OF THE WELSH. 2:;3 



fliould ftrike the queen, or fnatch any thing forcibly 

 out of her hand, fnould forfeit the royal proteclion.'* 

 — ^Nothing, can fiu^ely exceed the brutality and in- 

 juftice of the following pufiifliment for fedu6lion. . 

 After complaint had been made by the female of the 

 def^rtion of her lover, the judge ordered that the 

 otrcnder ftiould provide a bull at fome fixed time 

 and place. As foon as it vs^as brought to the ipot, 

 the tail was fliaven, and well greafcd ; and, thus 

 prepared, Vv'as introduced through a wicker door. 

 Here the female was to lay hold of it ; two men 

 were to goad the beait ; and if, by dint of firength, 

 fhe could retain the bull, Ihe was to have it as 

 a fatisfaclion for the injury, (lie had fullained: if 

 not, llie got only the greafe that rsinained in her 

 hands. 



Ths; Britifli fair were declared marria^-cable at the 

 age of fourteen. The lover addreiled himfelf in all 

 cafes to the father of the maid. If he agreed to 

 " their union, he introduced his daughter to-her fuitor* 

 A few days - concluded the whole bufniefs, for the 

 father had an authority fo abfoiute, that his daugh- 

 ter had not even the power of refqial. If fiie difiiked 

 the lover whom he had recommended, ih? had no 

 other refource than either the tears of intreaty, or 

 the dangers of fiigiit *. If, however, after marriage^ 

 fhe continued to diilike her hufband, -flie might, by 

 the Welfh laws, be ,. feparated from him on vci-y 

 flight grounds ; it was a fufficient caufe if fne difco- 



* Whitaker'j Hiftory of Mancliellcr, if. 136. 



vere:l 



