oct. 1850.
The curious subject brought forward by J.M.G. under this title, and enlarged upon by JARLTZBERG (Vol. ii., p. 282.), leads me to trouble you with this in addition. Elizabeth Mure, according to the History and Descent of the House of Rowallane by Sir William Mure, was made choyce of, for her excellent beautie and rare virtues, by King Robert II., to be Queen of Scotland; and if their union may be considered to illustrate in any way the singular custom of Handfasting, it will be seen
from the following extract that they were also married by a priest:—
"Mr. Johne Lermonth, chapline to Alexander Archbishop of St. Andrews, hath left upon record in a deduction of the descent of the House of Rowallane collected by him at the command of the said Archbishop (whose interest in the familie is to be spoken of heirafter), that Robert, Great Stewart of Scotland, having taken away the said Elizabeth Mure, drew to Sir Adam her father ane instrument that he should take her to his lawful wife, (which myself hath seen saith the collector), as also ane testimonie written in latine by Roger Mc Adame, priest of our Ladie Marie's chapel (in Kyle), that the said Roger maried Robert and Elizabeth forsds. But yrafter durring the great troubles in the reign of King David Bruce, to whom the Earl of Rosse continued long a great enemie, at perswasion of some of the great ones of the time, the Bishop of Glasgow, William Rae by name, gave way that the sd marriage should be abrogate by transaction, which both the chief instrument, the Lord Duglasse, the Bishope, and in all likelihood the Great Stewart himself, repented ever hereafter. The Lord Yester Snawdoune, named Gifford, got to wife the sd Elizabeth, and the Earl of Rosse's daughter was maried to the Great Stewart, which Lord Yester and Eupheme, daughter to the Earle of Rosse, departing near to one time, the Great Stewart, being then king, openly acknowledged the first mariage, and invited home Elizabeth Mure to his lawfull bed, whose children shortlie yrafter the nobility did sweare in parliament to maintaine in the right of succession to the croune as the only lawfull heirs yrof."
"In these harder times shee bare to him Robert (named Johne Fairneyear), after Earle of Carrick, who succeeded to the croune; Robert, after Earl of Fyffe and Maneteeth, and Governour; and Alexander, after Earle of Buchane, Lord Badyenoch; and daughters, the eldest maried to Johne Dumbar, brother to the Earl of March, after Earle of Murray, and the second to Johne the Whyt Lyon, progenitor of the House of Glames, now Earle of Kinghorn."
So much for the marriage of Elizabeth Mure, as given by the historian of the House of Rowallane. Can any of your readers inform me whether Elizabeth had any issue by her second husband, Lord Yester Snawdoune? If so, there would be a relationship between Queen Victoria and the Hays, Marquesses of Tweeddale, and the Brouns, Baronets of Colstoun. One of the latter family received as a dowry with a daughter of one of the Lords Yester the celebrated WARLOCK PEAR, said to have been enchanted by the necromancer Hugo de Gifford, who died in 1267, and which is now nearly six centuries old. In the Lady of the Lake, James Fitz-James is styled by Scott "Snawdon's knight;" but why or wherefore does not appear, unless Queen Elizabeth Mure had issue by Gifford. Robert II. was one of three Scottish kings in succession who married the daughters of their own subjects, and those only of the degree of knights; namely, David Bruce, who married Margaret, daughter of Sir John Loggie; Robert II., who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Adam Mure; and Robert III., who married Annabell, daughter to Sir John Drummond of Stobhall.
SCOTUS.