The Virginia Gazette

From the Gentleman's Magazine of July.

On the 20th of Last Month, John Shakesthanks, Wooll-Comber, and Anne, his Wife, of the Parish of Watthersield, in Essex, appeared at the customary Court of the Manor of Dunmow-parva, in that Country, and claimed the Bacon according to the Custom of that Manor, which was delivered to them with the usual Formalities: This is the only Claim that has been made since the Year 1701.

The famous, old Story is as follows, viz. One Robert Fitzwalter, a powerful Baron in this Country, in the Reign of Henry III. instituted a Custom in the Priory there, that, "Whatever Married Man did not repent of his being Married, or differ and dispute with his Wife, within a Year and a Day after his Marriage, if he and his Wife would swear to the Truth of it, kneeling upon two Stones, in the Priory Church-Yard, set up for that Purpose, in Presence of the Prior and Convent, should have a Gammon of Bacon." This Custom is still kept up, notwithstanding the Dissolution of the Monasteries, only instead of the Prior and Convent, the Business is now transacted at a Court Baron held before the Steward of the Lord of the Manor. It may be some Amusement to our Readers to see the Words of the Oath on this Occasion, which are to the following Purpose, viz.

You do swear by Custom of Confession,
That you ne'er made nuptial Transgression;
Nor since you were married Man and Wife,
By Household Brawls, or contentious Strife,
Or otherwise, in Bed or at Board,
Offended each other in Deed or in Word
Or in a Twelvemonth's Time and a Day,
Repented not in Thought any way;
Or since the Church Clerk said Amen,
Wish'd yourselves unmarried again,
But continue true, and in desire,
As when you join'd Hands in holy Quire.

The Sentence pronounced for their receiving the Bacon is in Words to the Effect following. viz.

Since to the Conditions, without any Fear,
Of your own Accord you do freely swear,
A whole Gammon of Bacon you do receive,
And bear it away with Love and good Leave,
For this is the Custom of Dunmow well known;
Tho' the Pleasure be ours, the Bacon's your own.

We have an Account from Dunmow in Essex, that there were computed to be 2000 People there from all Parts to see the Ceremony of delivering the Bacon to the Couple who had not repented of their Marriage. The Man was examined by a Jury of Men, and the Woman by a Jury of Women: She declared, that she never repented but once, and that was, that she had not married sooner. We have it from undoubted Authority that the happy Couple made upwards of Fifty Pounds by selling Slices of it to several Gentlemen and Ladies present, who were whimsically merry on the Occasion.