Elopement:
The word "elopement" was given various meanings throughout the eighteenth century. In legal terms, the word was used to refer to the action of a wife who, abandoning her husband in an act of adultery, left him for a lover. Intriguingly, the Oxford English Dictionary only refers to the actions of the wife in this regard; perhaps the similar actions of a husband would be more commonly classified as abandonment.
The popular understanding of elopement is that which is still spoken of today: the practice of a couple running away from home with the intention of marriage. Once again, here the OED refers only to the actions of a woman (see below).
The final connotations of the word elopement are twofold; implying a sudden absence or escape. Whilst this often referred to the escape of criminals, it also referred (though less commonly), to a sudden, unexplained absence - usually equated with running away. (See final section).
Definition of "elope" (Eighteenth Century Definitions from the Oxford English Dictionary):
a. Law. Of a wife: To run away from her husband in the company of a paramour.
b. In popular language also (and more frequently) said of a woman running away from home with a lover for the purpose of being married.
The 1753 Marriage Act:
The Marriage Act of 1753, as shown above, courtesy of Historical Texts, prevented the occurrence of clandestine marriages, one effect of which would be to prevent the abduction of young girls by fortune-hunters. Enabling parents and guardians to forbid their wards from marrying without their explicit consent before the age of twenty one, it thus prohibited the possibility of a minor marrying the person of their choice without parental approval. The depiction of young ladies, such as Lydia in Sheridan's The Rivals however, indicated that some ladies of a higher social class held a romantic preference for gentlemen who held an inferior position socially to themselves. Whilst on the part of Lydia, this is largely a romantic choice, if intermingled with deliberate rebellion of her guardian's wishes, it might be that the gentlemen in such cases were merely interested in financial gain; the Marriage Act would thus prevent such fortune-hunters from bettering their social condition through a clandestine marriage, as it could secure wealthy heiresses as marriage partners for the aristocracy alone. The practice of elopement thus began in earnest, as the Marriage Act did not apply to Scotland, and so once the fugitive couple had crossed the border, they were at liberty to marry without the permission of their parents. For more information on wedding ceremonies, please click here.
Clergymen who married couples without a marriage licence, or who had not gone through the process of publishing banns, were subject to heavy fines:
Elopement within marriage:
Whilst a great many literary and judicial sources from the eighteenth century refer to cases of elopement in which an unmarried couple run away together with the purpose of getting married, references to a husband, or more commonly, a wife, leaving their spouse, often in the company of a lover, are scarcely less common. Sir Hargrave, in Samuel Richardson's The Paths of Virtue Delineated, laments that his wife 'was going to elope from [him] at a damned masquerade.' Other, non-fictional sources, such as statements from the Old Bailey for example, describe other such cases of elopement or abandonment. A statement made at the Old Bailey forewarns 'all Persons from trusting ISABEL, the Wife of Troilas Excell, Printer; she having elop'd from her Husband.' It is further noted that 'This is her third Elopement', thus indicating that such occurrences far from uncommon.
Another such instance at the Old Bailey describes the actions of Margaret Stanton who, claiming her spouse was 'none of the best of Husbands, and she and he did not agree together', decided to forsake her marital ties for the sake of greater liberty. According to the statement made at the Old Bailey, 'she being of a roving Disposition, she made an Elopement from her Husband, and pack'd up what little Things she had, and made the best of her Way to come to England.' Here, as in the previous instance, no inquiry is presented as to the possibility of any maltreatment or grave unpleasantness on the part of her husband which might have occasioned such a drastic act as a woman leaving her husband. Rather it is only the actions of the woman which appear to merit sanction in a court of law.
