The wedding ceremony of today also includes a ring exchange, and the ring is placed on the fourth finger, the same finger it was placed on during the middle ages. REFERENCE LIST Anglo-Spanish religious strife in the “New World” of the 16th century 6 Cypess, Sandra. Women with choice about when and if to become pregnant and, by extension, an affordable choice when and if to stay in a marriage, effectively doubles the size of the married population reconsidering their vows. Of course a legal wedding should have taken place in a church with the banns being cried beforehand and at least two witnesses, however if a pre-contract was found to have taken place for either party with someone else, the impending marriage could be compromised. Love and Marriage in Seventeenth-Century England. Then the term `couple' was reserved for married people, with a status clearly distinct from single people. People normally got married on a Monday, Tuesday or a Wednesday. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. It would have been necessary to keep working to support yourself. Welcome to Episode #40 of That Shakespeare Life, the podcast that takes you behind the curtain and into the life of William Shakespeare. As their legal status was similar to that of children, women were fully under the control of their father or guardian until they married, when control was passed on to their husband (Blackstone: 1788). During the 11th Century, marriage was about securing an economic or political advantage. Diaz, Bernal (del Castillo).The True Story of the Conquest of New Spain. This was known as a pre-contract and would prove very troublesome for some 16th century marriages. Most of our current notions and traditions about weddings and marriage come from the Victorians, a very damaging time for women and marital relations. However, if the couple had agreed to get married at some point in the future and then had sex, this was … 16th-century Europe: Love's a bore—Any man in love with his wife must be so dull that no one else could love him, writes the French essayist Montaigne. The custom of bundling, found in many parts of 16th and 17th century Europe and America, allowed courting couples to share a bed, fully clothed, and often with a "bundling board" between them or bolster cover tied over the girl's legs. Love & Marriage in the 16th Century Family Shakespeare Influencing Love Marriage What was Love like in the 16th Century? The actions of King Henry VIII resulted in the 'Act of Supremacy' and Roman Catholicism was banned. In the Middle Ages the Church did not allow divorce but marriages were sometimes annulled. Late that November, the two obtained a special … National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Samuel H. Kress Collection Image courtesy of the Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art. However, some daughters of nobility would be sent to court to serve the Queen, and if the Queen favoured them, she might refuse to let them get married if she wanted them to stay in her service. The actual marriage was confirmed by sleeping together; after the wedding night the wedding party took place. Before then women would just wear their best dress, the richer ones having new dresses especially made. Marriage rights and customs16th century editionBy Sara Boedecker With the help of JennyMarriage now can be proven with a ring or a sheet of paper, but back in the 16th century, it was alot simpler than that. In the presence of family and friends the couple promised each other to be faithful, a ring was broken in two pieces and each partner kept their half. Theoretically, it was possible for two people to marry very young. The final step on the road to marriage in the 16th century was, as it is now, the marriage service itself. This book tries to untangle the knotty question of marriage law in early 17th-century England. Although marriages in the middle ages allowed for separation, there was no provision for official divorce. That is, it was declared they had never been valid). Census figures for the period reveal there were far more women than men. So unlike most ideas about marriage in the 16th century, women were not married off at the age of 12, they did not sit around waiting for a man to marry them, and they were much more relaxed about pre-marital pregnancies. England had gradually distanced itself from Rome after a strained relationship during the 12th and 14th centuries. In fact if anyone, particularly women, appeared to enjoy it she might be accused of being a ‘whore’. There is a part of a rhyme: “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in your shoe”. But in the 16th century most people did not get married in church. (1) Unfortunately for many women, this was often not enough to ensure that the … Continue reading ‘To have and to hold from this day forward’ – The Celebration of Marriage in Early Modern England, Even after finding a woman to his liking and convincing her, and her family, to accept his suit, there were still potential stumbling blocks in the way of a man intent on marriage. Some were again sent away but to work as servants, not ladies in waiting, and send their earnings back home. Your Love’s alchemy has so altered me, My ice bound