The celebrated flitch of bacon of Dunmow, in Essex, which can only be claimed, without perjury, by a select few in the married state, was a jocular institution by the monks of a monastery, in the priory of Dunmow, in Essex. Fuller observes, that these mortified men would be mirthful at times, as hereby may appear.—
“Any person from any part of England, coming hither, and humbly kneeling on two stones at the church door (which are yet to be seen,) before the priory or convent, might demand a gammon or flitch of bacon, upon the solemn taking of the prescribed oath.”
The following is a copy of the register of the form and ceremony observed on a claim made more than a century ago, to this flitch of bacon, by William Parsley, of Much-Easton, and Jane, his wife.
Dunmow, Nuper.—“At a court baron of the Priorat’ right worshipful Sir Thomas May, knight, there holden upon Friday the seventh of June, in the thirteenth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord William III. by the grace of God, &c. and in the year of our Lord, 1701, before Thomas Wheeler, gent steward of the said manor. It is thus enrolled:—
| Homage. | { | “Elizabeth Beaumont, spinster, | } | Jurat. |
| Henrietta Beaumont, spinster, | ||||
| Annabella Beaumont, spinster, | ||||
| Jane Beaumont, spinster, | ||||
| Mary Wheler, spinster, |
“Be it remembered, that at this court, in full and open court, it is found, and presented by the homage aforesaid, that William Parsley, of Much-Easton, in the county of Essex, butcher, and Jane his wife, have been married for the space of three years the last past, and upward; and it is likewise found, presented, and adjudged, by the homage aforesaid, that the said William Parsley, and Jane his wife, by means of their quiet, peaceable, tender, and loving cohabitation, for the space of time aforesaid, (as appears by the said homage,) are fit and qualified persons to be admitted by the court to receive the ancient and accustomed oath, whereby to entitle themselves to have the bacon of Dunmow delivered unto them, according to the custom of the manor.
“Whereupon, at this court, in full and open court, came the said William Parsley, and Jane his wife, in their proper persons, and humbly prayed, they might be admitted to take the oath aforesaid; whereupon the said steward, with the jury, suitors, and other officers of the court, proceeded, with the usual solemnity, to the ancient and accustomed place for the administration of the oath and receiving the gammon aforesaid, (that is to say) the two great stones lying near the church door, within the said manor; where the said William Parsley, and Jane his wife, kneeling down on the said two stones, and the said steward did administer unto them the above-mentioned oath in these words, or to this effect following, viz.
You do swear by custom of confession.
That you ne’er made nuptial transgression;
Nor since you were married man and wife,
By household brawls, or contentious strife,
Or otherwise, in bed or at board,
Offended each other in deed or in word;
Or in a twelve months’ time and a day,
Repented not in thought any way;
Or since the church clerk said Amen,
Wish’d yourselves unmarried again;
But continue true, and in desire
As when you join’d hands in holy quire.
“And immediately thereupon, the said William Parsley, and Jane his wife, claiming the same gammon of bacon, the court pronounced the sentence for the same, in these words, or to the effect following:
Since to these conditions, without any fear,
Of your own accord you do freely swear,
A whole gammon of bacon you do receive,
And bear it away with love and good leave,
For this is the custom of Dunmow well known;—
Though the pleasure be ours, the bacon’s your own.