In Thomas Turner's Diary however, Turner makes reference to Dame Burrage, a woman who has been abandoned by her husband. Intriguingly, particularly given the second OED definition of elopement as being the action of a wife who leaves her husband in the company of a paramour, Turner describes the husband in question as having 'eloped' from his family: 'I think nothing sinks so deep in my heart as Dame Burrage's affair, to see a poor woman supplicating our charity with 6 poor helpless children (all small) deserted by a husband [...] who has been eloped from his family about ten days.' (Thomas Turner's Diary, p. 65)
Elopements ending in marriage:
This is an eighteenth century connotation of the word elopement, and one which is still familiar and recognisable in the twenty-first century; that of a couple running away from home in order to be married. The pictures below depict various stages of an elopement of this kind, with the absence of a wedding ring on the lady's finger implying that she is indeed unmarried, and so elopes with the intention of no longer remaining so.In the four stages of elopement as depicted in the paintings, the focus invariably lies upon the woman. Whilst it is the gentleman who is ultimately the cause of her considering to elope with him (see "Persuasion", fig.1), it is she who contemplates his proposition and resolves to acquiesce to his wishes, (see figs. 1 and 2). In the second and third pictures, only the woman is visible, indicating that, as the eighteenth century definition of "elopement" in the Oxford English Dictionary would imply, by its focus on the actions of the woman, it is she who would be considered to be more greatly at fault. However, it could be that as women were often living dependently, first upon their families, and later upon their husband, she would always be subordinate to another, unlike her lover or her husband, and so her actions might more readily be classified as elopement.
(All images published in 1786, presenting the four stages of elopement. Presented here courtesy of the British Museum).
Newspaper accounts of such elopements varied in tone from condemning to condoning. The romance of Henry Jessop, a lawyer, and Anna Maria Bowes, the seventeen year old ward of one Mrs. Parish, contrived clandestine meetings and their eventual elopement by balancing a plank of wood between their houses, as they lived opposite to one another. The Newcastle Courier, on the 24th January 1788, describes the affair as 'a pleasant elopement' which 'took place an evening or two ago. Lady A. M. Bowes, the daughter of Lady Strathmore, set off for the continent with Mr Jessop, of the Society of the Inner-Temple, a young gentleman of promising talents. Lady A. M. Bowes’s fortune was originally £20,000 and if it has been managed with care, must be now considerably increased. Her ladyship is in her seventeeth year. The lovers were vis a-vis neighbours, in Fludyer Street, by which they found means to hold frequent conferences, and from which they made a safe retreat.' For more information referring to the importance of newspaper reports in the eighteenth century, please click here.
In December 1790, The Town and Country Magazine, published a short story entitled 'HISTORIES of the Tete-a-Tete annexed; or, Memoirs of the BENEDICTINE MONK, and the ELOPING NUN of HAMPSTEAD', which recounts the tale of a promiscuous young monk who, unwilling to remain chaste, has sexual encounters with nuns before eloping with his chosen lady. It should be taken into account however, that, in keeping with the satirical nature of this text, which clearly aims to denigrate religious chastity, no wedding ceremony actually takes place. The couple leave France and arrive in England where 'sans cérémonie, the holy father and nun, in the character of man and wife, fondly slept together, solacing themselves with gratifications not wholly spiritual.' (p. 580) As is seen in the title of the piece, it is the nun, and not the monk who is 'eloping', despite the fact that both he and she were leaving their previous way of life behind. Thus, the focus of elopement is once again placed upon the woman.
A fine line between elopement and abduction:
Thomas Rowlandson's painting Elopement, as shown below, follows the story in 1791 of the infamous Bristol Elopement, in which fourteen year old Miss Clerke eloped from her boarding school in the company of her lover, Mr. Perry. Due to the age of the lady in question, and the fact that, as a minor, she remained in the care of others, she and Mr. Perry were swiftly pursued by Miss Clerke's school teacher, who arrived too late to prevent the marriage from taking place.
The article below in Public Advertiser, published on Thursday 24th March, 1791 recounts the discovery of Miss Clerke's disappearance, her school teacher's pursuit of the couple and the discovery of the identity of the man with whom she had left.
A trial was later held in order to ascertain that Miss Clerke had in fact left the school of her own accord. Her age and her promise of a large fortune indicated the possibility of abduction, rather than consensual elopement. Details of this trial (courtesy of British Periodicals) indicate the court's initial uncertainty. Mr Nathaniel Bond, who presents the case, is first shown to be 'diverting his mind from prejudice, and yet his description of the elopement is undeniably biased, portraying the case in the nature of the unlawful abduction of a minor, rather than the elopement of two lovers: '...after charging the prisoner of taking the child and the property of a worthy meritorious family - a child he had scarcely seen before - and dragging her to Scotland, where they underwent the cold ceremony of a marriage.' Mrs. Perry (née Miss Clerke) emphatically illustrates her marriage rather as an elopement, which led to her husband being found innocent of abduction: 'Mrs Perry said, she voluntarily left Miss Mills in March, 1791: that she knew who sent the chaise, and that she was going to Mr. Perry's. The plan of elopement was settled between Mr. Perry and herself ... and that she had often seen Mr. Perry, and though he had conceived an affection for her, she did not think it was for lucre. They therefore found him NOT GUILTY accordingly, to the satisfaction of everyone present; and in the moment their verdict was known, the loudest acclamations ever heard, burst forth in the hall, which lasted half an hour ... The bells rang on the occasion throughout the city.'
