Earl's Court, Kensington.
* * * * *
HANDFASTING.
(Vol. ii., p. 151.)
Your correspondent J.M.G. has brought forward a curious subject, and one
well deserving attention and illustration. A fair is said to have been
held at the meeting of the Black and White Esks, at the foot of
Eskdalemuir, in Dumfriesshire, when the singular custom of _Handfasting_
was observed. The old statistical account of the parish says:
"At that fair it was the custom for unmarried persons of both
sexes to choose a companion according to their liking, whom they
were to live with till _that time next year_. This was called
_handfasting_, or hand-in-fist. If they were pleased with each
other at that time, then they continued together for life; if
not, they separated, and were free to make another choice as at
the first."
John Maxwell, Esq., of Broomholm, in a letter (dated April 15th, 1796)
to the Rev. Wm. Brown, D.D., of Eskdalemuir, says, in reference to this
custom:
"No account can be given of the period at which the custom of
_handfasting_ commenced; but I was told by an old man, John
Murray, who died at the farm of Irvine (as you go from Langholm
to Canobie), and had formerly been a proprietor in Eskdaldemuir,
that he was acquainted with, or at least had seen an old man, I
think his name was Beattie, who was grandson to a couple who had
been handfasted. You perhaps know that _the children born under
the handfasting engagement were reckoned lawful children, and
not bastards_, though the parents did afterwards resile. This
custom of handfasting does not seem to have been peculiar to
your parish. Mention is made in some histories of Scotland that
Robert II. was _handfasted_ to Elizabeth More before he married
Euphemia Ross, daughter of Hugh, Earl of that name, by both of
whom he had children; his eldest son John, by Elizabeth More,
viz., King Robert III., commonly called Jock Ferngyear,
succeeded to the throne in preference to the sons of Euphemia,
his married wife. Indeed, after Euphemia's death, he married his
former handfasted wife Elizabeth."
Sir J. Chardin observes that contracts for temporary wives are frequent
in the East, which contracts are made before the Cadi with the formality
of a measure of corn, mentioned over and above the stipulated sum of
money.
Baron du Tott's account of "Marriages by Capin," corroborated by Eastern
travellers, corresponds with the custom of _Handfasting_. He says:
"There is another kind of marriage which, stipulating the return
to be made, fixes likewise the time when the divorce is to take
place. This contract is called _capin_: and, properly speaking,
is only an agreement between the parties to live together _for
such a price, during such a time_."
This contract is a regular form of marriage, and is so regarded
generally in the East.
The Jews seem to have had a similar custom, which perhaps they borrowed
from the neighbouring nations; at least the connexion formed by the
prophet Hosea (chap. iii. 2.) bears a strong resemblance to
_Handfasting_ and _Capin_.