SC - Smithsonian dinner
KallipygosRed at aol.com
KallipygosRed at aol.com
Mon Jul 24 11:39:18 PDT 2000
In a message dated 7/24/00 10:03:39 AM US Mountain Standard Time, lcm at efn.org
writes:
> waving some herbs around and 'jumping the
> broom' (which is not even sort of period)
Okay, can someone send me the details on this fact, privately? Our minister
here, who is an SCA minister as well, prides himself on his research and I
could **swear** that he told me that "jumping the broom" originated in
Ireland. His explanation was it had to do with avoiding "Right of First
Night" by the English landowners. It was a custom meant to seal the couple in
the eyes of the community, but since they were not "legally" married, the
"husband" got to have first night, therefore first intercourse, and therefore
no problems with legitimacy lines. Generally, the "legal" ceremony was
arranged for months after the fact, when the "wife" was presumed or very
obviously pregnant, and therefore the landowner could not or did not want to
enjoy the "first night" benefits.
Interested in the details that might say this isn't so.
Lars
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