The definition and consequences of abduction are summarised as follows, in a statute of Henry VII (1486):9 'if any person shall for lucre take any woman...having substance either in goods or lands, or being heir apparent to her ancestors, contrary to her will; and afterwards she be married to such misdoer...or defiled; such person, and all his accessories, shall be deemed principal felons.' A statute by Elizabeth in 1597 moreover, stated that 'the benefit of clergy is taken away from all such felons'. (Sir W.Blackstone, Commentaries On The Laws Of England (1753), sixth edition, 4 vols, Dublin, 1775, IV,p.208) This 'benefit of clergy' would otherwise grant clergymen exemption from punishment for the execution of a number of crimes. As such, the gravity of the charge of abduction was great indeed; perpetrators 'deemed principal felons' were often executed as a result.
Sympathetic Portrayals of Elopement:
George Colman and David Garrick's The Clandestine Marriage (1776) describes the marriage of a young couple who, having married clandestinely, are obliged to keep their marriage a secret until the groom, Lovewell, has gained the approval of his father-in-law. Despite Fanny's father's personal liking for Lovewell, the young man's lack of wealth is a grievous obstacle to the union. The father's indignant, surprised reply to Lovewell's suggestion of a match between himself and Fanny is as follows: 'What! You marry Fanny! - no - no - that will never do, Lovewell! - You're a good boy, to be sure - I have great value for you - but can't think of you for a son-in-law. - There's no stuff in the case, no money, Lovewell.'
The couple in question (Fanny and Lovewell) are anxious to make their union known were it not for this factor. A marriage of love, if unaccompanied by the promise of money, is out of the question. Fanny's sister is preparing to marry a rich gentleman and scorns the idea of a marriage borne of love, when absent of wealth: 'Oh my dear, grave, romantic sister! -- A perfect philosopher in petticoats! -- Love and a cottage! -- Eh Fanny -- Ah, give me indifference and a coach and fix.' As such, the clandestine marriage, often brought about through elopement, incites sympathy for those couples who rebel against their parents' choice of marriage, a choice which is often solely governed by material prospects. Samuel Richardson, when speaking of Clarissa, desired 'to admonish Parents agt. forcing their Children's Inclinations, in an Article so essential to their Happiness, as Marriage.' (Samuel Richardson, letter to Aaron Hill, 29th October, 1746, in Selected Letters, p. 73) The Clandestine Marriage was inspired by Hogarth's series of engravings entitled Marriage à la Mode (see below) which recount the unhappy fate of a couple who marry according to their parents' wishes, rather than from any romantic inclination. (Image courtesy of Or, Dramaturgy blog (http://ordramaturgy.blogspot.co.uk/2011/01/london-hogarths-engravings.html ) dated Friday, January 21st, 2011.)
