The poetical histories being a compleat collection of all the stories necessary for a perfect understanding of the Greek and Latine poets and other ancient authors / written originally in French, by the learned Jesuite, P. Galtruchius ; now Englisht and enricht with observations concerning the gods worshipped by our ancestors in this island, by the Phœnicians, and Syrians in Asia ... ; unto which are added two treatises, one of the curiosities of old Rome, and of the difficult names relating to the affairs of that city, the other containing the most remarkable hieroglyphicks of Ægypt, by Marius d'Assigny ...

CHAP. II.

Of the Marriages of the Romans.

BEfore we mention the Burials of the Ro∣mans, I think it proper to speak some∣thing of their Marriages, and of the Cere∣monies observed by them in such solemn oc∣casions. All civilised Nations have been re∣ligious observers of a Form and manner of joyning Men and Women together, to pre∣vent the great disorders which might other∣wise happen, and which Nature teacheth us to abhor. They have all thought that it did concern the good and the Nobility of our kind, that the Male and Female should not come abruptly together, led only by their bruitish appetite as the unreasonable Beasts, but that they should observe a decorum in this weighty Business.

The Ceremonies of the Jews, of the Turks, of the Greeks, and of all the Eastern People have been related in other Treatises. * 1.1We shall here only set down the Customs of the Romans, and some few particulars of the Greeks manner of Marrying, mentioned by their Authors.

The Romans were wont to seek the Wo∣men in Marriage from their Tutors and Pa∣rents, after that they had obtained the Vir∣gins consent: Then if their desires were granted, the Fathers did solemnly promise their Daughters in Marriage; and the Man did likewise engage himself. When the Age * 1.2grew corrupt, for the more security they did write these Contracts, or Promises of Mar∣riage in Records, called Tabellae, and certain witnesses, named Signatores, did subscribe to them. The Bride-groom did then offer to his future Spouse Gifts, as well to confirm * 1.3her in the opinion of his affection for her, as to oblige himself the more to the accom∣plishment of Marriage. He did also deliver * 1.4or send unto her an Iron, or a Golden Ring, to express that lasting Unity which should be between the marryed couple: And the Spouse did place it upon that Finger of the left Hand that is next to the least, because there is a Vein in it which hath a direct con∣veyance to the Heart. Afterwards they did appoint a Day for the solemnity. They were superstitious in the choice of the Time, for they imagined many dayes, as in the Month * 1.5of May, and the Nones of every Month, &c. to be unfortunate seasons for Marriage. Now there were three several kinds of Mar∣riages: Ʋsu, coemptione, and Confarreatione; If the Woman did joyn her self to a Man, with, or without the consent of her Parents, and did abide with him constantly one year

* 1.6 without interruption, she did then become his lawful Wife, usu by use. When she was thus marryed, the custom did oblige the Man to carry her away, or snatch her out of the bosom of her Mother with a seeming vio∣lence, and the Virgin did fain an unwilling∣ness to depart. This was the ancient mode of marrying establisht by Romulus, after the * 1.7ravishment of the Daughters of the Sabines. The next manner of Marriage, was by Buy∣ing; for the Woman did bring and deliver * 1.8to the Man a piece of money, using a certain form of words, to require his consent, which He did declare by saying volo: She likewise did express her Will by the same word. Af∣terwards the man took her into his Possessi∣on, by joyning hands. This ceremony did give the Woman right to all her Husbands E∣state; therefore it was the Custom, when she did enter into his House, to say, Ʋbi tu Caius ibi ego Caia. The other manner was * 1.9Confarreatione, so named, because the mar∣ried couple did publickly eat together of the same Consecrated Bread before ten witnesses before the Altars of the Gods, and before the Chief Priests. This was the most sacred kind of joyning in marriage. Now before they did come to this performance, they did * 1.10first consult the Augures, and imploy the Soothsayers, to know the pleasure of the Gods. Afterward they did meet to acomplish the marriage; and then the Virgin did com∣monly appear covered with a yellow * Vail,

