Actually - historically, handfasting (note the spelling) was a legal obligation to marry, usually performed with witnessess present. It didn't grant the right to "live together" in modern day terms (although I've read a lot of historical drama that indicates otherwise :) I think today the term handfesting is used mostly for pagen & wican religions. This link might help: http://www.medievalscotland.org/history/handfasting.shtml -- Searchable databases on the web: http://www.lovitt- genealogy.com/~lovitt/database2.htm -------------- Original message from "gordon crooks" <glcrooks@BCPL.net>: -------------- > Bonnie: Abby saw my msg and sent me the following URL's What strikes me is > history is again repeating itself "living together out of wedlock" > > Gordon > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "akyvelos" > To: "gordon crooks" > Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 5:39 PM > Subject: hand festing > > > > > http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=+history+of+Hand+festing+marriages&btnG > =Search > > > > http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=Hand+festing+marriages&btnG=Search > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this outgoing message. > > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > > Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.2.0 - Release Date: 2/21/2005 > > > > > > > > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > Keep informed of the latest news and new databases, webpages and mailing lists > at RootsWeb. Subscribe to the weekly RootsWeb Review. To subscribe, start > here: http://newsletters.rootsweb.com/ > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx >