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"Was ne’er in Scotland heard a seen
Sic dancing and deray;
Nouther at Falkland on the green,
Nor Peebles at the play."
KING JAMES I.
INTERESTING as a
christening undoubtedly is to the parents of
the child, it is, neither in a public nor private sense, so happy an
occasion as that which we are about to describe. If there is any thing
under the sun in which true happiness really consists, we are told it is
in the consummation of a marriage, where the parties, uninfluenced by
sordid motives, are entirely brought together by the magnetic power of
love. Of such a description the Highland marriages are in general. The
lower classes, being pretty equal in their circumstances, policy and
interest have less influence in their marriages than is the case with any
other rank of people; and consequently the parties are left more to the
unbiased dictates of their own voluntary choice.
When a couple of young
lovers propose to get married, the nearest relations of both parties meet
to take the case into consideration; and, in general, it is no difficult
matter for the lovers and their advocates to get a decision consonant to
their inclinations. This is called the booking ("leuruch") or
contract, which is very often ratified by no other covenant than a few
bottles of whisky. If the parties come to an understanding, the lovers are
immediately declared bride and bridegroom; and some Tuesday or Thursday in
the growth of the moon is fixed upon for the celebration of the nuptials.
Meanwhile, to sustain the dignity of the bridal pair, from motives of
policy as well as of state, they select from their kinsmen two trustworthy
persons each, who are delegated to the other—the male to protect the party
from being stolen, (a practice once common, and not yet
extinct,) and the female to act as maid of honour and lady of the
bedchamber on the bridal occasion.
A few days prior to the bridal day, the parties, with
their attendants, perambulate the country, inviting the guests, on which
occasion they meet with marked attention from old and young. The
invitations are all delivered to the parties
propria persona at their
firesides; and if the wedding is to be a cheap one, a small present is
sometimes offered to the bride, and accepted of.
On the morning, of the wedding-day, some lady,. who is
above the ordinary level, and who has been constituted mistress of the
ceremonies for the day, arrives to deck the bride in her splendid
habiliments. She is received by the clean white bride, previously prepared
for her by a duck in the cold bath; and, retiring to the wardrobe chamber,
she is speedily metamorphosed from a "sonsy country lassie" into a
downright lady—at least, if muslins and ribbons are all that is requisite
to confer this distinction, she is entitled to it. The bridegroom, too, at
his apartments, has his own decorators, who deck him out most splendidly
with marriage favours and other ornaments suitable to the occasion.
Meanwhile, repeated vollies of musketry summon the
guests to the wedding. Mounted on his palfry, each
"crony" shapes his course to
the house to which he was invited; while droves of youngsters flock along
the road, whose hearts at every shot are bounding with joy. On their
arrival, they are ushered into the breakfasting apartment, to partake of
the forenoon’s entertainment, consisting of good milk porridge and cream,
on which they fare very sumptuously. After this mid-day repast, they are
led to the ball-room, or dancing apartment, to share in its enjoyment.
Here the bride or bridegroom, is seated at the upper end of the ball-room,
and receives the company, as they successively arrive, with great pomp and
ceremony; and the dancing and mirth is prolonged for some hours.
At the time appointed, the bridegroom
selects a party of young men, who are dispatched to summon the bride and
her party to the marriage ceremony. Their approach is announced by showers
of musketry opened upon them by some of the bride’s men, and returned,
most of the guests being furnished with pistols. The bride’s party
accordingly prepare themselves for the procession. The bride is mounted
upon some canny charger
behind an expert rider; drams go round to her health and prosperity; and,
the company being all in readiness, she leaves her native residence for
another, amidst the cheers and feu-de-joie of the assembly.
Marching to the sound of the inspiring bagpipes, and the discharge of
fire-arms, the brides party proceed to the place appointed for the
marriage. The bridegroom’s party follow at some little distance; and, both
arrived at the appointed place of rendezvous, the bridegroom’s party stand
in the rear till the bride’s party enter the meeting-house, agreeably to
the rules of precedence, which on this occasion are decidedly in favour of
the bride in all the proceedings of the day.
Soon as the Hymeneal knot is tied, the candidates for
the honour of wonning the kail, as they call it, drive of
pell-mell for the
bridegroom’s house, horsemen and footmen promiscuously. Both parties, now
mingled together, proceed with multitudinous jovialty towards the
bridegroom’s, the scene of the future festivities of the night. A volley
of fire-arms announce their arrival; and the company assembled at the
door, to welcome the bride, assail her with a basket of the bridal bread
and cheese, the properties of which are well known. The bridal pair are
then seated at the upper end of the banquet, and the guests are arrayed,
according to their quality, around the far-extending tables, formed of
doors, chests, and cart bottoms, sustained by sturdy supporters of wood or
stone; and wooden beams and deals for chairs, in common form. The more
plebeian part of the guests, freely disposed of in the stables or byres,
make themselves very comfortable with their cheer.
