29th February - the Day of St. Oswald

Valentine's Day is considered one of the most popular and favorite holidays Valentine hearts. But in February, there is another holiday devoted to love - the day of St. Oswald. He came on February 29, so mark it only once every four years. That same day, suffering from unrequited love girls oblique views without fear and stigmatization may make an offer to please men. According to Scottish tradition, if chosen refuses, he will have to pay 100 pounds.

The tradition of the day of St. Oswald was born back in the V century in Ireland. An ancient legend says that once the holy Brigit of Kildare came to Saint Patrick and told him about the hard women share her convent, which suffered from unrequited love. Brigitte is very resented the fact that women were not allowed to take the initiative in a relationship and should only expect a marriage proposal from a loved one. St. Patrick was filled asking Brigitte and gave permission to the fair sex to make proposals to their elected representatives. It is said that Brigit of Kildare called husband of Patrick, but the agreement has not been.

More on progress in this matter the Scots. In the days of the interregnum in the country when the Queen was seven year old Margaret Maid of Norway (granddaughter of the monarch Alexander III, the lords took the unusual law. Worried about the increasing number of spinsters in a noble ancient lineages of Scotland (male knights thousands died in the fights in the war) lords in parliament announced that since 1288 and at all times February 29 women allowed themselves to propose marriage to the man, and he has no right to refuse. If, however, elect refused, he was obliged to pay a fairly significant penalty: kiss rejected, give her a silk shirt or a pair of gloves , to pay one pound, and so on. d. However, attempts to find the relevant documents of the Scottish Parliament on this unusual case were not successful, so there is no evidence for the existence of the law no.

Similar acts have been adopted in other European countries. In Denmark, for example, if a woman has been rejected, the compensation bride-loser was supposed to receive from his chosen 12 pairs of new gloves. In England, a man, refused the marriage proposal, was to give a girl a red silk dress. This tradition came to the Anglo-Saxon law in 1600, but its compliance is not considered mandatory - February 29 English law had no legal status and was not present during the day.

via factroom.ru