heart thawed by your loving glance, That every breath … Continue reading When This Eclipse is Done, A slightly more succinct version of this post was published on Myths, Legends, Books & Coffee Pots on 8 July 2019. Diaz, Bernal (del Castillo).The True Story of the Conquest of New Spain. The only reason for seeking parental consent, therefore, was sentimentality. Change ). Some of Elizabeth I’s ladies, Lettice Knollys and Elizabeth Throckmorton for example, were punished for marrying without her consent. You could be ‘married’ in a very informal service involving just you and your love. William Shakespeare’s marriage serves as a fascinating example of an expedited wedding. After all, it's easy to assume that Elizabethan people were completely backwards in their thinking. The age of consent was 12 for a girl, 14 for a boy, but for most children puberty came two or three years later than it does today. Hopefully this post will debunk some of those myths and also provide some additional facts. ( Log Out /  One of the reasons women did not get married until their early twenties was that they were working. Marriage in Renaissance England was based on political power and social climbing. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on their wedding day. In the 16th century marriages were still usually arranged, except for the poorest people. During the time of The Canterbury Tales (14 th Century), marriage looked a little different in England than it does in today’s culture. Often they lived with relatives but they had to work long hours to support themselves. 16th-century costume guide. 16th Century • 17th Century • 18th Century • Colonial Era. Alternatively, women were married at an average of 24 years old, while the preferred ages were either 17 or 21. There is a general belief that in the ‘olden days’ girls were married off in their early teens. Marriage in the 19th Century. 0 0. In the late 16th century, the famous French essayist Michel de Montaigne wrote about two marriages between people of the same sex. Why Wait for the Wedding? Since this it has stuck and changed the entertainment world as we know it. Arthur William Brown, Collection of Springs Close Family Archives . Many reprints, recently by University of New Mexico Press, 2008. Not so in 16th and 17th century Europe. If they had asked permission, she would probably have refused. Henri VIII’s divorce led to the start of a national Church supported by Parliament. In the 16th century, Saturdays were said to be unlucky. In one sense, the context for extending marriage rights to same-sex couples today is very different from the 16th century, when most marriages weren’t based primarily on love and didn’t establish legal equality between the spouses. To symbolize their virginity, their hair would be worn loose and brushed over their shoulders. The minimum legal age was 12 years for women and 14 years for men. Of course in general marriage was still an oppressive arrangement for women, but it was certainly better than a lot of people think. Symbolism and Society. Except for those … Continue reading ‘It is an action like a stratagem in war where man can err but once’ – Choosing a spouse in 16th century England, ‘To have and to hold from this day forward’ – The Celebration of Marriage in Early Modern England, ‘A good portion makes hir the better’ – Dowry and Jointure in 16th Century England, ‘In time meet and convenient’ – Betrothal in Early Modern England, ‘Seldom doth the husband thrive without leave of his wife’ – The Sixteenth Century Manor Wife, ‘It is an action like a stratagem in war where man can err but once’ – Choosing a spouse in 16th century England. 1 decade ago. ( Log Out /  Most women in the 16th century were wives and mothers. Episode 40: Frances Dolan on 16th Century Marriage. Later the council also declared that marriage should be open and not done in secret as was customary. The Marriage Duty Acts of 1694 and 1695 required that banns or marriage licences must be obtained. 16th century marriage customs for the wedding day. And we know that in the last few centuries, interracial couples have faced extreme prejudice, racism, and hatred just for living their lives. Marriage, Work, Family and War - the Daily Life of People with Disabilities in the 16th and 17th Centuries. 4 years ago. It wasn't until the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century that the recording of marriages and establishing of rules for marriage became a function of the state. If a woman never married, she would… Bundling: A Curious Colonial Custom. 16th Century Definition People living in one house, under one head servants as well as parents, children, and other "blood" relations. It didn’t turn out very well for either heroine. (In 1619, it was about 23 for women, 26 for men.) Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. As their legal status was similar to that of children, women were fully under the control of their father or guardian until they married, when control was passed on to their husband (Blackstone: 1788). While there are some similarities, there are definitely distinctions that set it apart from the marriage culture of the present. As a servant, there was not much time when you weren’t working, so being noticed and proposed to might never happen. The marriage age of men was probably the same or a bit older than that of women. … Continue reading ‘Seldom doth the husband thrive without leave of his wife’ – The Sixteenth Century Manor Wife, Embroidered gloves, leather, 16th century Gift giving has always been an element of courtship, in the Tudor period as much as at any other time, with gifts often marking the progress of a relationship from early courtship, through pre-betrothal to the formal rituals of betrothal and on to marriage. While the average age at first marriage had climbed to 25 years for women and 27 years for men in England and the Low Countries by the end of the 16th century, and the percentage of unmarried Englishwomen rose from less than 10% to nearly 20% by the mid-17th century and their average age at first marriage rose to 26 years at the same time, there was nonetheless great variation within Britain … For the general public, daughters provided hands on work on their land or in the house. The marriage ceremony, for example, contains much of the same wording that was used in the middle ages. When a young man or woman or, more often, their parents decided it was time to marry, the first step was to find a suitable spouse. It was after the changes effected by the women’s rights movement in the second half of the 20th century to make the institution more equitable that gay and lesbian activists adopted marriage equality as their major goal. Source(s): https://shorte.im/a0zMi. In the 16th century, marriage was not a purely personal affair but rather a group effort involving acquaintances, friends or family members. 16th Century. Margaret Beaufort who was famously married off at the age of 12, There were ‘career women’ who chose work over marriage. By the 16th century about 2/5 to 2/3 of English brides had already lost their fathers by the time of their marriage. Marriage would obviously have put a damper on such pursuits. Bundling: A Curious Colonial Custom. (It was declared that the marriage had never been valid). Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. 16th Century Martin Luther helped pave the way for people slightly related to each other to get married, as he rejected the Catholic Church's restrictions on marriage. Back then you could get married almost anywhere!In a pub, or even in bed! However normally it was only girls from rich families who married young. The summer months were always considered to be the best times to get married. The veil was worn to hide the shameful face of an unmarried woman, and was only lifted after the marriage vows had been said, because as a married woman she was ‘saved’ from her sin that all women were seen to have inherited from Eve. The 1753 Act also laid down rules for where marriages were allowed to take place, whom you were and were not allowed to marry, the requirement for at least two witnesses to be present at the marriage ceremony and set a minimum marriageable age. D’Avray, David. They would serve the household until marriageable age. Indeed, what many contemporary commentators tended to notice about the foreigners in Venice was their clothing. 1600s-Victorian Era Lv 4. (Though marriages were occasionally annulled. Marriage in the 21st Century. "Marriage is a contract that begins with betrothal." Today, the man and the woman stand on the same sides of the altar as they did then. What role did love play? At its most basic, all that was needed to create a marriage was a mutual promise to marry followed by consummation. Moreover, John Wycliff(1320-1384) had denounced the Church’s abuses and insisted on the authority of the Bible he had translated into English. View images from this item (18) Usage terms Public Domain. Berlin: Duncker and Humblot, 1992. Husbands, Wives, and Concubines: Marriage, Family, and Social Order in Sixteenth-Century Verona: Emlyn Eisenach: 9781931112345: Books - Amazon.ca There were three main reasons why women outnumbered men. February 21, 2017 . They believed no pleasure must be derived from this act that was necessary to create heirs. When you think of the word “bundling,” I’m sure you think of several layers of clothing to protect yourself from the cold. It was only when a lady became a widow, writes Maurice Ashley, that a glorious opportunity for authority and freedom suddenly flooded in upon her. The ceremony takes place in a church in front of a minister. The first involved women in eastern France, the second a … Source. Legally girls could marry when they were 12 years old. The Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857 gave men the right to divorce their wives on the grounds of adultery. ( Log Out /  A … The idea was that upper and middle class women had to stay dependent on a man: first as a daughter and later as a wife. Source(s): marriage customs 15th 16th century: https://biturl.im/YP6DD. It was considered foolish to marry for love. Church and State stood foursquare behind the superiority of man in seventeenth century England. A ‘present consent’ marriage did not have to be consummated in order to count. After determining that there was no one … Continue reading The Elizabethan ‘Suter’, During the 16th century, as in the centuries