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Page 15
"It's no very decent for you to be kissing,
It does not look weel wi' the black coat ava,
'Twould hae set you far better tae hae gi'en us your blessing,
Than thus by such tricks to be breaking the law.
Dear Watty, quo Robin, it's just an auld custom,
And the thing that is common should ne'er be ill taen,
For where ye are wrong, if ye hadna a wished him
You should have been first. It's yoursel it's to blame."
The party now returned in the following order: first, the two fathers in
company together, then the newly-married couple, behind them the best
man and the best maid, and the others following in couples as they
might arrange. There were frequently as many as twenty couples. On
coming within a mile or so of the young couple's house, where the mother
of the young good man was waiting, a few of the young men would start on
a race home. This race was often keenly contested, and was termed
_running the brooze_ or _braize_. The one who reached the house first
and announced the happy completion of the wedding, was presented with a
bottle of whiskey and a glass, with which he returned to meet the
marriage procession, and the progress of the procession was generally so
arranged that he would meet them before they arrived at the village or
town where the young couple were to be resident. He was therefore
considered their _first foot_, and distributed the contents of his
bottle among the party, each drinking to the health of the young married
pair, and then bottle and glass were thrown away and broken. The whole
party then proceeded on their way to the young folks' house. To be the
successful runner in this race was an object of considerable ambition,
and the whole town and neighbourhood took great interest in it. At
riding weddings it was the great ambition of farmers' sons to succeed in
winning the _braize_, and they would even borrow racing horses for the
occasion.
The origin of this custom of running the _braize_--it was so pronounced
in the west county--has long been a puzzle to antiquarians. Probably it
is the survival of a custom practised by our Scandinavian forefathers. A
Scandinavian hero or warrior considered it beneath his dignity to court
a lady's favour by submitting the matter of marriage to her decision.
When he saw or heard of a beauty whom he decided to make his wife, he
either went direct and took her away by force from her home, or he
gained the right to make her his bride by success in battle with his
opponents. Often, however, one who was no hero might gain the consent of
the parents to his marriage with their daughter, she having little or no
voice in the matter; and when she and her friends were on their way to
the church, some heroic but unapproved admirer, determined to win her by
force of arms, having collected his followers and friends who were ever
ready for a fight, would fall upon the marriage cortege, and carry off
the bride. Under those circumstances there was often great anxiety on
the part of both the groom's and bride's relations, who remained at home
when they had reason to apprehend that such attack might be made, and
so, whenever the marriage ceremony was over, some of the company hasted
home with the glad news; but commonly youths stationed themselves at the
church-door, ready to run the moment the ceremony was over, and whether
on foot or horseback, the race became an exciting one. He who first
brought the good news received as a reward a bowl of brose, and such
brose as was made in those days for this occasion was an acceptable
prize. Although the necessity for running ceased, the sport occasioned
by these contentions was too good and exciting to be readily given up,
but it came to be confined to those who were at the wedding, and many
young men looked forward eagerly to taking part in the sport. The prize
which originally was brose, came to be changed to something more
congenial to the tastes and usages of the times, viz., a bottle of
whiskey. In this way, I think, we may account for the custom of "running
the braize." It has been mentioned already that the best man went with
the bride to the minister. His duty it was to take charge of the bride
and hand her over to the bridegroom, a duty now performed by the bride's
father, and in this now obsolete custom, I think we may find a still
further proof that the management and customs of the marriage procession
were founded upon the old practice of wife-capture. The best man is
evidently just the bridegroom's friend, who, in the absence of the
bridegroom, undertakes to protect the bride against a raid until she
reaches the church, when he hands her over to his friend the bridegroom.
To meet a funeral either in going to or coming from marriage was very
unlucky. If the funeral was that of a female, the young wife would not
live long; if a male, the bridegroom would die soon.
After partaking of the _braize's_ hospitality,--for the bottle of
whiskey was his by right,--the wedding party proceeded to the house of
the young couple, and in some parts of Scotland, at the beginning of the
century, the young wife was lifted over the threshold, or first step of
the door, lest any witchcraft or _ill e'e_ should be cast upon and
influence her. Just at the entering of the house, the young man's mother
broke a cake of bread, prepared for the occasion, over the young wife's
head. She was then led to the hearth, and the poker and tongs--in some
places the broom also--were put into her hands, as symbols of her office
and duty. After this, her mother-in-law handed her the keys of the house
and furniture, thus transferring the mother's rights over her son to his
wife. Again the glass went round, and each guest drank and wished
happiness to the young pair. The cake which was broken over the young
wife's head was now gathered and distributed among the unmarried female
guests, and by them retained to be placed under their pillows, so that
they might dream of their future husbands. This is a custom still
practised, but what is now the bridescake is not a cake broken over the
bride's head, but a larger and more elaborately-prepared article, which
is cut up and distributed immediately after the marriage ceremony. Young
girls still put a piece of it under their pillows in order to obtain
prophetic dreams. In some cases, this is done by a friend writing the
names of three young men on a piece of paper, and the cake, wrapped in
it, is put under the pillow for three nights in succession before it is
opened. Should the owners of the cake have dreamed of one of the three
young men therein written, it is regarded as a sure proof that he is to
be her future husband. After drinking to the health and happiness of the
young couple, the wedding party then went to the house of the
bridegroom's father where they partook of supper, generally a very
substantial meal; and this being finished, the young people of the party
became restless for a change of amusement, and generally all then
repaired to some hall or barn, and there spent the night in dancing. It
was the custom for the young couple, with their respective parents and
the best man and the best maid, to lead off by dancing the first reel.
Should the young couple happen to have either brothers or sisters older
than themselves, but unmarried, these unfortunate brethren danced the
first reel without their shoes. Probably this has its origin in the old
Jewish custom of giving up the shoe or sandal when the right or priority
passed from one to another. For an instance of this see Ruth iv. 7.
Having danced till far on in the morning of next day, the young couple
were then conducted home. The young wife, assisted by her female
friends, undressed and got to bed, then the young man was sent into bed
by his friends, and then all the marriage party entered the bedroom,
when the young wife took one of her stockings, which had been put in bed
with her, and threw it among the company. The person who got this was to
be the first married. The best man then handed round the glass, and when
all had again drank to the young couple, the company retired. This
custom was termed _the bedding_, and was regarded as a ceremony
necessary to the completion of the marriage; and there can be little
doubt that it is a survival of a very ancient ceremony of the same
family as the old Grecian custom of removing the bride's coronet and
putting her to bed. This particular form of ceremony was also found in
Scotland, and continued to comparatively modern times. Young Scotch
maidens formerly wore a snood, a sort of coronet, open at the top,
called the virgin snood, and before being put to bed on the marriage
night this snood was removed by the young women of the party. This
custom is referred to in an ancient ballad.
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