he went and visited Grave Eric Oxenstiern, who discoursed with
him about the solemnity of the nuptials at Court, and asked him how he
liked it.

_Wh._ They were very noble; but I pray, my noble brother, instruct me
what the meaning was of the dowry given by the bridegroom to the bride
the next morning; and what do you call that dowry?

_Gr. Eric._ By the ancient custom of this country, the next morning after
the wedding-night the husband bestows upon his wife a gift of money
according to his estate, to show how he is pleased with the cohabitation,
and to make some provision, in case of his death before her, for the
wife, and children which he shall have by her; and this we call a
_morgen-gaven_--a morning's gift.

_Wh._ The same word _morgen-gaven_ is in the old terms of our English
laws, and expounded to signify a second dowry, and hath much affinity
with this of yours and in that of your twelve witnesses who testified the
contract of marriage and the _morgen-gaven_; to which our trials by
twelve men, whom we call juries because they are sworn, are somewhat
like, and they are so many witnesses as well as judges of the fact.

_Gr. Eric._ I believe your customs and ours had the same original.

_Wh._ I find much resemblance between them and yours. What do you call
the twelve that laid their hands on the spear?

_Gr. Eric._ We call them the twelve witnesses (_les douze temoins_).

_Wh._ What do you call the spear or pike which the gentleman held?

_Gr. Eric._ We call it _weppun_.

_Wh._ We have the same word, weapon, for all manner of arms and warlike
instruments. What do you call the laying of their hands upon the spear?

_Gr. Eric._ We call it _tack_,--_weppun-tack_, to touch the spear.

_Wh._ We have also the word _tack_, for touching; and we have, in the
northern parts of England, a particular precinct or territory which we
call a Wapentake, and a territorial court of justice there which we call
a Wapentake Court; and a very learned gentleman from whom I received
letters in my last packet, Selden, derives the name of Wapentake from
_weapon_ and _tack_; and saith they used to come to that court with their
weapons, and to touch one another's weapons, from whence came the
appellation of Wapentake.

_Gr. Eric._ Tacitus observes that at the public assemblies and councils
of the Germans, they used to meet with their weapons, and when anything
was said that pleased them they would touch one another's spears or
w