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_Curious Marriage_.--In the church of St. Martin, formerly called St.
Crosse, Leicester, the marriage register contains an entry of the
names of Thomas Tilsey and Ursula Russel, the first of whom being
"deofe and also dombe," it was agreed by the bishop, mayor, and other
gentlemen of the town, that certain signs and actions of the
bridegroom should be admitted instead of the usual words enjoined by
the Protestant marriage ceremony: "First he embraced her with his
armes, and tooke her by the hande, put a ringe upon her finger, and
laide his hande upon his harte, and upon her harte, and helde up his
handes towards heaven; and, to shew his continuance to dwell with her
to his lyves ende, he did it by closing of his eyes with his hands,
and digging out the earthe with his fete, and pullinge as though he
would ringe a bell, with divers other signes approved."