Tuesday 30 March 2010

Scottish Customs I

(available from here)

O borrowed this book from his parents last time we visited. I thought I'd share an extract with you;



Martin Martin
Western Isles, C. 1695


It was an ancient custom in the islands that a man should take a maid to his wife, and keep her the space of a year without marrying her; and if she pleased him all the while, he married her at the end of the year, and legitimated these children; but if he did not love her, he returned her to her parents, and her portion also; and if there happened to be any children, they were kept by the father: but this unreasonable custom was long brought into disuse.

Well O has had me as a trial wife for 7 years now so I reckon he is happy to keep me. We were both really surprised by this concept of the trial wife given the whole "you must not live in sin" thing.

6 comments:

  1. Also surprised that the father kept any children, particularly as they would be no more than 3 months old. Surely that hampered his new bachelor lifestyle? (I'm not sure what bachelor activites 17th century men got up to, but I doubt they would be compatible with raising babies!)

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  2. how delightful. south of the border they aren't much better!
    do you not have a book of yorkshire customs?

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  3. I don't have a book on Yorkshire customs but now I want one. I bet they are wonderful

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  4. Hard core custom. Imagine having to leave your children.

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  5. Hahaha no hypocrisy there huh! :)

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  6. Hmm, I think the modern day equivalent is whether we can put up with each other. I honestly think people are very brave to enter marriage without having lived together.

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