Domestic folk-loreThiselton-Dyer, T. F. (Thomas Firminger)
History
Domestic folk-lore
Thiselton-Dyer, T. F. (Thomas Firminger)
Folklore; Superstition
Among the Scottish people, we are informed by the Registrar-General,
there is a peculiar fondness for marrying on the last day of the
year. Indeed, there are more marriages in Scotland on that day than
in any week of the year, excepting, of course, the week in which that
day occurs. Thus, in the year 1861, the returns give the number of
marriages in the eight principal towns as averaging about twenty-five
a day, exclusive of Sunday, as marrying is one of the things not to
be done on this day in Scotland. On the 31st of December, however, in
the same towns there were between 400 and 500 marriages. Curious to
say, too, in Scotland, Friday seems to be considered a lucky day for
weddings; for Mr. Watson, the City Chamberlain of Glasgow, affirms
that "it is a well-established fact that nine-tenths of the marriages
in Glasgow are celebrated on a Friday; only a few on Tuesday and
Wednesday; Saturday and Monday are still more rarely adopted, and I
have never heard of such a thing in Glasgow as a marriage on Sunday."
Leaving seasons and days considered propitious for marriage, we
find, in the next place, a number of superstitions associated with
that prominent and all-important personage on such an occasion, the
bride. Thus it is above all things necessary that the sun should
shine on her--"Blest is the bride that the sun shines on!"--a notion,
indeed, which, it has been suggested, had a practical application
in years gone by when marriages were celebrated in the church
porch. A wet day, at such a time, was a serious matter, especially
as our forefathers had not the many contrivances of modern times
for preservation from rain. Whereas, now-a-days, young ladies when
alluding to being married speak of "going to church," formerly they
spoke of "visiting the church-porch." After prevailing for centuries,
this ancient usage was discountenanced, if not actually abolished,
by the ecclesiastical reformers of Edward VI.'s reign, who "ordained
that the performance of the binding ceremony should take place in
the body of the church." Referring again to the bride, it is deemed
absolutely necessary by very many that she should weep on her
wedding-day, if it be only a few tears, the omission of such an act
being considered ominous of her future happiness. It is, too, the
height of ill-luck for either the bride or the bridegroom to meet
a funeral on going to or coming from the church, for if it happen
to be that of a female, it is an indication that the bride will not
live long, and if it should be that of a male, then the bridegroom is
doomed to an early death. In the North of England there is a strong
prejudice against a marriage taking place while there is a grave
open in the churchyard. In many parts of the country, also, special
care is taken that the bees are informed of a wedding, and as a
mark of respect to them their hives are decorated with a favour. In
Sussex a bride on her return home from church is often robbed of all
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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