Sheridan's The Rivals meanwhile, presents the female protagonist, Lydia, as 'a lady of a very singular taste', being better pleased with her admirer 'as a half , pay ensign than if she knew he was son and heir to Sir Anthony Absolute, a baronet of three thousand a year!' (The Rivals, 1.1.43-46) The gentleman in question, Captain Absolute, is thus obliged to disguise himself as "Ensign Beverly" in order to gain her affections, as 'though I am convinced my little Lydia would elope with me as Ensign Beverly, yet I am by no means certain she would take me with the impediment of our friends' consent, a regular humdrum wedding, and the reversion of a good fortune on my side.' (2.1.70-74) Lydia is thus presented as not only determined to rebel against her guardian's wishes, but to do so arbitrarily, at first refusing to consider marrying a man who might meet her aunt's consent: 'But you know I lose most of my fortune if I marry without my aunt's consent till of age; and that is what I have determined to do, ever since I knew the penalty. Nor could I love the man who would wish to wait a day for the alternative.' (1.2.94-98)
Love, and the rebellion against parental authority, thus appear to go hand in hand, with the implication that a young lady might prefer to marry a man who is socially inferior to herself. Such a notion might be born from the lack of romantic love often displayed in approved or arranged marriages (see Hogarth's Marriage à la Mode - play is based on these paintings). The case for elopement is thus a case for romantic love; the lovers must act clandestinely and do so at risk of losing any financial or social support from friends or family. Lydia, were she to elope with the fictional Beverly, would lose two thirds of her dowry, whilst Absolute is given a grave, if comedic in tone, warning should he marry any woman but that of his father's choice: 'If you then agree, without any condition, to do everything on earth that I choose, why, confound you, I may in time forgive you. If not, zounds, don't enter the same hemisphere with me; don't dare to breathe the same air, or use the same light with me; but get an atmosphere and a sun of your own! I'll strip you of your commission; I'll lodge a five-and-three-pence in the hands of trustees, and you shall live on the interest. I'll disown you, I'll disinherit you, I'll unget you! And damn me, if I ever call you Jack again!' (2.1. 438-448)
George Colman's Polly Honeycombe (1760) also portrays elopement as being a rebellion against parental authority, by which one might marry for love, rather than mere material considerations. Polly speaks very casually of elopement, referring to it as a natural course of events when a girl is pushed into an undesirable marriage. The definition of "elopement" she offers to her nurse is simply that of "running away", yet previously she informs the audience that her intention is to marry Mr. Scribble, rather than Mr. Ledger, the man chosen for her by her parents:
NURSE: Contrivances! ay, marry, you have need of contrivances. Here are your Papa and Mama fully resolved to marry you to young Mr. Ledger, Mr. Simeon the rich Jew's wife's nephew, and all the while your head runs upon nothing but Mr. Scribble.
POLLY: A fiddle-stick's end for Mr. Ledger! I tell you what, Nursee, I'll marry Mr. Scribble, and not marry Mr. Ledger, whether Papa and Mama chuse it or no.---And how do you think I'll contrive it?
NURSE: How? Chicken!
POLLY: Why, don't you know?
NURSE: No, indeed.
POLLY: And can't you guess?
NURSE: No, by my troth, not I.
POLLY: O lord, it's the commonest thing in the world. ---I intend to elope.
NURSE: Elope! Chicken, what's that?
POLLY: Why, in the vulgar phrase, run away,--- that's all.
NURSE: Mercy on us!---Run away!
POLLY: Yes, run away, to be sure. Why there's nothing in that, you know. Every girl elopes, when her parents are obstinate and ill-natur'd about marrying her.
A hasty elopement:
Satirist John Walcot (aka Peter Pindar) published a poem entitled Ode on Moderation (Derby Mercury, 3rd August, 1797), in which he warns against the danger of a hasty elopement. On their way to Gretna Green, the couple are in a great hurry to be married, crying 'Make haste, dear JOHN, drive on, drive on, drive on', as they sit 'squeezing, hugging and kissing'. On their return journey however, whilst Caelia, the bride, is said to take 'a comfortable nap', her husband is already regretting his tie of marriage. His wife is already diminishing in charms before his eyes, as 'Down her cheeks, her locks dishevelled flow; not vastly smooth, but much like locks of hay.' 'Sweet wedlock's joys had lost their zest' already, and the groom concludes with the words: 'The devil take the BLACKSMITH and the day, / Who tied me to that trollop, now my wife, / Just like a jack-ass to a post, for life!' The blacksmith is described by the poet as being 'also a Divine, who gains a comfortable maintenance by making matrimonial chains as well as horse-shoes.' The role of the officiator is thus a wholly unromantic, even unholy one - the blacksmith performs weddings in order to add to his yearly income. The affectionate haste of the lovers quickly disappears after the wedding ceremony, implying that the notion that a clandestine elopement was incited not by a true and lasting love, but rather by a romantic inclination or folly that resulted in nothing less than indissoluble 'matrimonial chains.'
Samuel Bishop, in 'Epigram CLXXIX' also refers to the presence of a blacksmith at an eloping couple's marriage, and makes subtle references both to the clandestine, or 'fugitive' nature of the ceremony, and of its lasting ties, which are compared to the solid bonds formed by a blacksmith in his trade:
'Your satirical witlings, of metaphore fond,
Say, in England, the priest ties the conjugal bond.
But our fugitive pairs, who for Scotland elope,
Seem resolv'd to improve on that whimsical trope;
When a blacksmith stands parson, for want of a better, --
We may justly affirm, that he rivets the Fetter!
The song The Honeymoon, sung by Mrs. Wrighton at Vauxhall, and published in the Derby Mercury, 26th May, 1785, also presents the fear that an elopement might be occasioned by whimsical flights of affection, rather than a full recognition of the lasting bonds of martrimony. The song first describes the honeymoon bliss of a 'Boarding-School Couple just left Gretna Green', thus evidently referring to the occurrence of an elopement followed by a clandestine marriage. 'Papa's and Mama's surly Tempers once passed', the couple return home, and, after spending a mere three weeks as man and wife, 'To Routs hies my Lady to Gambling goes Master - / To part from each other ne'er Couple went faster', leading to 'Bleeding hearts - aching Heads, / Sep'rate Tables and Beds.' Thus, despite the emphasis on the romantic love of eloping couples, popular contemporary culture of the eighteenth century voiced fears of quickly cooling passions and marital relationships that grew to be the source of great regret.
John Collet's series of engravings, entitled 'Modern Love' were inspired by Hogarth's Marriage à la Mode, and in their turn, occasioned the publication of The wooden bowl. A tale. To which is added, A love-match. Taken from Mr. Collet's four celebrated pieces, viz. Courtship, Elopement, Honey-moon, and Matrimony. (1767) This publication referred to the elopement of a couple, with the following line illustrating the speed of this act: 'To Scotland they impatient go; / Where they in haste by priest are tied, / and Bridegroom they become, and Bride.'
Whilst Hogarth's Marriage à la Mode depicted the unhappy fate of a couple who did not choose to marry for love, Collet's Modern Love, a set of four engravings entitled 'Courtship', 'The Elopement', 'The Honey-Moon' and 'Discordant Matrimony' rather chooses to recount the tale of a couple who, despite marrying entirely of their own volition, are nevertheless unable to maintain their honey-moon bliss. Whilst these engravings, pictured below, portray a pessimistic depiction of even an initially romantic marriage, when considered in conjunction with Hogarth's Marriage à la Mode, it might be seen that it is marriage itself, rather than the romantic or materialistic means by which it is brought about, that is portrayed in the most pessimistic light. Pictures and commentaries are courtesy of the British Museum.
Courtship: 'A lady in profile to the right seated in a wood, while a man dressed as a military officer lying at her feet, kisses her left hand. Behind (left) an old woman points out the couple to an elderly man, apparently the lady's rather, who scowls at them. On a high pedestal (right) inscribed "Omnia Vincit Amor" is a statue of Venus, with Cupid beside her; he aims an arrow at the lovers, while he tramples on a crown at his feet. A dog licks the lady's left hand. Beside her on the ground is a flute and an open book of music on which are the words, "Affettuoso Each Art he tried the fair One's Heart to move He sigh'd, & kist, & swore eternal Love." Beside the book is a paper inscribed, "La Lettione del l'Amore A favourite Duet compos'd by Sigr Pianissimo". A peacock (left) pecks at a basket of grapes. '
The Elopement: 'A young girl (right) is descending some steps by which she has crossed a high paling, her lover in profile to the right receives her in his arms. An old hag waits, standing (right) holding a purse in her left hand. These three figures are intended for those in Plate I, but the lady looks many years younger; she wears a wide-brimmed flat hat over a close-fitting hood and a cape, instead of the more elaborate dress of Pl. I. Her lover wears military dress, with aiguillettes on the shoulder denoting a dragoon. A post-chaise and pair waits (right) outside a low paling; on the panel is a coat of arms with the motto "Ready". The postilion and coachman stand near their master (left): the former is lifting up a small corded trunk, while a dog worries his cap which is on the ground; the coachman examines the priming of a pistol. At the foot of the ladder is a rectangular box tied with ribbon, inscribed "For Miss Fanny Falsestep". Behind the paling (right) is a notice board: "Notice is hereby given that a Man Trap is set every Night within these Pales". In the lane where the post-chaise waits is a sign-post, pointing (left) "To London" and (right) "This leads to the Great Northern Road". In the background are trees, a cottage with a dovecote, and the tower of a church, the clock pointing to seven minutes past five.'
The Honey-Moon: 'The young couple sit on a settee (right) by a circular table on which are an urn and tea-things with a pot of "Virgin Honey". She leans on his shoulder while she puts a lump of sugar into the cup which he holds. A manservant enters from the left with a plate whose contents fall to the ground as a monkey seated on a cabinet pulls his queue. Three dogs and a cat are in the room. The room is panelled and is a good example of a well-furnished breakfast-parlour of the period. Books and papers scattered about are inscribed with various allusions to matrimony.'
