reatment of this subject I would
refer my readers to the essays of Professor Karl Pearson, _The Chances
of Death_, Vol. II.--"Woman as Witch: Evidences of Mother-Right in the
Customs of Mediaeval Witchcraft"; "Ashiepattle, or Hans Seeks his
Luck"; "Kindred Group Marriage," Part I.; "The Mother-Age
Civilisation," Part II.; "General Words for Sex and Kinship," Part
III.; "Special Words for Sex and Relationship." In these suggestive
essays Professor Pearson has brought together a great number of facts
which give a new and charming significance to the early position of
women. Perhaps the most interesting essay is that of "Woman as Witch,"
in which he shows that the beliefs and practices connected with
mediaeval witchcraft were really perverted rites, survivals of
mother-age customs.

[104] Bede, II. 1-7.

[105] F. Frazer, _Golden Bough_, Pt. I. _The Magic Art_, Vol. II. pp.
282-283. Canute's marriage was clearly one of policy: Emma was much
older than he was, she was then living in Normandy, and it is doubtful
if the Danish king had ever seen her. Such marriages with the widow of
a king were common. The familiar example of Hamlet's uncle is one,
who, after murdering his brother, married his wife, and became king.
His acceptance by the people, in spite of his crime, is explained if
it was the old Danish custom for marriage with the king's widow to
carry the kingdom with it. In Hamlet's position as avenger, and his
curious hesitancy, we have really an indication of the conflict
between the old and new ways of reckoning descent.

[106] Strabo, IV. 5, 4. Hartland, _Primitive Paternity_, Vol. II. p.
132. It must not be thought that mother-descent was always accompanied
by promiscuity, or even with what we should call laxity of morals. We
shall find that it was not. But the early custom of group marriages
was frequent, in which women often changed their mates at will, and
perhaps retained none of them long. We shall see that this freedom,
whatever were its evils, carried with it many privileges for women.

[107] H. Ellis, citing Rhys and Brynmor-Jones, _The Welsh People_, p.
214.

[108] Gen. xxiv. 5-53.

[109] Gen. xxxi. 41, 43.

[110] Judges xv. 1.

[111] Num. xxxii. 8-11.

[112] Letourneau, _Evolution of Marriage_, p. 326.

[113] Num. xxxvi. 4-8.

[114] Gen. xii.

[115] 2 Sam. xiii. 16.

[116] Exod. vi. 20.

[117] Gen. xi. 26-29.

[118] See Thomas, _Sex and Society_, pp. 63-64.

[119] Morgan, _House and