Happy Flitch Day!

I’m convinced that if more people tried to win the “gammon of bacon” prize on Flitch Day, the world would be a better place. Frankly until a few weeks ago I’d never heard of Flitch Day and maybe you haven’t either.

Flitch Day a custom founded in England by Juga, a noble lady, in 1111, and restored by Robert de Fitzwalter in 1244; which was, that “any person from any part of England going to Dunmow, in Essex, and humbly kneeling on two stones at the church door, may claim a gammon of bacon, if he can swear that for twelve months and a day he has never had a household brawl or wished himself unmarried.”

These days the ceremony is held every four years and today’s the day!

Here’s the oath that’s said in rhyme:

We do swear by custom of confession
That we ne’re made nuptial transgression
Nor since we were married man and wife
By household brawl or contentious strife,
Or otherwise at bed or board,
Offended each other in deed or word;
Or since the parish clerk said amen,
Wished ourselves unmarried again;
Or in a twelvemonth and a day
Repented in thought in any way,
But continue true and in desire
As when we joined in holy quire.”

The officer who administers the oath then replies:

“Since to these conditions, without any fear,
Of your own accord you do freely swear,
A whole flitch of bacon you shall receive,
And bear it hence with love and good leave;
For this is our custom at Dunmow well known
Though the pleasure be ours, the bacon’s your own.”

If we all tried “bringing home the bacon” maybe we’d be nicer to everyone we know and that would change the world. Hey, I think I’m on to something here!