Discordant Matrimony: 'The interior of a parlour. The husband (right) leans on a table looking towards a meretricious-looking maidservant (left) who has just brought in two children: a little girl whom she holds in her arms, and an older boy who drags across the floor a broken guitar which is harnessed to a toy horse. The maid looks alluringly at her master, a paper hangs from her pocket inscribed "The Willing Maid". The lady, who appears to be ill, is seated by a circular table, leaning her head on her hand. She looks with an expression of distress towards her husband. On the table is an open book inscribed "Inconstancy A Poem - Eternal Love Let no Man swear", and medicine phials, one labelled "A Composing Draught". A dog licks her hand. A black servant stands by the table holding two other phials; he watches the maidservant with a scowl. The pictures on the walls, the books and the behaviour of the animals all indicate the inconstancy of the husband: two dogs (right) coupled by a chain snarl at each other, their fore-paws resting on a book, "On the legality of Divorces". A monkey (right) seated on a toy-drum on a chair holds an open book, "Paradise Lost Hail Wedded Love Mysterious Law". A book falls from the table inscribed, "The Scene is Changed or the faithless Husband". The children's toys include three dolls: a king in ermine robes, crown and sceptre, a bishop, and a Harlequin.'
Elopement as escape:
This meaning of the word elopement was used not only in regard to criminals escaping from prison or thieves running away before they could be caught, but also to apprentices and those who were subordinate to another making an escape. Below are two extracts from statements made at the Old Bailey describing the elopements, or escapes, of two apprentices:
- Referring to the case of John Bromley: 'I keep a Turner's Shop just without Newgate; the Prisoner is my Apprentice ; he has served me six Years; he made an Elopement from me about this time Twelvemonth; but upon his returning home after above four Months Absence, I forgave him what was past.'
- A statement made by John Gulliford prior to his execution: 'For two Years I pursued this Course of Life, before it came to my Father's Knowledge, and when he heard of it he kept me closely confined, and bound me Apprentice to himself. He then followed the Waterman's Business , but not finding that answer according to his Desire, he left that, and took to Velvet-weaving , and kept me close to that about half a Year. I being of a roving Disposition, could not bear the Thoughts of such Confinement, therefore was determined at all Events to make an Elopement. In pursuance of this Resolution, I one Day got out of Window of the Room where I was lock'd up, by the help of a Sheet.'
A further reference to an elopement of this kind is made in a statement at The Old Bailey, with the case of Elizabeth Williams who, having escaped from prison, was swiftly discovered and forced to return: 'She has made an Elopement from Clerkenwell. There are five Guineas for taking her. Accordingly we call'd a Coach and we found her in Bed. Upon this she was retaken and carry'd to Clerkenwell Prison.'
The most surprising source I discovered referring to an elopement of this kind was that of General Blakeney's Letter to the Vicar General of the Island of Minorca, concerning the Elopement of three Nuns from the Nunnery of Citadella. The description of the elopement of these ladies is as follows: 'Three young ladies have, by stealth, made their escape from your nunnery, of their own free will and accord, without force or violence of any kind. At their own desire they are sheltered at an English gentleman's house, where they are treated according to the strictest rules of honour. They say they left their convent in order to turn protestants, and because they were tired of a life, to be perpetually in confinement, in consequence of a vow, formally extorted from them, by threatnings and punishments, which vow (if I may speak freely what I think) it was a greater sin to take than to break. [...] Moreover, Margarite Gomela and Margarite Sintos, the first night of escape, were married to English officers, and the marriage is as good as our laws can make it. Now, how can I separate whom God has joined?'
This letter could either have been placed in this section or in the above, in which elopement is mentioned in reference to a man and woman running away with the intention of marriage, as two of the nuns mentioned in this letter married officers on the first night of their escape (perhaps with the intention of assuring their permanent removal from the religious way of life). The main focus of this letter however, is the nuns' escape from life within a Roman Catholic convent, and their desire to convert to the protestant religion. Moreover, the escape refers to that of the nuns; no escape took place on the part of the officers. It is of particular interest here that, especially in contrast to the apparently forced nature of the religious vow the nuns made within the convent, their elopement is portrayed as being entirely the exercise of their own free will.
