The history of sex and sexuality is underdeveloped in Irish historical studies, particularly for the period before the late-nineteenth century. While much has been written on rates of illegitimacy in Ireland, and its regional diversity, little research has been conducted on how ordinary women and men viewed sex and sexuality. Moreover, we still know little about the roles that sex played in the rituals of courtship and marriage. Drawing on a sample of Presbyterian church records, this article offers some new insights into these areas. It argues that sexual intercourse and other forms of sexual activity formed part of the normal courtship rituals for many young Presbyterian couples in Ulster. Courting couples participated in non-penetrative sexual practices, such as petting, groping and bundling. Furthermore, while sexual intercourse did not have a place in the formal route to marriage, many couples engaged in it regardless.

中文翻译：

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“他来到她的床上假装求爱”：1750-1844 年在阿尔斯特的性、求爱和结婚

在爱尔兰的历史研究中，性和性的历史并不发达，尤其是在 19 世纪晚期之前的时期。虽然关于爱尔兰的非婚生率及其地区多样性的文章很多，但关于普通女性和男性如何看待性和性行为的研究却很少。此外，我们仍然对性在求爱和婚姻仪式中所扮演的角色知之甚少。本文借鉴长老会教会记录的样本，对这些领域提供了一些新的见解。它认为，性交和其他形式的性活动构成了阿尔斯特许多年轻长老会夫妇正常求爱仪式的一部分。求爱的夫妇参与了非插入性的性行为，例如抚摸、摸索和捆绑。此外，