A PLOUGHMAN'S LOVE MAKING.

[Currie]

From The Belfast News-Letter, Monday, June 13, 1870.

A PLOUGHMAN'S LOVE MAKING.

On Wednesday—before Sheriff Barclay—Elizabeth Forbes, Wester Cultmalundie, near Perth, sued William Brown, residing at Coldwells, near Aberdalgie, "for £100 sterling of solatium, and for loss, injury, and damages sustained by the defender's failure to implement his promise of marriage repeatedly made to the pursuer."

William Brown, the defender, deponed —I am 24 years of age, and have been acquainted with Miss Forbes between seven and eight years. When I first became acquainted with her she was with my uncle, Mr. Bell, of Woodhead. She came there about Martinmas, 1861, and remained three years. She then went to Elliothead, and after that she went home. There was very little courting between us. (Laughter.) I never went exactly ance earnt to Elliothead to see her. (Laughter.)
Mr. WILSON—What do you mean by "exactly ance earnt?'
Witness—Because there's plenty other earnts I could gae about. (Laughter.) I knew she went to Mr. Dow's, of Cultmalundie. She was there more than two years. I sometimes went to see her there. I was not courting her there.
Mr. WILSON—Did you ever write to her?
Witness—I wrote her some letters. (Laughter.)
Mr. WILSON—Would you know them again?
Witness—Yes. I would know them if I saw them. (Shown letters addressed "Miss Elizabeth Forbes, Methven, near Perth.") I sent those letters.
The correspondence seems to have been extensive, and the following are copies of a few of the many which were produced:—

"Monday, dec. 8th.
"Dear love i write you a few lines to let you know that i am well at present and i hope this will find you the same but i have not got so much time as return answer to you for one of my horse has been badly & i have been waiting with him but i expect to see him ling dead when i get out to the stable i take the pleasur of writing you this when they are all sleeping in thair beed Dear love i am happy that they do not no anything about what we no ourselves but i think it would be the best plan to knok it off as son as possibel for i think their is to be no addmitens here but if their is not i will make them scarce of me as son as i can so i think we can joug on throu lifee yuit happy independent of them if we have helth and strenth but by nothing as regards house furniture before we see how bools is going to row but I will be most happy to meet you on Sunday first where the walls separates at hunting tower at 3 o'clock and talk about things what ever kind of wether blows i will be their to meet you i am well No more at preseeint but remains yors truly and ever shall be "WILLIAM BROWN."

"Coldwells Fabruary
"Dear love i write you this not to let you no that i am well i hopp this will find you the same Dear love i hop you will exquse me for not writing you sooner, but i have not got as mush time for we have been up before three o'clock in the morning this long time when night came i was gled to won to my bed we have been driving dung out of the dung courts if we are not in at Perth about five, we wont geet any you was sayind that you was getting mary ready for america i heard that you were both away but i thought that was very strange that you did not writ to or three words before that you went away i was living in the thoughts of never seeing you any more but i think you will be as well at home but if all is well and fair above anything like the thing I will meet you at lochty station at 4 o'clock on sunday week to see how you are getting on no more at present but remains yours truly
"WBB"

"Woodhead, Sunday.
"Dear old sweethart i am very sorrow that i parted with you last Knight perhaps you may change your mind yet I would be most happy if you would i have no peace in mind since i parted with manys the time I stopped on the road going home i thought i hard your voice when I was going through the stubble field. i believe i stopped a dozen of times i hop you will change your mind & give me a sweet note of comfort ear long for I never will find piece till I geet you if you are going to get weed i hop you will let me no how you are enjoing the married life dear love would you not think yourself happier to weight a little longer on your old sweethart than have to go with another you may be happier with another but I never will you are the only woman ever I loved or ever will as long as my name is William Brown if you please write soon no more at prescent but remains your ever dearest try and change your mind. I gazed on your portrait till i could gaze no longer
"WM. BROWN."

Mr. WILSON—There is a passage here which I would refer you to in a letter written in 1865, where it says:—"I am happy they did not know anything of it but ourselves; but I think we should knock it off as soon as possible." Tell me what you meant by "getting it knocked off."
Witness—I do not know exactly what I meant. (Laughter.)
Mr. WILSON—With reference to the letter dated "Woodhead, Sunday," which says, "I heard your voice when I was going through the stubble field. . . . I suppose that I stopped a dozen times. . . . I will never have peace until I get her. . . . You are the only woman I have ever loved, and ever will as long as nay name is William Brown." Are these letters yours?
Witness—Well, I suppose so. (Laughter.)
Mrs. Forbes—Elizabeth Forbes is my daughter. I know that she was engaged to be married to Wm. Brown. I have seen Brown with my daughter in my own house. They courted for nearly eight years. My daughter purchased some furniture and several articles of wearing apparel in anticipation of her marriage.
Two other witnesses were then examined, sisters of pursuer, but their evidence was merely a substantion of the previous evidence.

The SHERRIFF made avizandum of the process, and in doing so remarked that it was quite clear there had been a breach of promise.

—Dundee Advertiser.


Hope that’s interesting,
Alan

[Montrose Budie]

Doesn't sound much does it? £100. But that's around £4,500 today.

Note that 'pounds sterling', is clearly stated, not pounds Scots which would have been around 1/12th of the sterling sum.

Whichever, that would take a ploughman a very long time to earn.

mb

[SandySandilands]

LOVED it!

What a fascinating glimpse into the past.

Here's a similar or though much less colourful one involving Sir Walter Scott and concerning a "gentleman" who I believe is related to me in some way. I have never been able to find out anything further about this case other than the brief notes made by SWS. Wish I could have turned up an article like the one above

http://www.archive.org/stream/cu3192401 ... 1/mode/2up

[cadmium]

I had an ancestor who stopped courting a girl he'd had an illegitimate child with. Until, that is, she got engaged to a new bloke and her uncle swore a forty pound deposit (late 18th century)!

Went to the kirk session where the new guy complained, the girl begged the marriage called off so she could marry my ancestor, her old sweetheart instead, and the uncle promised to pay the fine.

My ancestor merely insisted that he HAD the title to her!