custom among the old Bohemians or Czechs。 〃Populus miscebatur cum
cognatis；〃 says the biographer of St。 Adalbert。 They are also
frequently mentioned in the epic poems of our peasants； the
so…called bilini； of which the late W。R。S。 Ralston has given to
English readers an accurate and profound analysis。 I will quote
certain passages from these poems to give you the facts on which
my theory is based。
One of the most celebrated heroes of our popular ballads；
Ilia Mourometz。 encounters one day a freebooter named Nightingale
（Solovei Razboinik）。 〃Why；〃 asks the hero； 〃do all thy children
look alike？〃 Nightingale gives the following answer： 〃Because；
when my son is grown up； I marry him to my daughter； and when my
daughter is old enough； I give her my son for a husband； and I do
so in order that my race may not die out。〃 Another popular
ballad； representing the evil customs of former days； describes
them in the following manner：
Brother made war upon brother；
Brother took sister to wife。
Endogamous marriages still occur in a few very remote parts
of Russia。 Such is the case in certain villages in the district
of Onega； and especially in that of Liamika； where the peasants
do their best to infringe the canonical prescriptions which
disallow marriage between blood relations to the fourth degree
inclusively。 The same has also been noticed in certain parts of
the Government of Archangel； quite on the shores of the White
Sea； where the peasants are in the habit of saying that marriages
between blood relations will be blessed with a more rapid
increase of 〃cattle〃 … the word 〃cattle〃 standing in this case
for children。 In some provinces of Siberia and in the district of
Vetlouga； which belongs to the Government of Nijni Novgorod；
endogamous marriages； though contrary to the prevailing custom
are looked upon with a favourable eye。 （4*）
Another fact； which deserves the attention of all partisans
of the theory of the matriarchate； first promulgated by McLennan；
is； the large independence enjoyed by the Slavonic women of old
days。 Let me first quote the words of Cosmas of Prague； which
relate to this subject； and then show you what illustration they
find both in written literature； and in popular ballads and
songs。
Non virgines viri； sed ipsoemet viros； quos et quando voluerunt；
accipiebant。
Such is the statement of Cosmas Pragensis； （ch。 xxi）。 This
means： 〃It is not the men who choose the maids； but the maids
themselves who take the husbands they like； and when they like。〃
This freedom of the Bohemian girls to dispose of their hearts
according to their own wish shows the comparative independence of
the Bohemian women at that period。
The oldest legal code of this people； the sniem； seems to
favour this independence by recognising the right of the women to
be free from any work； except that which is connected with the
maintenance of the household。（5*）
Confronted with the facts just brought forward； the popular
legend； reported by Cosmas in his chronicle； of a kind of
Bohemian Amazons； who took an active part in the wars of the
time； appears in its true light。 Free as they were from the bonds
of marriage； not relying on husbands for the defence of their
persons and estates； the old Bohemian Amazons were probably very
similar to those warlike women who still appear in the King of
Dahomey's army； and who in the time of Pompey were known to exist
among certain autochthonic tribes of the Caucasus。 A fact well
worth notice is that the memory of these bellicose women is still
preserved in the traditions of the Tcherkess； who call them by
the name of 〃emcheck。〃 Giantesses； wandering by themselves
through the country and fighting the heroes they meet on their
way； are also mentioned more than once in our popular ballads； or
bilini。 The name under which they are known is that of polinitzi；
the word pole meaning the field and in a secondary sense the
battle…field。
Like the Bohemian girls described by Cosmas of Prague； these
Russian Amazons chose their lovers as they liked。
〃Is thy heart inclined to amuse itself with me？〃 such is the
question addressed to Ilia Mourometz by one of these Amazons； the
so…called Beautiful Princess。 〃Be my husband and I will be thy
wife；〃 says another of these polinitzi； Anastasia the Beautiful；
to the paladin； Theodor Tougariu。 It is not the freebooter
Nightingale who chooses his wife； nor the paladin Dobrinia who is
going in search of a bride； both are represented as accepting the
offers of betrothal made to them by the Russian Amazons； Zaprava
