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Q: Reference to "Arras" or "Treizain" (1900 or earlier) (repost) ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   0 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Reference to "Arras" or "Treizain" (1900 or earlier) (repost)
Category: Reference, Education and News
Asked by: fstokens-ga
List Price: $5.00
Posted: 24 Apr 2004 19:50 PDT
Expires: 24 May 2004 19:50 PDT
Question ID: 335710
Find a 1900 or earlier source which mentions the tradition of
?treizain? or ?arras? (either by name, by description, or both).

Background:  I am researching the tradition of giving 13 coins or
tokens during a wedding. (see my web site at:
http://users.pullman.com/fjstevens/tokens/ArrasTokens/index.htm)  This
ceremony (and the coins) are called ?treizain? by the French, and
?Arras? by the Spanish.  I am looking for sources from 1900 or earlier
which mention this tradition.  The mention can be brief, as long as it
clearly refers to a specific number of coins (not necessarily 13,
though that is the most common number) that are exchanged during the
wedding ceremony.  Sources may be fiction or non-fiction as long as
the date can be determined.  To give you an idea of what I?m looking
for, here is an example of a source I?ve found already:

?La Mare Au Diable? by George Sand (1851)
?If you will allow you to relate to you in detail a country wedding?. 
At the offertory Germain [the bridegroom] placed, according to the
custom, the treizain ? that is to say, thirteen pieces of silver ? in
the hand of his beloved.?

I have a list of other references I have found already at:
http://users.pullman.com/fjstevens/tokens/ArrasTokens/pre1900arras.htm

One new reference counts as an ?answer.?  Answer need not be ?full
text? as long as it includes enough information for me to find it, and
it is findable (citations to manuscripts in European libraries would
be interesting, but not of much use).  If you find more than one, or
find a really good reference, I?ll add a tip.  If this question is
answered, I?ll post it again in a bit, so keep an eye out for
references even if you can?t find any right now.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Reference to "Arras" or "Treizain" (1900 or earlier) (repost)
Answered By: pafalafa-ga on 24 Apr 2004 21:00 PDT
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
Interesting question about a tradition I was only very vaguely familiar with.

I searched your terms at a great newspaper archives site, aptly named
Newspaperarchive.com:

http://www.newspaperarchive.com

and struck out with the formal terms, but hit paydirt with a search on:

"thirteen coins"

which led me to:

Manitoba Daily Free Press
July 31, 1888
page 3

A Wedding in Honduras

Here are some key excerpts:

======

The Honduran wedding is an event of much ceremony, especially among
the richer people...

All night long the music, the toasting, the champagne and the dancing
continue.  At 4 in the morning the cathedral bell is heard.  Instantly
the merriment ceases.  The bride and groom set out...

The priest meets them at the main entrance of the cathedral.  There is
a brief pause.  The bride extends her hand and the groom places in it
thirteen coins, repeating the customary phrase -- equivalent to "with
my worldy goods I thee endow."  The bride responds meetly (sic).  Then
the company, led by the cure, pass slowly toward the main altar and
all kneel while nuptial mass is celebrated.  This concludes the
ceremony.

============

Much the same article also appeared in: 
 

Decatur (Illinois) Daily Republican - 11/30/1888 

and the

Ohio Democrat - 8/2/1888 


You can see these yourself by visiting Newspaperarchive.com and
conducting the same search (include the quotation marks) for "thirteen
coins".  You can see the brief search results at no charge, but to
access the full articles, you'll have to subscribe to the site and pay
a fee.


Good luck with your research.  Let me know if you have any questions,
or need any clarification, about the information I've provided here.

pafalafa-ga
fstokens-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars and gave an additional tip of: $1.00
Thanks!  I hadn't though to check the newspaper archive!  Once I check
out those references, I'll post this question again and try to shake
loose some more.

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