Of their Matrimonie.
THEIR matrimonie is nothing solemnized, but rather in
most points abhominable, and as neere as I can learne, in
this wise following.
First, when there is love betweene the parties, the man
sendeth unto the woman a small chest or boxe, wherein is
a whip, needles, threed, silke, linnen cloth, sheares, and
such necessaries as shee shall occupie when she is a wife,
and perhaps sendeth therwithall raisins, figs or some such
things, giving her to understand, that if she doe offend,
she must be beaten with the whip, & by the needles,
threed, cloth, &c. that she should apply her selfe diligently
to sowe, and do such things as shee could best doe, and
by the raisins or fruites he meaneth if she doe well, no
good thing shalbe withdrawn from her, nor be too deare
for her: and she sendeth unto him a shirt, handkerchers,
and some such things of her owne making. And now to
the effect.
When they are agreed, and the day of marriage
appointed, when they shall goe towardes the Church, the
bride will in no wise consent to go out of the house, but
resisteth and striveth with them that would have her out,
and faineth her selfe to weepe, yet in the end, two women
get her out, and lead her towards the church, her face
being covered close, because of her dissimulation, that it
should not be openly perceived: for she maketh a great
noise, as though she were sobbing and weeping, until she
come at the Church, and then her face is uncovered. The
man commeth after among other of his friends, and they
cary with them to the church a great pot with wine or
mead: then the priest coupleth them together much after
our order, one promising to love and serve the other
during their lives together, &c. which being done, they
begin to drinke, and first the woman drinketh to the man,
and when he hath drunke he letteth the cuppe fall to the
ground, hasting immediatly to tread upon it, and so
doth she, and whether of them tread first upon it must
have the victorie and be master at all times after, which
commonly happeneth to the man, for he is readiest to set
his foot on it, because he letteth it fall himselfe, then they
goe home againe, the womans face beeing uncovered.
The boyes in the streetes crie out and make a noyse in the
meane time, with very dishonest wordes.
When they come home, the wife is set at the upper end
of the table, and the husband next unto her: they fall then
to drinking till they bee all drunke, they perchance have a
minstrell or two, and two naked men, which led her from
the Church daunce naked a long time before all the companie. When they are wearie of drinking, the bride and
the bridegrome get them to bed, for it is in the evening
alwayes when any of them are married: and when they
are going to bedde, the bridegrome putteth certain money
both golde and silver, if he have it, into one of his boots,
and then sitteth down in the chamber, crossing his legges,
and then the bride must plucke off one of his boots, which
she will, and if she happen on the boote wherein the
money is, she hath not onely the money for her labor, but
is also at such choyse, as she need not ever from that day
forth to pul off his boots, but if she misse the boot wherin
the money is, she doth not onely loose the money, but is
also bound from that day forwards to pull off his boots
continually.
Then they continue in drinking and making good cheere
three daies following, being accompanied with certaine of
their friends, and during the same three daies he is called
a Duke, & shee a dutches, although they be very poore
persons, and this is as much as I have learned of their
matrimony: but one common rule is amongst them, if
the woman be not beaten with the whip once a weeke, she
will not be good, and therefore they looke for it orderly,
& the women say, that if their husbands did not beate
them, they should not love them.
They use to marry there very yong, their sonnes at 16.
and 18. yeeres olde, and the daughters at 12. or 13. yeeres
or yonger: they use to keepe their wives very closely, I
meane those that be of any reputation, so that a man
shall not see one of them but at a chance, when she goeth
to church at Christmas or at Easter, or els going to visite
some of her friends.
The most part of the women use to ride a stride in
saddles with styrrops, as men do, and some of them on
sleds, which in summer is not commendable.
The husband is bound to finde the wife colours to paint
her withall, for they use ordinarily to paynt themselves:
it is such a common practise among them, that it is
counted for no shame: they grease their faces with such
colours, that a man may discerne them hanging on their
faces almost a flight shoote off: I cannot so well liken
them as to a millers wife, for they looke as though they
were beaten about the face with a bagge of meale, but
their eye browes they colour as blacke as jeat.
The best propertie that the women have, is that
they can sowe well, and imbroder with silke and golde
excellently.