and Marina。 （6*）
Evidence of still greater importance is that of the French
writer； Beauplan； who； speaking of the manners and customs of the
inhabitants of Little Russia during his time； the latter half of
the seventeenth century； states as follows：
〃In the Ukraine； contrary to the custom of all other nations；
the husbands do not choose their wives； but are themselves chosen
by their future consorts。〃
I hope I have now given an amount of information sufficient
to answer the purpose I have in view； which is no other； than to
show that； in a low state of morality； communal marriage between
near relations and endogamy went hand in hand amongst the early
Slavs with a considerable degree of independence among the weaker
sex。
To all these characteristic features of the matriarchate we
may add this very important one； that； according to the old
Russian law； the tie which unites a man to his sister and the
children she has brought into the world； was considered to be
closer than that which unites two brothers or the uncle and his
nephew。 In a society organised on the principle of agnatism； the
son of a sister has no reason to interfere in the pursuit of the
murderer of his uncle。 The brother belongs altogether to another
clan； and the duty of vengeance falls exclusively on the persons
of that clan。 But such is by no means the point of view of the
old Russian law； recognising； as it does； the right of the
sister's son to avenge the death of his uncle。
〃In case a man shall he killed by a man；〃 decrees the first
article of the Pravda of Yaroslav （the lex barborum of the
Russians）； 〃vengeance may be taken by a son； in case his father
has been killed； by the father； when the son falls a victim； by
the brother's son and by the son of a sister。〃 These last words
are omitted in the later versions of the Pravda； a fact which
shows the increase of agnatic organisation； but they are found in
the version generally recognised as the most ancient。
This close tie between brother and sister； between the uncle
and the sister's children； still exists among the Southern Slavs。
Professor Bogisic。 and after him Mr Krauss； have illustrated this
fact by the epic songs of the Servian people。 They speak of the
custom generally in use among the Southern Slavs of securing from
a person truthfulness in is statements by the invocation of the
name of the sister。 They mention； too； that peculiar relation of
artificial brotherhood and sisterhood； into which young men and
young women belonging to different kindreds frequently enter； in
order to secure to the weaker sex protection and help。
I hardly need insist on the importance which all these facts
have with regard to the theory of an early matiarchate among the
Slavs； the more so because this has already been done in England
by Mr McLennan； in his well…known study on the Patriarchal
theory； and in Germany by Bachofen in one of his Antiquarian
Letters。 （7*） But I shall complete the information which these
scholars have given by citing certain peculiar customs still in
use among Russian peasants。
Whilst the father is considered to be the proper person to
dispose of the hand of the bride； the brother； according to the
wedding ritual； appears as the chief protector of her virginity。
In more than one province of Russia the brother plays an
important part in that potion of the nuptial ceremony which may
be called by the Latin name of in domus deductio。 As soon as the
bridegroom has made his appearance in the court…yard of the
family to which his bride belongs； the brother； in accordance
with an old custom； takes his seat next the bride with a naked
sword； or at least a stick； in his hand。 The bridegroom； or the
groomsman； asking to be allowed to take his seat； receives as
answer； that the brother is there to keep ward over his sister；
and that he will not consent to leave his seat unless he be paid
for it。 〃Dear brother； don't give me away for nothing。 Ask a
hundred roubles for me； for the veil which covers my head a
thousand roubles。 Ask for my beauty God alone knows how much。〃
Such is the tenor of the song composed for the occasion。 〃The
brother； a true Tartar；〃 we read in the text of another nuptial
song； 〃has sold his sister for a thaler； and her fair tresses for
fifty copecks。〃
In Little Russia the drawn sword which the brother holds in
his hand on the occasion is ornamented with the red berries of
the guelderrose； red being the emblem of maidenhood among
Slavonic peoples。 Other emblems are the binding of the bride's
tresses； and the vei