TOPICS OF THE DAY

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14621, 24 March 1913, Page 6

TOPICS OF THE DAY

The writer on "Moro Promises Medimval Byways," in his Forgot, latest instalment, treats the delicate embarrassments of these who, when once engaged to marry, have neglected to get off with tho old lovo before getting on.with a new. The good old times held that a betrothal was almost as binding as a marriage. There should bo no repentance when once the man had said, "I Will sail wed thee, Janet ,at ye kirkdore," and she had replied, "Will'm, I sail never hafo housbande bot thee, Wili'm, whiiles yo live"—or words to that effect. Nor was thero any statute of limitations to help the inconstant lover. Janet Fcirry claimed Martin Highe fourteen years after the Sunday on which they "dyd ploight ther faith and tructh to tho other in the country maner." on which occasion Janet's grandfather gave them an address so long that it was recorded 1 "otto might have goon a milo in the space." Martin was evidently so impressed by the betrothal sermon that it frightened him away from the risks of matrimony. When, fourteen years later, ho was compelled to fulfil the "pleight," we may hope the tedious old grandsire's tongue was stilled. William do Ferour', another breaker of plights, tried to' escape by taking vows as a canon of Morton Priory, but Julia Vyne followed bim up all the way from York, and his betrothal vow to her was judged to nullify any later dedications. When a woman changed her mind, she usually denied any betrothal. Agnes Raphaels took this course, although Hugh Oversall, a mariner cf Hull, 6wore "greto othys that he and the 6aid Agues were handfast." She compromised by offering him, instead of herself, "a last of mutton talowe,"

which seems to have been- tben worth much ' Eriglisho money"; and even this unromantic solace she endeavoured to deprive him of when once she had safely married anct!:er man. Then there was poor John James, who felt so seriously engaged that he bestowed on Elizabeth Morgan "a ring of gold with a dyament," as we'll as two other gold rings, a gold crucifix, thrco pomanders, a ribbon of silk, "a pyncase of cloth of gold," and many rr.oro such tokens — and then she ungratefully married Jchn Maurice, who is not reported to have given any gifts at all! But Elizabeth declared that when the first suitor proposed she had not said yes, but only told him "ho shuld fyrst prove her fadur." This mediaeval version of the Victorian "ask papa," was evidently used when the lady desired a loophole for escape hereafter. Elizabeth was prepared to give back the presents, but Alico Eyton dealt moro unkindly with that worthy gentleman, Mr Richard Cotton. She kept rings and brooches, and a "pnrell hxodeted" girdle, because in making theso presents he did not stipulate for their return should she throw him over—as if a lover could foreseo the fickleness of his Alice's heart! But if some media?val maids cried off from matrimony, there never was a moro ready bride than that "big~e damsel!"—and forward hussey— Anne Hold en, aged twelve, who enticed James Bollard, a year younger, by the bribo of two apples, to come and get married, or at least "hnndfasted" enough to cause tho courts somo trouble in setting him free.

In connection with a ' Memorials proposal to erect a

to memorial to ShakesGreat Men. pea re in Sydney, an in-

teresting paper on "Memorials to Great Men" was read at the S.vdney Shakespeare Society a week or two ago. Tho writer of the paper, Mr W. E. Hawkins, pointed out tho necessity, especially in a young community, for inculcating by this means a fitting respect for great men in the minds of tho citizens. In all matters concerning citizenship one turns, of course, to the Greeks for the purpose of either imitation or comparison, and Mr Hawkins reminded his hearers that tho ancient Greeks deliberately set themselves to the task of inspiring high ideals in this way, valuing art "in proportion as it represented in perfect form tho highest and most comprehensive aspects of tho national ideal." All over Europe ono finds public reminders of great men and events. Tho great cities are full of them. Goethe has his statue at Frankfurt, and there is a Goethe and Schiller statue at Weimar, and' a Schiller statue at Stuttgart. Wagner has a monument to his memory in Berlin. At Geneva thero is a fine statue to JeanJacques Rousseau. Perhaps, of all countries, Mr Hawkins added, Denmark is tho most noteworthy in this respect. Not only have tho Danes so honoured their great sculptor Thorwaldsen, but statues of great men are prominent in their parks. Fredericksborg Castle, onco a favourite residence of the Kings of Denmark, has been converted into a national museum in which historic memorials are kept for tho edification of the people. As a Shakespeare memorial for Sydney, tho speaker strongly favoured a picture gallery, such as they have at Stratford, containing representations of the great scenes, particularlytho historical scenes, of tho plays. "Make your people familiar," he said, "with the great men and great deeds of the past, and they will emulate them."