"The wedding ring is described as weighing two angels and a ducat, graven with these words, "DEUS NOS JUNXIT." God joins us--J. E. B. Y. R. The date of the marriage is inserted by Mr. B. with great minuteness, (at the hour of eight, the dominical letter F. the moon being in Leo,) with due regard to the aspects of the heavens, which, at that time, regulated every affair of importance." HONE'S E. D. B.

From "Observations on Female head dress in England," &c. by J. A. Repton, he writes: "Distinction was formerly made between the head dress of the single and married ladies: the former, had their heads uncovered. On the wedding-day, the bride wore her hair loose, or flowing down her back, over her shoulders; he quotes the Losely MSS. in illustration, in which the attire of Ann of Cleves, on her nuptials, is described." This must have been an odd sight, for the hair was much cherished. "From the reign of Charles II. to Queen Anne, long flowing wigs were in fashion." An anecdote is related of the countess of Suffolk, who married Mr. Howard, in the reign of Queen Anne; that she and her husband were so poor, she was forced to sell her hair to furnish a dinner to some friends her hair being long, produced twenty pounds.

During the reign of Elizabeth and James, there were four observances: first, joining hands; second, the mutual kiss; third, interchange of rings; fourth, testimony of witnesses. The oath was to this effect: "You swear by God and his holy saints herein, and by all the saints of paradise, that you will take this woman, whose name is—to wife, within forty days, if holy church will permit." The priest, joining their hands, said, "and thus you affiance yourselves," to which the parties answered, "Yes, sir."

One immoral consequence, arising from this custom of public betrothing, was, that the parties depending upon the priest as witness, they frequently cohabited together as man and wife. Indeed, by most of the people, this ceremony of plighting troth was considered enough.

Now, gentle reader, I am going to offer you a copy of a letter still in existence among the Harlean MSS. in the British Museum, and quoted many years past by that very intelligent literary lady, Miss Aikin, in her memoirs of the "Court of King James."

But, before you read it, it will be as well to make you acquainted with the fair writer. She was the sole heiress of Sir John Spencer, a native of Waddingsfield, in Suffolk, who became Lord Mayor of London, in 1594; he possessed the manor of Canonsbury, in Middlesex, and lived at Crosby Hall; he was a merchant, and was reckoned the wealthiest citizen of his time,

he died worth one million of pounds; he was called "the rich Spencer." Tradition says it was a runaway wedding; she was carried out of Canonsbury House, the country residence, in a baker's basket; and it must have been a large one. Her person, judging from the family portrait in her older days, comes up to the following descriptive lines by Lord Byron:

66

Being rather large, and languishing, and lazy,

Yet of a beauty that would drive you crazy."

Her "sweet life," whom she so lovingly addresses, was William, the 2d Lord Compton, Lord President of Wales, whose descendant at this day is the Marquis of Northampton; they resided at Compton Wynyate, in Warwickshire, an irregular built edifice of the reign of Henry VIII. It was formed to surround a spacious court, was moated round with terraces, and the other usual appendages of that period. According to the derivation of the name, the family was Saxon. He received the billet-doux in London, soon after their marriage, which was in the year 1594. It unfolds much of the domestic economy and habits of a family of distinction during that period, and presents also, an amusing sketch of a managing mistress of a noble household of the higher ranks of life:

"My sweet life,

"Now I have declared to you my mind for the settling of your state, I suppose that it were best for me to bethink and consider within myself what allowance were meetest for me. I pray and beseech you to grant me, your most loving wife, the sum of £2600, quarterly, to be paid. Also, I would, besides that allowance, have £600, quarterly, to be paid, for the performance of charitable works; and these things I would not, neither will, be accountable for. Also, I will have three horses for my own saddle, that none shall dare to lend or borrow; none lend but I, none borrow but you. Also, I would have two gentlewomen, lest one should be sick or have some other let: also, believe it, it is an indecent thing for a gentlewoman to stand mumping alone, when God hath blessed their lord and lady with a great estate. Also, when I ride a hunting, or hawking, or travel from one house to another, I will have them attending; so for either of these said women, I must and will have, for either of them, a horse. Also, I will have six or eight gentlemen; and I will have my two coaches, one lined with velvet to myself, with four fair horses; and a coach for my women lined with cloth, and laced with gold, otherwise with scarlet and laced with silver, with four good horses. Also, I will have two coachmen, one for my own coach, the other for my women. Also, at any time when I travel, I will be

allowed not only caroches and spare horses for me and my women, but I will have such carriages as shall be fitting for all; orderly, not pestering my things with my women's, nor theirs with either chamber-maids, nor theirs with wash-maids. Also, for laundresses, when I travel, I will have them sent away before with the carriages to see all safe; and the chamber-maids I will have go before, that the chamber may be ready, and made sweet and clean. Also, for that it is undecent to crowd up myself with my gentleman-usher in my coach, I will have him to have a convenient horse, to attend me either in city or country. And I must have two footmen. And my desire is that you defray all the charges for me. And for myself, besides my yearly allowance, I would have twenty gowns of apparel, six of them excellent good ones, eight of them for the country, and six other of them very excellent good ones. Also I would have £6000 to buy me jewels, and £4000 to buy me a pearl chain. Also, I would have to put in my purse £2000, and £200, and so you to pay my debts. Now, seeing I have been, and am so reasonable unto you, 1 pray you do find my children apparel and their schooling, and all my servants, men and women, their wages. Also, I will have all my houses furnished, and my lodging-chambers to be suited with all such furniture as is fit; as beds, stools, chairs, suitable cushions, carpets, silver warming-pans, cupboards of plate, fair hangings and such like. So for my drawing-chamber, in all houses, 1 will have them delicately furnished both with hangings, couch, canopy, glass, carpet, chairs, cushions, and all things thereunto belonging. Also, my desire is, that you would pay your debts, build up Ashley House, and purchase lands; and lend no money, as you love God, to my lord chamberlain, who would have all, perhaps your life, from you. . . . So now that I have declared to you what I would have, I pray you, when you be an earl, to allow me £2000 more than I now desire, and double the attendance."*