Shortly the waiters come round the circle, presenting
each with a spoon, which he must carefully return when done with it. The
spoon is followed with the hardly-contested kail. Alter this, a remove of
savoury broth is presently brought in; of which all having partaken, the
still more delicious "hotch-potch" succeeds. Then follow
fowl of every feather, and every beast and creeping thing—
"Hind and fore spalls of a sheep
Drew whittles frae ilk sheath;
Wi’ gravie a’ their beards did creep,
They kempit wi’ their teeth."
The dinner being over, the "shemit reel" is the next
object of attention. All the company assemble on the lawn with flambeaux,
and form into a circle. The bridal pair and their retinue then dance a
sixsome reel, each putting a piece of silver into the musician’s hand.
Those desirous may then succeed, and dance with the bride and the two
maids of honour; and are gratified at the commencement and termination of
each reel by the usual salutes.
In the meantime, the stewards of the feast
having removed the temporary erections from the dancing apartments, the
shemit reel being over, the guests re-occupy their seats in the original
order; and dancing and mirth is again resumed. Tartan plaids, spreading in
every corner, invite the fair to take shelter in those most congenial to
their inclinations. The jovial smiling bowl, now reeking in a corner,
allures to its side its votaries—the circling glass adds additional
stimulus to the riotous spirit of the company. In short, Pleasure presents
herself for courtship in all her luring forms.
As the night advances, the company grows still more
happy. The numerous ills of the human lot, which at other times so much
afflict them, now cause them no concern; on the contrary, they are
entirely full of its pleasures. Hence, all the corners of the house,
instead of declamations against the infirmities of age, or the badness of
the times, are full of the happiest communications. Opportunities long
sought for declaring secret friendship have now occurred, and the warmth
with which they are expressed forcibly bespeak their fervency. Two
patriarchs "had long indulged the hope of seeing an honourable alliance
betwixt their
families. Both honest and respectable, the union of their children would
be a highly suitable match; and should such a desirable event ever occur,
there was a black stocking in secret, which would spew on the occasion of
the wedding." In another, you may see two hearty grey-beards, whose locked
hands and contacting noddles show the closeness of their friendship,
relating to each other, with much complacency, those tales of "auld
langsyne" in which they themselves acted so
prominent a part. In another corner, the fond lover, with his dearly
beloved locked in his affectionate embrace, melting her heart with his
wooing strains; and in another, the vocal choir, whose throats of steel
vociferate their harmonious ditties on the gratified ears of the company;
while, on the top of a bed, or at the back of the door, the juvenile part
of the guests, assembled in tumultuous rabble, will also join their voices
in the general uproar.
On the floor the dancers are beyond compare. Fired with
emulation who shall win the
dance, every nerve and muscle is put in active
exercise. The lads are gaining greater agility every successive reel;
while, in the language of the poet,
"The lasses bab'd about the reel,
Gart a’ their hurdles wallop,
And swat like ponies when they speel
Up braes, or when they gallop."
This scene lasts for some hours, until the presence of
day warns the bride to prepare for the bedding. Wishing, if possible, to
elude the public gaze, she attempts to steal away privately, when,
observed by some vigilant eye, her departure is announced, and all push to
the bridal chamber.
The door is instantly forced open, and the devoted
bride, divested of all her braws, and
stripped nearly to the state of nature, is placed in bed in
presence of the whole company. Her left stocking is then flung, and falls
upon some individual, whose turn to the Hymeneal altar will be the next.
The bridegroom, next led in, is as rapidly demolished, and cosily stowed
alongside of his darling. A bottle and glass being then handed to the
bridegroom, he rewards the friendliness of those who come forward to offer
their congratulations, with a flowing bumper. When the numerous levee have
severally paid their court, they retire, and leave the young couple to
repose.
On returning to the grand scene of festivity, we shall
find that the aspect of the company there has suffered no small alteration
during our absence. Overpowered by the peculiar influence of the ardent
friendship which fills
the elder branches of the company, those boisterous expressions of esteem
which recently occupied them so much, have declined into the calmest
complacency. Overcome by the most unspeakable sensations; the tongue,
which was lately so voluble, has totally failed. Those legs, which but a
few hours ago displayed the greatest agiIity, have now refused their
office; and, the whole machine is become perfectly unwieldy and
unmanageable:
"In their mawes there was na mank;
Upon the firms some
snor’d;
Ithers frae aff the bunkers sank,
Wi’ een like collops scor’d."
Seated by the victorious bowl, the
Far Cuil is still
engaged in his musical vocation. With bow alternately above and below the
strings, he is earnestly employed at Tullochgorum, while cries for
the same spring, proceeding from the dancers on the floor, incessantly
ring on his ears. Insensible to time or measure, some of the young people
still wallop on the floor, and unabated clamour reigns throughout the
house.
Meanwhile, all the avenues leading from the town are
thronged with retiring guests "careering" on their way home; and
the company is ultimately reduced to the immediate friends and relations
of the young couple, who wait to offer their morning congratulations. When
the bridal pair are supposed to have reposed themselves sufficiently long,
they are warned to get up, to
prepare for the breakfast and the morning levee. On
entering the grand breakfasting parlour, the whole concourse of friends
receive them with showers of compliments and congratulations, accompanied
by such gifts as may be convenient; and yesterday’s scene of festivity is
again renewed, and prolonged for the day. |
