48 Iktiios ot tbe •ff3untina'^jFlel5 



set his affections on a cornel)' )'oung woman named 

 Mary White, the daughter of a farmer at Uldale. He 

 was twenty and she was nineteen, and, without troubling 

 to consult their respective parents, the young couple 

 resolved to get married. There was no secrecy about 

 the affair. John went straight to the parson of Caldbeck, 

 handed in the names of John Peel, bachelor, and Mary 

 White, spinster, both of that parish, and desired that the 

 banns should be read out for the first time the following 

 Sunday. 



The announcement that these two persons con- 

 templated being joined together in holy matrimony 

 caused the liveliest astonishment among the congrega- 

 tion. But none were more amazed than the parents 

 of the prospective bride and bridegroom. Up sprang 

 Mary's mother from her seat and promptly forbade the 

 banns, adding in tones of warm indignation, ' They're 

 far ower young.' 



So strong was the parental opposition on both sides 

 that there was no ' second time of asking,' and the young 

 lovers apparently acquiesced in the decision of their 

 elders. But, like Brer Fox, they ' lay low,' and, finding 

 that there was no chance of inducing their parents to 

 consent to their early union, they took the law into their 

 own hands. 



One night, when the old folks were abed, John went to 

 his father's stables, selected the stoutest and fleetest 

 horse there, ' Binsey,' saddled him with a pillion, 

 mounted and set off for Uldale. At the appointed 

 signal beneath the window, Mary stole out, was swung 

 by John's strong arm into the pillion, and away they 

 rode for Gretna Green. So cleverly was the elopement 

 planned that the old folks at Uldale and Caldbeck had 