After the surprise which the reading of this letter will create, from a lady who prides herself on being "so reasonable," has subsided; but whether reasonable or not, few would be able to fulfil under two or $300,000 per year, reckoning the difference in the value of the present money. - I assure them, on the authority of Winwood, that the coming into possession of his lady's father's great wealth so transported her "sweet life," her dear lord and master, that "he went out of his wits," and remained so for several years.

* The finish of the letter is torn, which will account for its abruptness. This letter has been pronounced a forgery, but, as I have not seen any arguments convincing me of its not being authentic, I give it as I find it.

"He seem'd amidst his country's silent doom,
The broken pillar of a mouldering tomb."

*

In 1653, an act was passed establishing in every parish a register of marriages, births, and burials, and allowing marriages to be solemnized before justices of the peace, by a mere declaration that they took each other for man and wife.

John Milton's second marriage is thus recorded in the register of the parish of St. Mary, Aldermanbury, London. Dr. Johnson's "Lives of the Poets," states, "he had been blind some years."

"The agreement and intention of marriage between John Milton, Esq., of the parish of Margaret's, in Westminster, and Mrs. Katharine Woodcock, of Mary's, in Aldermanbury, was published three several market days in three several weeks, viz: on Monday the 20th, and Monday the 27th, days of October, and on Monday the third of November; and no exceptions being made against their intention, they were, according to the act of parliament, married the twelfth of November, 1656, by Sir John Dethicke, knight and alderman, one of the justices of the peace for the city of London." believe all this talented man's marriages were unhappy ones, which will account for his writings on the subject of divorce.

In 1669, I find in Fox's Journal, that "he told Margaret Fell (old Judge Fell's widow) that he had seen from the Lord he was to have her as his wife. She said she felt the same; but he did not feel he was called to marry her then. They were afterward married at Broadmead, Bristol."

The society of Friends early obtained the privilege of marrying according to their own forms, and on a 5s. stamped paper. But I fancy my readers will be curious to know more of the customs by which they obtained their wives.

But which is

"Which is meant for every man's relief,
To lighten labour and to soften grief."

"Sometimes my plague, sometimes my darling,
Kissing to-day, to-morrow snarling."

* There had been parish registers from 1536, vol. I., see p. 75. These registers contain some curious entries, for instance, in the register of Nunney, Somersetshire, "Roger Starr baptized 17th December, 1604; he climbed up a ladder to the top of the house 23d October, 1606, being seven weeks and odd days less than two years old. At Beckenham, Kent, "Anne Isted, a child killed by the careless discharge of a pistol, at the distance of 337 yards."-1709, another register has "the burial of Anne, daughter of James Collins who was eighteen years old and never chewed bread; of stature, not above a three year old child, the thickest part of the arms and legs not exceeding a man's thumb."

Lord Bacon, in his Essays, observes, that "wives are young men's mistresses, companions for middle age, and old men's

nurses.

The author of Hudibras says:

"Love is a fire that burns and sparkles,
In man as natʼrally as in charcoals,
Which sooty chimneys stops in holes,
When out of wood they extract coals;
So lovers should their passion choke,

That though they burn, they may not smoke."

From an old work, "Fifteen Comforts of Marriage," I learn that it was a custom to break a piece of money in token of a verbal contract of marriage and promise of love, each party keeping an half. There were presents of ribbands and garlands, yellow ribbands were emblems of jealousy; feuillemort signifies fading love; true blue signified constancy; green signified youth; putting them both together, signified youthful constancy. One proposes blue and black, which signified constant till death; violet signified a religious feeling; a golden tissue ribband with grass green, signified youthful jollity. For the bride's favours, top knots and garters, the bride proposed blue, with gold or lemon colour. Gold coloured objects signified avarice. A younger bride proposed to mix violet and milk white; the colour of the willow signified forsaken.-Brande.

On the wedding day there was always considerable bell ringing, as the following beautiful song will show.

VILLAGE BELLS.

'Tis sweet to hear those village bells,
Ring out for service holy;

Our hearts, while list'ning to their knells,
Grow softly melancholy.

But sweeter far, to maiden's ear,

What tears of joy she's shedding,

When first she hears the village bells

Ring blythely for her wedding.

Ding dong ding dong ding dong ding dong.

'Tis sweet to hear those village bells

Ring out in celebration,

Of holy-day, or birth-day gay,

Or victory of the nation.

But sweeter far, &c.

The above fine old song was given to me by Mr. James T. Wilde, and the music was arranged, from his excellent singing of it, by Mr. S. Johnson, New York, (see page 345 Appendix.)