Ref to above
A quick shufti through my books uncovers other references to the custom in Robert Chambers, William Tegg, Charlotte Burne and William Hone; do you KNOW the information came from Dixon or is it just laziness on your part Malc?
Perhaps the authors should have abandoned the idea of writing song notes (just as the M.T. reviewer abandoned the idea of discussing the songs and singers on the Clare CD) - and concentrated on an essay on marriage customs instead.
I followed that nastiness with growing distaste - it still leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth.