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Page 14
CHAPTER III.
_MARRIAGE._
The next very important event in man's life is marriage, and naturally,
therefore, to this event there attached a multitude of superstitious
notions and practices, many of which, indeed, do still exist. The time
when marriage took place was of considerable importance. One very
prevalent superstition, common alike to all classes in the community,
and whose force is not yet spent, was the belief that it was unlucky to
marry in the month of May. The aversion to marrying in May finds
expression in the very ancient and well-known proverb, "Marry in May,
rue for aye," and thousands still avoid marrying in this month who can
render no more solid reason for their aversion than the authority of
this old proverb. But in former times there were reasons given, varying,
however, in different localities. Some of the reasons given were the
following:--That parties so marrying would be childless, or, if they had
children, that the first-born would be an idiot, or have some physical
deformity; or that the married couple would not lead a happy life, and
would soon tire of each other's society. The origin of this superstition
is to be found in ancient heathen religious beliefs and practices. We
have already noticed the ancient belief that the spirits of dead
ancestors haunted the living, and I have given a formula whereby a
single person could exorcise the ghosts of his departed relatives, and I
have also mentioned that national festivals to propitiate the spirits of
the dead were appointed by some nations. Now, we find that among the
Romans this national festival was held during the month of May, and
during its continuance all other forms of worship were suspended, and
the temples shut; and further, for any couple to contract marriage
during this season was held to be a daring of the Fates which few were
found hardy enough to venture. Ovid says--
"Pause while we keep these rites, ye widowed dames,
The marriage time a purer season claims;
Pause, ye fond mothers, braid not yet her hair,
Nor the ripe virgin for her lord prepare.
O, light not, Hymen, now your joyous fires,
Another torch nor yours the tomb requires!
Close all the temples on these mourning days,
And dim each altar's spicy, steaming blaze;
For now around us roams a spectred brood,
Craving and keen, and snuffing mortal food:
They feast and revel, nor depart again,
Till to the month but ten days more remain."
Superstitions of this sort linger much longer in the country than in
towns, and the larger the town the more speedily do they die out; but,
judging from the statistics of late years, this superstition has still a
firm hold of the inhabitants of Glasgow, the second city of the Empire.
During the year 1874 the marriages in May were only 204, against 703 in
June; but as the removal term occurs at the end of May, that must
materially affect the relations, in this respect, between May and June,
and accounts, in part, for the great excess of marriages in June. But
if the average of the eleven months, excluding May, be taken, then
during that year there was a monthly average of 441, against 204 in
May--being rather more than double. For the ten years preceding 1874,
the average of the eleven months was 388, against 203 in May. As if to
compensate for the restraint put upon the people in May, _Juno_, the
wife of Jupiter, after whom June was named, and whose influence was
paramount during that month, took special guardianship over births and
marriages; hence June was a lucky month to be born in or get married in,
and thus June is known as the marrying month. Here, again, our registers
show that the number of marriages are in June nearly double the average
of the other months, excluding May and June. The average during the ten
years is, for the ten months, 375 per month, whilst the average for June
is 598. It may be noticed in passing that, in Glasgow, January and July
stand as high as June, owing, doubtless, to the holidays which occur
during these two months making marriage at those times more convenient
for the working classes.
There were many marriage observances of a religious or superstitious
character practised in ancient Rome which were quite common among us
within this century, especially in the country districts, but which now
are either extinct or fast dying out. When a Roman girl was betrothed,
she received from her intended a ring which she wore as evidence of her
betrothal. When betrothed she laid aside her girlish or maiden
dress,--some parts of which were offered as a sacrifice to the household
gods,--and she was then clothed in the dress of a wife, and secluded
from her former companions, and put under training for her new duties.
When the time drew near for the consummation of the ceremony, it became
an important consideration to fix upon a lucky day and hour for the knot
to be tied. With this object astrologers, sooth-sayers, and others of
that class were consulted, who, by certain divinations ascertained the
most auspicious time for the union to take place in. When the day
arrived every occurrence was watched for omens. A crow or turtle dove
appearing near was a good omen: for these birds symbolized conjugal
fidelity. The ceremony was begun by sacrificing a sheep to Juno, the
fleece being spread upon two chairs on which the bride and bridegroom
sat: then a prayer was said over them. The young wife, carrying a
distaff and spindle filled with wool, was conducted to her house, a
cake, baked by the vestal virgins, being carried before her. The
threshold of the house was disenchanted by charms, and by annointing it
with certain unctuous perfumes; but as it was considered unlucky for the
new-made wife to tread upon the threshold on first entering her house,
she was lifted over it and seated upon a piece of wool, a symbol of
domestic industry. The keys of the house were then put into her hand,
and the cake was divided among the guests. The first work of the young
wife was to spin new garments for her husband. It will be seen that many
of these practices were mixed up with superstitious notions, many of
which were prevalent in this country sixty years ago, and some of which
still remain in country districts. Sixty years ago when a young woman
became a bride, she in a great measure secluded herself from society,
and mixed but little even with her companions, and on no account would
she show herself at church until after her marriage, as that was
considered very unlucky. The evening before the marriage her presents
and outfit were conveyed to her future home under the superintendence of
the best maid (bridesmaid), who carried with her a certain domestic
utensil filled with salt, which was the first article of the bride's
furnishing taken into the house. A portion of the salt was sprinkled
over the floor as a protection against an evil eye. The house being set
in order, the best maid returned to the bride's house where a company of
the bride's companions were met, and then occurred the ceremony of
washing the bride's feet. This was generally the occasion of much mirth.
And this was in all probability a survival of an old Scandinavian custom
under which the Norse bride was conducted by her maiden friends to
undergo a bath, called the bride's bath, a sort of religious
purification. On the marriage day, every trifling circumstance which
would have passed without notice at other times was noted and scanned
for omens of good or evil. If the morning was clear and shining, this
betokened a happy cheerful life; if dull and raining, the contrary
result might be anticipated. I have known the following incidents cause
grave concern about the future prospects of the young couple:--A clot of
soot coming down the chimney and spoiling the breakfast; the bride
accidentally breaking a dish; a bird sitting on the window sill chirping
for some time; the bird in the cage dying that morning; a dog howling,
and the postman forgetting to deliver a letter to the bride until he was
a good way off, and had to return. Some of these were defined for good,
but most of them were evil omens. The ceremony was generally performed
at the minister's residence, which was often a considerable distance
off. The marriage party generally walked all the way, but if the
distance was unusually great, the company rode the journey, and this was
called "a riding wedding." There were two companies--the bride's party
and the bridegroom's party. The bride's party met in the bride's
parents' house, the best man being with them, and the groom's party met
in his parents' house, the best maid being with them--the males
conducting the females to their respective parties. At the time
appointed the bride's party left first, followed immediately by the
groom's party--each company headed by the respective fathers. They so
arranged their walk that both parties would reach the minister's house
together. As soon as the ceremony was concluded, there was a rush on the
part of the young men to get the first kiss of the newly-made wife. This
was frequently taken by the clergyman himself, a survival of an old
custom said to have been practised in the middle ages. This custom is
referred to in the following old song. The bridegroom, addressing the
minister, says:--
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