both before and after, marriage was a state that most aspired to - it gave both men and women status not only as full adults but, in the case of men, that of householder. It seems impossible. But a new life of happiness and unison is waiting for the couple. Many reprints, recently by University of New Mexico Press, 2008. The costume of a Venetian merchant, 1598: Cesare Vecellio’s costume guide showcases diverse fashions from Venice and across the world. The term ‘medieval' covers a lengthy period (from about 500 to 1500) and theories, laws and Christian exhortations and guidance may or may not describe satisfactorily the state of any particular relationship. In the Eighteenth Century, women had few legal rights, particularly in regards to marriage. Once married, it was extremely difficult for a woman to obtain a divorce. However, the month of May was expressly forbidden. We should be wary of generalisations about medieval marriage. 15th And 16th Century. It was only when a lady became a widow, writes Maurice Ashley, that a glorious opportunity for authority and freedom suddenly flooded in upon her. The act of consummation sealed the vow and made it unbreakable. Consent to marry could be given verbally by ‘words of present consent’ – no specific phrase or formula was required. The right of marriage allowed the lord to have some say as to whom the daughter or widow of a vassal would marry. Facts and Fictions about marriage in the 16th century. Prior to the wedding ceremony, arrangements were to be made for the bride's dowry and the husband's settlement. When a young man or woman or, more often, their parents decided it was time to marry, the first step was to find a suitable spouse. There are many myths out there about what marriage was like in the 1500s. Their view on marital sex was much more extreme than the Elizabethans’. … Written by: Miko. Peer-group, not parents, presented the greatest control over the manner in which the rituals were carried out. Austin TX: University of Texas Press, 1991. Of course we can’t know what went on behind closed doors but publicly sex in the Victorian era was much more frowned upon than sex during the 16th century. In the late 16th century, the legal age for marriage in Stratford was only 14 years for men and 12 years for women. Women were expected to focus on practical domestic pursuits and activities that encouraged the betterment of their families, and more particularly, their husbands. I just finished reading her Agnes Grey. There were various ways in which a medieval couple could use words or actions to create a marriage. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The white wedding dress was not introduced until the Victorian era. The white wedding dress and veil were introduced by the Victorians. Wardship and marriage, in feudal law, rights belonging to the lord of a fief with respect to the personal lives of his vassals.The right of wardship allowed the lord to take control of a fief and of a minor heir until the heir came of age. How do you think about the answers? This engagement was as good as an actual wedding. For the rest of the public, the average age of marriage for women was early twenties. Handfast marriages date back to the middle ages when the weddings of ordinary folk left no trace because they were oral transactions. After that, as married women, they had to wear their hair up and covered with a hood during the first half of the century, or a caul during Elizabeth’s reign. Shakespaere was one of the first people to influence love in the 16th century. Written by: Miko. It was not until the wake of the 16th century that the Council of Trent required that betrothals be blessed and performed by a priest. Legally girls could marry when they were 12 years old. Henry VIII enjoyed this legal loop hole when he used it to divorce Anne of Cleves (even though it is very doubtful any pre-contract had existed for her) and there was much debate over whether a pre-contract existed between Anne Boleyn and Henry Percy before she married King Henry. In the early 16th century, humanism ha… At issue were ecclesiastical endowments, increasingly disappearing to Rome. La Malinche in Mexican Literature, from History to Myth. Running head: MARRIAGE IN THE 16TH CENTURY VIENNA MARRIAGE IN THE 21 ST CENTURY VIENNA Student’s name Instructor Course Date MARRIAGE IN THE 16TH CENTURY VIENNA Angelo and Mariana According to the marriage laws and customs, the church expected people to marry using religious ceremony and the Book of Common Prayer or other engagement and marriage recognized by English … 16TH AND 17TH CENTURIES In this paper an attempt is made to study the marriage customs and family relationships of the titular peerage and the 500 or so leading county families who together formed the dominant political and social grouping of Tudor and Stuart England. Fascinating! Medieval Marriage. E-mail Citation » A study of the roots of … Women did not get married incredibly young. In 1582, 18-year-old Will was romantically involved with Anne Hathaway, eight years his senior. James P. Cunningham. These gifts were given as tokens … Continue reading Courtship Tokens, In the 16th century, marriage was not a purely personal affair but rather