and the man with a Javelin in his hand. With the point of it he did part the hair of his Spou∣ses head, to expres how she did enter into the Protection of Juno, unto whom that weapon * 1.11was consecrated. After these ceremonies, they did Crown the Bride with Water-cresses, and cloath her with a short Coat, called Tunica, girding her about with a woollen Girdle, * 1.12which was not to be loosed until she came to Bed. Three Bride-men were usually appoin∣ted to conduct her home; two to lead her, and * 1.13the other to carry the Torch of White thorn, or of Pine-tree towards the evening. Plutarch speaks of 5 Torches that were usual∣ly carried before the Bride when she did walk to her Husbands Dwelling. At the entrance some were appointed to besprinkle her with Water; and she was obliged to annoint the Posts of the Dore with Oyl. Then the Bride-men did lift her over the Threshold, and the Company did cry out with a lowd voice. Thalassio, thalassio, to congratulate her arival. * 1.14In her going thither, the Instruments need∣ful to spin, were carryed with her, that she might not flatter her self with the hopes * 1.15of an idle life. The Keys of the House were presented to her at the entrance, that she might thereby understand how the House was committed to her Care & Government. * 1.16It was also the Custome to offer to the Bride-groom and to his Bride at this time Water and Fire. At their arrival the Bride-groom did welcom her and her Friends with a Sup∣per▪

* 1.17 according to his quality; and then the Bride wars carryed to Bed, the Images of several Gods leading the way before into the Chamber. The next day her Friends did send unto her Gifts and Presents; they were called Nuptialia dona. And the Husband did make merry with his Kindred; this was named Repatia. This was the usual manner of the marrying of the Romans. There were several Laws enacted to tie Men of an anci∣ent Nobilitie to not disgrace themselves, by marrying with the Vulgar sort.

In the time of Romulus, they did not ob∣serve so much Ceremony in Marriage; For the Bride-groom, and his Bride did declare their union, and perform what was required by sharing in the same Bread & Water. The Lacedemonians did also marry, by eating a piece of Bread that had been divided by a Sword. Some other Greeks did accomplish this business, only by joyning of Hands, or by drinking to the Bride in a cup of Wine: But all Nations have observed an Order and Ceremony in Marriage, without which, no union of Man and Woman was lawful. The Greeks in some places did bring the Bride * 1.18home to her Husband in a Chariot, and then at the dore did burn it, to shew how she ought not from thence forward to gad too much abroad. Before the Romans did make any Contracts of Marriage, they did know the Virgins Dowry or Portion, which was first promised by the Father, All Marri∣ages

in Rome, were performed in the Even∣ing, when it grew dark.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Prov. To be happy and suc∣cessful in Wo∣ing.
• * 1.2

  This was called spondere filiam, and stipulari. unde sponsus & sponsa, two per∣sons betrothed.
• * 1.3

  Tabulae Nuptia∣l••s.
• * 1.4

  There were two sorts of Wives in Rome, Mater familias, w••o was married Coemptione, and Matrona, who was married o∣therwise.
• * 1.5

  M••nse Majo•• nubunt male.
• * 1.6

  Nuptiae, from Nubo, because the Virgin did appear covered with a yellow Vail.
• * 1.7

  Coemptione.
• * 1.8

  Vis ne mihi esse paterfamilias? Ans. Volo. Vis ne mihi esse materfamilias▪ Ans. Volo.
• * 1.9

  Farreatio, or Farracia. Marriage: Diffarreatio, Divorce.
• * 1.10

  Plin. l. 21. c. 8.
• * 1.11

  Juno is called Dea Quiris, or curis, which sig∣nifies also a Javeline.
• * 1.12

  Some say that Four Torches were carried be∣fore the Bride, Hence is ducere uxorem. To Marry. The Torch is named Taeda, or faces jugales; Hence the mar∣riage so is caled Unde uxor, quasi unxor.
• * 1.13

  Called Flam∣eum Hastoe Coelibaris
• * 1.14

  Liv. lib. 1.
• * 1.15

  They did Pray to the Gods, mentioned, lib. 1. cap 14.
• * 1.16

  The Water and Fire was to be toucht by both, in Plutarch.
• * 1.17

  Fescennina Car∣mina, were the obscene Songs of marriages. Dona nuptialia, are also Tokens sent by the Men to their Sweet-hearts. The Greeks had also their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, sent to the Bride by beau∣tiful Youths. Alex. ab Alex. lib. 2. cap. 5.
• * 1.18

  When all the Marriage Cere∣monies were not performed, the Marriage was stiled Nu∣ptiae innuptiae ••otem dicebat, or promittebar.