572 rope-playing, or at a carousal, or when a per son arrives from a distance." If the man de nied giving a kiss, he could absolve himself by giving the oath of seven men; and the fair one could prove her innocence by the oaths of seven women, and her own nearest rela tives could be pressed into the service.1 In the West, Miss Cracker recovered $2,000 from a railway company for half a dozen kisses given her — invita Minerva — by a conduc tor.2 A married woman might attack her husband's concubine with her hands if they met; and even though the poor concubine died, no compensation was required.3 If a husband took another wife after part ing from the first one, Number One was free to marry again. Following this very just provision, however, comes one which must have been rather hard on the lady, and re minds one of the adage of " Many a slip 'twixt cup and lip; " it ran thus : " If a man parts from his wife and she be minded to take another husband, and the first husband shall repent having parted from his wife, and overtake her with one foot in the bed and the other outside the bed, the first husband is to have the woman." 4 In view of this one would expect husband Number Two to lock his door the first night. Chastity was highly prized among the Welsh. If one supposed to be a maid was given in marriage and was not one, the groom could not repudiate her, nor take away any of her due, if she shared his bed for a single night. If, however, he protested her frailty as soon as known, the law allowed her to be exculpated by the oath of seven persons, including her mother, her father, her brothers, and her sisters. If she was not so absolved, the law was rude enough to say, " let her shift be cut off as high as her hips, and let a yearling steer be put in her hand, having his tail greased with tallow; and if she can hold him by his tail, 1 » 8 4
Ven. C. B. II. ch. 1; Dim. C. B. II. ch. 18. Cracker Chicago & N. W. Ry., 36 Wis. 657. Dim. C. B. II. ch. 8, § 61. Vcn. C. B. II. ch. i. § 18; Dim. C. B. II. ch. 18, 5 29.
let her take him in lieu of her share of the argyvren (a maiden's paraphernalia); and if she cannot hold him, let her be without any thing." 1 If a woman cohabited with a man without the sanction and blessing of Mother Church, and he deserted her, upon complaint made by her to her kindred and to the courts, she — so runs the Gwentian Code, — is " to receive, for her chastity, a bull of three winters, having its tail shaven and greased and then thrust through the door-clate; and then let the woman go into the house, the bull being outside, and let her plant her foot on the threshold, and let her take his tail in her hand, and let a man come on each side of the bull with goads to propel the bull; and if she can hold the bull, let her take it for her wyneb-werth (a fine payable for insult) and her chastity; and if not, let her take what grease may adhere to her hands." 2 A woman might leave her husband if he was leprous, or had fetid breath, or was in capable of performing his marital duties; and leaving him for any of these reasons, she was entitled to have the whole of her property. If by dying husband and wife parted company, the latter was entitled to have everything in two portions, except the corn; no wife in the world was to have a share of the corn, except an espoused wife. If by dying and living they separated, the sick aided by the confessor divided, and the healthy one chose her part. It is amusing to read the way the goods, and chattels had to be shared between hus band and wife when they parted after a seven years' matrimonial alliance. " The swine to the husband, and the sheep to the wife; if there are only one kind they are to be shared; and if there be sheep and goats, the sheep to the husband, the goats to the wife; if there be only one kind, they are to be shared. Of the children, two shares to the father, and one to the mother; the oldest and the youngest to the father, and the mid dlemost to the mother. The household fur niture is to be thus shared: all the milking > Ven. C. B. I. ch. i, § 27. a B. II. ch. 29, § 42.
