SC - Smithsonian dinner

[KallipygosRed at aol.com]

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