Dunmow Flitch

“You shall swear, by the custom of our confession

That you never made any nuptial transgression

Since you were married man and wife,

By household brawls or contentious strife;

Or, since the parish clerk said ‘Amen,ʹ

Wished yourselves unmarried again;

Or, in a twelvemonth and a day,

Repented not in thought any way.

If to these terms, without all fear,

Of your own accord you will freely swear,

A gammon of bacon you shall receive,

And bear it hence with our good leave.

For this is our custom at Dunmow well known—

The sport is ours, out the bacon your own.”