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said； was a monk； entertained as to matrimonial relations。 The
Radimich； Viatich； and Sever captured their wives after having
previously come to an agreement with them。 This certainly is a
method which cannot meet with the approval of a Christian； but
nevertheless it is marriage。 We have before us an example of what
ethnologists have named 〃marriage by capture。〃
The Drevlians were even less advanced as regards the
intercourse between the sexes。 They also had games at which women
were captured； but not a word is said about any covenant entered
into by the captor and his supposed victim。 Neither is any
mention made of these games being held on the boundaries or
outskirts of villages； a fact which would point to the existence
of a sort of exogamy forbidding unions between persons of the
same gens。 In the description which the chronicler gives of the
Drevlians we have an instance of an almost unlimited licence；
whilst in that of the Radimich； Viatich and Sever we find a
picture of an exogamous people； contracting marriage by capture；
and yet retaining from the period of almost unlimited licence a
sort of family communism which appears in the relations between
fathers and daughters…in…law。
No trace of this either limited or unlimited promiscuousness
is to be found among the Polians； who according to our old
Chronicler； 〃conducted themselves with much reserve〃 towards
daughters…in…law； and sisters…in…law； towards mothers and
fathers； towards fathers…in…law and brothers…in…law。 They seem to
have been an exogamous tribe like the Radimich； Viatich and
Sever； their wives being brought to them from outside their own
gens。 Unlike the tribes just mentioned they did not； however；
procure them by capture。 It was not the custom for the
bridegrooms to go in search of their wives； they received them
from the hands of the parents of the women； and they then paid
the sum of money previously agreed upon。 This means that their
mode of constituting marriage was by buying their wives。 The
words of the Chronicler concerning these payments is far from
being clear； and Russian scholars have tried to interpret them in
the sense of 〃dower〃 brought by the relatives of the wife。 But it
has been recently proved that no mention of 〃dower〃 is to be
found in Russian charters before the fifteenth century； and that
the word veno used in mediaeval Russian to designate the payment
made on marriage； has no other meaning than that of pretium
nuptiale； or payment made by the bridegroom to the family of the
bride。（2*） The words of Tacitus concerning the dos paid amongst
the German tribes by the future husband to his wife's father give
precisely the meaning of the old Russian veno； and throw a light
on the sort of payment which the chronicle of Nestor had in view；
when speaking of the matrimonial customs of the Polians。
The testimony of our oldest Chronicle concerning the
different forms of matrimony among the eastern Slavs deserves our
closest attention； because it is； in all points； confirmed by the
study of the rest of our old written literature； of our epic
poems； of our wedding…songs； and of the matrimonial usages and
customs still or lately in existence in certain remote districts
of Russia。 The Drevlians are not the only Slavonic tribe to which
the mediaeval chronicles ascribe a low state of morality。 The
same is asserted of the old Bohemians or Czechs in the account
given of their manners and customs by Cosmas of Prague； a Latin
annalist of the eleventh century； who says： Connubia erant illis
communia。 Nam more pecudum singulas ad noctes novos probant
hymenaeos； et surgente aurora。。。。 ferrea amoris rumpunt vincula。〃
This means： 〃They practised communal marriage。 For； like animals；
they contracted each night a fresh marriage； and as soon as the
dawn appeared they broke the iron bonds of love。〃
This statement is directly confirmed by that of another
medieval author； the unknown biographer of St。 Adalbert。 This
writer ascribes the animosity of the Bohemian people towards the
saint to the fact of his strong opposition to the shameful
promiscuity which in his time prevailed in Bohemia。 It is
confirmed； also； by the monk of the Russian Abbey of Eleasar；
known by the name of Pamphil； who lived in the sixteenth century。
Both speak of the existence of certain yearly festivals at which
great licence prevailed。 According to the last…named author； such
meetings were regularly held on the borders of the State of
Novgorod on the banks of rivers； resembling； in that particular；
the annual festivals mentioned by Nestor。 Not later than the
beginning of the sixteenth century； they were complained of by
the clergy of the State of Pscov。 It was at that time that
Pamphil drew up his letter to the Governor of the State；
admonishing him to put an end to these annual gatherings； since
their only result was the corruption of the young women and
girls。 According to the author just cited； the meetings took
place； as a rule； the day before the festival of St。 John the
Baptist； which； in pagan times； was that of a divinity known by
the name of Jarilo； corresponding to the Priapus of the Greeks。
Half a century later the new ecclesiastical code； compiled by an
assembly of divines convened in Moscow by the Czar Ivan the
Terrible； took effectual measures for abolishing every vestige of
paganism； amongst them； the yearly festivals held on Christmas
Day； on the day of the baptism of our Lord； and on St。 John the
Baptist； commonly called Midsummer Day。 A general feature of all
these festivals； according to the code； was the prevalence of the
promiscuous intercourse of the sexes。 How far the clergy
succeeded in suppressing these yearly meetings； which had been
regularly held for centuries before on the banks of rivers； we
cannot precisely say； although the fact of their occasional
occurrence； even in modern times； does not tend to prove their
complete abolition。 More than once have I had an opportunity of
being present at these nightly meetings； held at the end of June；
in commemoration of a heathen divinity。 They usually take place
close to a river or pond； large fires are lighted； and over them
young couples； bachelors and unmarried girls； jump barefoot。 I
have never found any trace of licentiousness； but there is no
doubt that cases of licence do occur； though seldom in our time。
That a few centuries ago they were very frequent has been lately
proved by some curious documents preserved in the archives of
some of the provincial ecclesiastical councils； particularly in
those existing in the Government of Kharkov。 According to these
documents； the local clergy were engaged in constant warfare with
the shameful licentiousness which prevailed at the evening
assembles of the peasants； and more than once the clergy
succeeded in inducing the authorities of the village to dissolve
the assemblies by force。 The priests were often wounded； and
obliged to seek refuge in the houses of the village elders from
the stones with which they were pelted。 These evening assemblies
are known to the people of Great Russia under the name of
Posidelki； and to the Little Russians by that of Vechernitzi。
The licentiousness which formed the characteristic feature of
these meetings throws light on the motives which induce the
peasants of certain Great Russian communes to attach but small
importance to virginity。 Russian ethnographers have not
infrequently mentioned the fact of young men living openly with
unmarried women； and； even in case of marriage； of giving
preference to those who were known to have already been mothers。
However peculiar all these facts may seem； they are very
often met with among people of quite a distinct race。 The
Allemanic populations of the Grisons； no longer ago than the
sixteenth century； held regular meetings which were not less
shameful than those of the Cossacks。 The Kilbenen were abolished；
by law （3*） but another custom； in direct antagonism to morality；
continued to exist all over the northern cantons of Switzerland
and in the southern provinces of Wurtemberg and of Baden。 I mean
the custom known under the name of Kirchgang or Dorfgehen； which；
according to the popular songs； consisted in nothing else than
the right of a bachelor to become the lover of some young girl；
and that quite openly； and with the implied consent of the
parents of his sweetheart。 May I also mention a similar custom
amongst the Welsh； known as 〃bundling〃？ I am not well enough
informed as to the character of this custom to insist on its
resemblance to those already mentioned。 The little I have said on
the German survivals of early licence may suffice to establish
this general conclusion： that the comparative immorality of
Russian peasants has no other cause than the survival amongst
them of numerous vestiges of the early forms of marriage。
Another feature of the matriarchal family； the lack of any
prohibition as to marriages between persons who are sprung from
the same father or grandfather； is also mentioned more than once
by early Slavonic writers。 Such marriages were not prohibited by
custom among the old Bohemians or Czechs。 〃Populus miscebatur cum
cog