Bibliography:
'A Pleasant Elopement', Newcastle Courier, 24th January, 1788
This article recorded the elopement of Henry Jessop and Anna Maria Bowes, whose courtship took place by means of a plank of wood which the lovers placed between their adjacent windows. I was surprised by the way in which this article was clearly unopposed to the elopement, as previously I had assumed that elopement was socially condemned as a matter of course.
Bacon, Matthew, A New Abridgement of the Law. (London: printed by A. Strahan). Historical Texts, Web. 09/03/2015
This abridgement to the law refers to the Marriage Act of 1753, otherwise known as Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act, prevented those under the age of twenty one from marrying without parental consent. This document in particular was of great interest to me, as it was the legal prevention of such marriages that led to the practice of elopement, and the consequent marriages in Scotland, where this law did not apply.
Bishop, Samuel, EPIGRAM CLXXIX. [Your satirical witlings, of metaphor fond], from The Poetical Works (1796), ProQuest. Web. 09/03/2015
This poem refers to the unromantic aspects of a clandestine marriage occasioned by elopement. A blacksmith 'stands parson, for want of a better' in order to marry the 'fugitive' couples who cross the border between England and Scotland. This poem, along with other sources, offered particular insight into contemporary criticism of elopement.
Blackstone, W, Commentaries On The Laws Of England (1753), sixth edition, 4 vols, Dublin, 1775, IV
This source provided information concerning the consequences of abduction, with any perpetrators of so terrible a crime being considered 'principal felons' and thus meriting dire punishment. This information was previously unknown to me and made the trial of Mr. Perry, in which he was suspected of having abducted his fourteen year old bride, all the more intriguing, as the consequences for such an offence would have been grave indeed.
Colman, George, Polly Honeycombe (1760) ProQuest. Web. 09/03/2015
Polly Honeycombe, Colman's female protagonist, offers here a strikingly blasé view of elopement, stating that 'every girl elopes' when she is opposed to her parent's choice of a prospective spouse. Despite the shocked response of her nurse, who is unaware even of the meaning of elopement, this source does indicate that elopement had become, if not quite so unsurprising as Polly imagines, a relatively common occurrence.
Colman, G. and David Garrick, The Clandestine Marriage: a comedy, (regulated from the prompt books, by the permission of the managers), published by David Longworth at the Dramatic-Repository, 1817. Early American Imprints, Web. 09/03/2015
Once again, this source provided a relatively positive portrayal of clandestine marriages, with the arranged marriages in the play being so far removed from romantic love as to render them entirely undesirable, with promising financial prospects being the only means by which a marriage might be granted parental sanction.
General Blakeney's Letter to the Vicar General of the Island of Minorca, concerning the Elopement of three Nuns from the Nunnery of Citadella, (Blakeney: W Newcastle General Magazine, Sep. 1756), ProQuest. Web. 09/03/2015
This was a particularly surprising source, referring to the form of elopement which indicates the escape of those whose liberty would lie ordinarily in the power of another. Here, a group of nuns escaped from their convent with the intention of converting to Protestantism. The way in which the author of this article refers to the case as an 'elopement' indicates that this meaning of the word was regularly employed during the eighteenth century.
HISTORIES of the Tete-a-Tete annexed; or, Memoirs of the BENEDICTINE MONK, and the ELOPING NUN of HAMPSTEAD, published in The Town and Country Magazine, December 1790. ProQuest. Web. 09/03/2015
This short story, clearly composed with the aim of disparaging the supposedly chaste intentions of those living as a religious life, was a very entertaining read. The absurdly promiscuous monk and his eventual elopement (which did not result in marriage) with the nun was a surprising find, particularly as it is only she, and not the monk, who is described as 'eloping', thus highlighting the emphasis on the woman in matters of elopement.
Oxford English Dictionary, definition of 'elope, v.': http://0-www.oed.com.pugwash.lib.warwick.ac.uk/view/Entry/60582
The OED definition of 'elope' provided a useful background to my research, particularly as it was the first time I had heard the adultery of a wife being described as elopement.
Richardson, Samuel, The paths of virtue delineated; or, the history in miniature of the celebrated Pamela, Clarissa Harlowe, and Sir Charles Grandison (Edinburgh: John Wood, 1777) Historical Texts
This source describes the 'elopement' of a man's wife, thus indicating that this sense of the word was also in common circulation, particularly as it is when the husband is speaking in a rather outraged fashion that the word appears, rather than in any legal setting.