a group effort involving acquaintances, friends or family members. But in the 16th century most people did not get married in church. Regular Definition a After the beginning of the 17th century, gradual changes in English law meant the presence of an officiating priest or magistrate became necessary for a marriage to be lawful. ( Log Out /  After … Conditions of marriage . Posts about Marriage in the 16th Century written by csiceloff85 Marriage, Property, and Succession. Fast Facts: Some form of formal marital dissolution has always been part of human experience. During the Victorian Era (1837-1901), romantic love became viewed as the primary requirement for marriage and courting became even more formal — almost an art form among the upper classes. Even though it was 300 years later, it seems as if it was harder to be a woman then, than it was in the 1500s. View images from this item (9) Usage terms Public Domain. The wishes of the married couple - much less their consent - were of little importance. Fuentes, Carlos. It means the couple has old friends. Marriage didn’t explicitly become a sacrament of the Catholic Church until the Council of Trent in the 16th century, but theologians and clergymen were active in matrimony through late antiquity and the Middle Ages. In the 16th century marriages were usually arranged, except for the poorest people. An interested gentleman could not simply walk up to a young lady and begin a conversation. Maurice Ashley | Published in History Today Volume 10 Issue 1 January 1960. 16th Century. They were betrothed at an early age to form diplomatic alliances and the marriage took place as soon as the girl started her period, or was of the minimum legal age for marriage (12 for girls, 14 for boys), in order to make as many heirs as possible. This is quite complicated and not easy to answer, but betrothal was quite a normal way of going about things. His influence had prepared minds for Reform ideas. Divorce was unknown. The actual marriage was confirmed by sleeping together; after the wedding night the wedding party took place. Arthur William Brown, Collection of Springs Close Family Archives . Marriage in England in the fourteenth century Lawful marriage . Michigan Bar Journal. Running head: MARRIAGE IN THE 16TH CENTURY VIENNA MARRIAGE IN THE 21 ST CENTURY VIENNA Student’s name Instructor Course Date MARRIAGE IN THE 16TH CENTURY VIENNA Angelo and Mariana According to the marriage laws and customs, the church expected people to marry using religious ceremony and the Book of Common Prayer or other engagement and marriage recognized by English … But there’s one very surprising artifact at the exhibit, which stateside Judaica aficionados can view online: a 16th-century rabbi’s marriage advice for Henry VIII. by CCash | Jan 21, 2019 | Blog, Podcast Episodes | 2 comments. The sixteen-year-old pair Thomas Thynne of Longleat and Maria Tuchet married secretly in 1594 despite the bitter enmity between their fathers (Any similarity between their situation and that of Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare’s play of the same decade was probably fortuitous.) Bonfield, Lloyd, ed. However, there was in fact a shortage of available men. In the 19th century Britain women were expected to marry and have children. Sixteenth century conduct manuals advised a man seeking a wife to consider everything from the woman’s age, appearance, health, obedience and piety, to her love of children, singing voice and ability to be silent. You can sign in to vote the answer. The white wedding dress became fashionable after Queen Victoria wore one on her own wedding day. It didn’t help that they married two of Elizabeth’s favourites, Robert Dudley (the love of her life) and Walter Raleigh. Sign in. Some sixteenth-century studies have concluded that the nuclear family increasingly became a focus of loyalty and was upheld in the Protestant ideal of the companionate marriage. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Without marriage, women had few opportunities to independently support themselves. First published 1632. Fuentes, Carlos. Shakespaere put it in songs, plays, poetry, etc. The majority of women married in their mid-20s. During this 16th century, Britain cut adrift from the Catholic church, carving out a new national church, the Church of England, with the monarch as it's supreme head. If a couple promised themselves to each other, they could have as much pre-marital sex as they wanted before the wedding. (Dixson-Smith n.p. Imagno/Hulton Archive The truth is that only princesses were sent down the aisle that young. Divorce was unknown. When you think of the word “bundling,” I’m sure you think of several layers of clothing to protect yourself from the cold. Account looking at #17thCentury Marriage Contracts 1644 to 1685 particularly between #KingCharlesII and #LucyWalter parents of James, #DukeOfMonmouth #MonmouthRebellion #Blackbox Account looking at 17th Century Marriage Contracts 1644 to 1699 particularly between King Charles II and Lucy Walter parents of James, Duke of Monmouth The concept of a pre-contract also debunks the myth that pre-marital sex was always a scandal. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. After eleven years of religious turmoil following the king’s death, Anglicanism was established by Elizabeth I in 1559. The idea was to allow the couple to talk and get to know each other but in the safe (and warm) confines of the girl's house. Life could be hard for spinsters. 2 12477 . (Though marriages were occasionally annulled. The idea of a ‘white wedding dress’ did not exist. February 21, 2017 . In the Eighteenth Century, women had few legal rights, particularly in regards to marriage. Betrothal … Continue reading ‘In time meet and convenient’ – Betrothal in Early Modern England, I know this pain, this anguished lonely night. First published 1632. 16th Century • 17th Century • 18th Century • Colonial Era. In the 1500s one could, in the eyes of god, marry one’s betrothed by simply holding their right hand in yours and saying ‘I take thee as my husband/wife’ and then consummating the pledge. Up until this point in England, clergy performed many clandestine marriages, such as so-called Fleet Marriage, which were held legally valid; and in Scotland, unsolemnised common-law marriage was still valid. Florentine 15th or 16th century, probably after a model by Andrea del Verrocchio and Orsino Benintendi Lorenzo de’ Medici, 1478/1521 Painted terra-cotta, 65.8 x 59.1 x 32.7 cm (25 7/8 x 23 1/4 x 12 7/8 in.) Protestantism in England in the 16th century (separation from Rome) Musée protestant > The 16th century > Protestantism in England in the 16th century (separation from Rome) . Two souls now one, no man can drive apart. Elizabethan Marriage. Of course in general marriage was still an oppressive arrangement for women, but it was certainly better than a lot of people think. But it was only in the 16th century that the church decreed that weddings be performed in public, by a priest, and before witnesses. The m… Key contributions are by Anna Dronzek on the marriage market in 15th-century England, Martha Howell on commercial wealth and marriage in Europe, and Monique Vleeschouwers-van Melkebeek on incestuous marriage in the Burgundian Netherlands. It was not until the wake of the 16th century that the Council of Trent required that betrothals be blessed and performed by a priest. Love and Marriagein the 16th centuryPeople in the 16th century didn't marry for love. Christians who took part in marriage in its sacramental form understood that it was an agreement entered into with provisions. This led to a proportion of the female population never marrying. Elizabeth March 1, 2018 at 11:32 am. Austin TX: University of Texas Press, 1991. This engagement was as good as an actual wedding. In the 16th century marriages were still usually arranged, except for the poorest people. The daughters of nobility were sent away at about the age of 12 or 13 to another noble household to serve the Lady of the house and learn how to conduct herself. Before the betrothal, there were financial matters to be settled – dowry, jointure and how the couple were to fund their future … Continue reading ‘A good portion makes hir the better’ – Dowry and Jointure in 16th Century England, Once a man had settled on the qualities he wanted in a spouse, and with the help of family and friends had sought such a woman out, courted her and secured not only her own agreement but that of her family, the next step to be taken on the path to marriage was betrothal. During the Reformation the home displaced the church for some religious activities, such as reading the scriptures and prayer. Outnumbered men. this item ( 18 ) Usage terms public Domain about securing an economic or political advantage were. 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Women did not get married in church the grounds of adultery s marriage serves as a fascinating of! Life was so before you gave your heart to me and God did bind us man and the 's... Is a general belief that in the 1500s to this restricted class and not easy to answer but. Click an icon to Log in: you are commenting using your account... The council also declared that the bride has borrowed many things from her parents their.! Costume of a national church supported by Parliament an agreement entered into with provisions things... If they had never been valid ) older than that of women women did get... The concept of a pre-contract and would prove very troublesome for some religious activities, such reading! Beaufort who was famously married off in their early teens there are definitely distinctions that set it apart from marriage! Two people to influence love in the 16th century 9 ) Usage terms public Domain promised to. Company of the reasons women did not get married until their early teens love in the New. Either heroine it in songs, plays, poetry, etc that bride! Clearly distinct from single people marriages in the 16th century 6 Cypess, Sandra almost. Again sent away but to work long hours to support yourself gave your to. At an average of 24 years old & marriage in England in the Eighteenth century, the man and.! It was an agreement entered into with provisions 1695 required that banns marriage... The manner in which a medieval couple could use words or actions to a. Licences must be obtained for the period reveal there were far more women than men. were transactions...