Blaming the victim

We were doing a lookup for client in the Kirk Session minutes for Dalziel, Lanarkshire for a client today (fixed-price, before you ask, so the client didn't pay for our time) when we found the following incident, which we thought we'd share.

Dalziel, 9th July 1820

​[The Session] proceeded to take under their consideration the case of John Weir, Weaver in Motherwell, Precentor in the Church, who had been guilty of beating his wife in a shameful manner and in conducting himself towards his whole family so as to occasion their separation from him. The Session were of opinion that there must have been some irregular behaviour on the part of his wife or family before he would have acted in the manner aforesaid. They therefore unanimously resolved to cite the said John Weir and his wife before them, in order to acquaint them that they are excluded from sealing ordinances till they give evidence of repentance by conducting themselves in a quiet and Christian manner.

In the mean time, they discharge the said John Weir from the office of Precentor in the church. The officer was ordered to cite John Weir and his wife to appear before the session on Wednesday the 19th curr[en]t.

So a church officer (the precentor lead the singing in the Church of Scotland) beats up his wife (and possibly his children) but "there must have been some irregular behaviour on the part of his wife or family". And the wife is summoned before the Session to explain herself.

19th [July 1820]
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Compeared John Weir and Agnes Watson his wife, agreeably to citation. In conformity with the resolution entered into at last meeting of Session, the Session informed the said John Weir and Agnes Watson that in consequence of what had happened they were excluded from sealing ordinances till they gave some evidence of repentance, and of living together in a quiet and Christian manner. The Session at the same time told them that they would receive notice when to appear before them in order to be absolved from scandal. Agnes Watson solemnly declared that she entertained no suspicions of her husband John Weir having had a criminal connexion with Margaret Stewart, wife of John Bond, Labourer, Motherwell.

Reading between the lines, perhaps Agnes had accused her husband of having an affair with a married woman. A couple of months later, John was up before the Session once again.

10th September 1820

Appeared John Weir Weaver in Motherwell and craved to be absolved from the scandal under which he was lying on account of irregular conduct towards his Wife and Family. The Session understanding that the said John Weir had been conducting himself regularly towards his Wife an Family, and thereby giving evidence of repentance, agreed to grant the same. The said John Weir was accordingly rebuked by the Moderator, was exhorted to walk as becometh a Christian, and was absolved from the scandal under which he was lying.

​Closed with prayer.

So John showed his repentance by seemingly not beating up his wife again. What you might wonder had prompted him to seek absolution for his crime? The answer seems to appear just three days later:

13th [September 1820]
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The Session granted a certificate to John Weir.

It seems likely that John had decided to move away from Motherwell, and he would need a certificate from Dalziel Kirk Session in order to become a church member in his new parish. Interestingly enough, there is no mention of his wife Agnes Watson also being granted a certificate. Five months later, though, we read the following:

26th [February 1821]
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Appeared Agnes Watson wife of John Weir Weaver Motherwell and was absolved from Scandal.

So it took seven months for Agnes Watson to be absolved from the scandal of being assaulted by her husband. Her assailant, however, was cleared from the scandal in just two months. Patriarchal double-standards are nothing new, clearly.

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Source: Dalziel Church of Scotland Kirk Session Minutes [NRS Ref CH2/462/2, pages 19-21]