Richardson, Samuel, letter to Aaron Hill, 29th October, 1746, in Selected Letters
This was an unexpected and delightful find. In a letter to a friend, Richardson emotively condemns the practice of arranged and prevented marriages, thus implying that elopement was received with sympathy by some, as the means of achieving an otherwise thwarted happiness.
Singular Elopement, published in Public Advertiser, London: Thursday, March 24, 1791; Issue 17695. 17th-18th Century Burney Collection Newspapers. Web. 09/03/2015
This source relates the elopement of Miss Clerke and Mr. Perry, which took place when the former was only fourteen years old, and was at the time a ward at a boarding school. The incident highlights the fine line between a consensual elopement and a forced abduction, particularly considering the age of the lady in question.
Sheridan, Richard, The Rivals, (First performance: January 17th, 1775), Drama Online, Web. 09/03/2015
This play was particularly entertaining, with Captain Absolute being obliged to portray himself as a man of lower rank in order to gain his beloved's approval. The notion that a young lady might have a preference for suitors pertaining to a lower social rank than herself is a curious one, and might be seen to support the criticisms of the 1753 Marriage Act, which referred to the now increased difficulty for aspiring gentlemen to better their fortunes through marriage.
The Honeymoon, sang by Mrs. Wrighton at Vauxhall, and published in the Derby Mercury, 26th May, 1785
This song, amongst other sources, was an intriguing account of the rapid decline of romantic affection after a couple's elopement, thus indicating that an elopement with the purpose of obtaining marital bliss would inevitably end in disappointment.
The wooden bowl. A tale. To which is added, A love-match. Taken from Mr. Collet's four celebrated pieces, viz. Courtship, Elopement, Honey-moon, and Matrimony. (London: printed for C. Moran, 1767). Historical Texts, Web. 09/03/2015
This source refers to the great haste of couples when eloping, thus once again indicating that an elopement may not have been a greatly deliberated act, with full knowledge of its consequences, but rather stresses the excitement and hurry of the elopement itself.
Trial of R. V. Perry, Esq. For forcibly taking away Clementina Clerke, from a Boarding School at Bristol, and marrying her against her consent, contrary to the statute. Published in Walker's Hibernian magazine, or Compendium of entertaining knowledge, June 1794; Proquest. Web. 09/03/2015
This source recounts the trial of Mr. Perry after having eloped with the fourteen year old Miss. Clerke. The suspicion that he had abducted her against her will was a serious one, and yet the entire assembly is said to rejoice when he is declared 'not guilty.'
Turner, Thomas, The Diary of Thomas Turner, ed. David Vaisey, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1985), Print.
This source provided the surprising account of a husband's abandonment, which is described by the author as an 'elopement' from his wife and children. Given the emphasis on the woman's actions in the OED and other primary sources, I was intrigued to see the word employed with reference to the actions of a man.
Walcot, John, Ode on Moderation (Derby Mercury, 3rd August, 1797)
This poem provides a satirical commentary on the dangers of elopement, with the newly-wed groom, on the way home from Scotland, lamenting his undue haste in marrying his wife, and ceasing to feel any romantic love or attraction for her. Once again, the notion of elopement as a decision which failed to take into account the lasting ties of marriage is stressed, leading to the assumption that this may have been a widely-held conception of elopement.
Old Bailey Cases:
This site was invaluable in the creation of this page, particularly with reference to the elopement of married women and of the unlawful escape of prisoners, etc.
Defendant: Isabel, the Wife of Troilas Excell. Reference Number: a17340710-1 Date: July 17, 1734. Offence: Elopement
Defendant: Margaret Stanton. Reference Number: OA17401124 Date: 24th November, 1740 Offence: Robbery
Defendant: John Bromley. Reference Number: t17330912-5 Date: 12th September, 1733. Offence: Theft
Defendant: John Gulliford. Reference Number: OA17420113 Date: 13th January, 1742. Offence: Theft
Defendant: Elizabeth Williams. Reference Number: t17460226-35 Date: 26th February, 1746. Offence: Theft
Images:
The Elopement, Thomas Rowlandson, 1792. Artstor. Web. 09/03/2015
Stages of Elopement (series), James Philips, 1786. British Museum. Web. 09/03/2015
Marriage à la Mode, (series), William Hogarth, 1743-1745. Or, Dramaturgy. Web. 09/03/2015
Modern Love (series), John Collet, 1765. British Museum. Web. 09/03/2015
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