FISHEK WEDDINGS. 301 



of each herring season; and as these weddings are what are 

 called in Scotland penny weddings — i.e. weddings at which 

 each guest pays a small sum for his entertainment, there is 

 no diflSculty in obtaining admission to the ceremony and 

 customary rejoicings. Young men often wait tUl the close of 

 the annual fishing before they venture into the matrimonial 

 noose ; and I have seen at Newhaven as many as eight 

 marriages in one evening. It has been said that a "lucky" 

 day, or rather night, is usually chosen for the ceremony, 

 for "luck" is the ruling deity of the fishermen; but as 

 regards the marriage customs of the fisher-class, it was ex- 

 plained to me that marriages were always held on a Friday 

 (usually thought to be an unlucky day), from no superstitious 

 feeling or notion, as was sometimes considered by strangers, 

 but simply that the fishermen might have the last day of the 

 week (Saturday) and the Sunday to enjoy themselves with 

 their friends and acquaintances, instead of, if their weddings 

 took place on Monday or Tuesday, breaking up the whole 

 week afterwards. I considered this a sort of feasible and 

 reasonable explanation of the matter. On such occasions as 

 those of marriage there is great bustle and animation. The 

 guests are invited two days beforehand by the happy couple 

 in propriis personis, and means are taken to remind their friends 

 again of the ceremony on the joyous day. At the proper time 

 the parties jneet— the lad in his best blue suit, and the lass 

 and all the other maidens dressed in white — and walk to the 

 manse or church, as the case may be, or the minister is " tiysted " 

 to come to the bride's father's residence. There is a great 

 dinner provided for the happy occasion, usually served at a small 

 inn or public-house when there is a very large party. M the 

 best viands which can be thought of are procured : fish, flesh, 

 and fowl ; porter, ale, and whisky, are all to be had at these 

 banquets, not forgetting the universal dish of skate, which is 

 produced at all fisher marriages. After dinner comes the 

 collection, when the best man, or some one of the company, 

 goes round and gets a shilling or a sixpence from each. This 

 is the mode of celebrating a penny wedding, and aU are welcome 

 who like to attend,, the bidding being general. The evening 

 winds up, so far as the young folks are concerned, with unlimited 

 dancing. In fact dancing at one time used to be the favourite 

 -recreation of the fisher-folk. In a duU season they would dance 

 for " luck," in a plentiful season for joy — anything served as an 



