.
There have always been women at Christian funerals.
Soon afterward Jesus went to a town named Nain, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. Just as he arrived at the gate of the town, a funeral procession was coming out. The dead man was the only son of a woman who was a widow, and a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart was filled with pity for her, and he said to her, "Don't cry." (Luke 7:11)
Ther followyd the corse Mr. John Roche his sone, as chief mourner, alone; and after hym ij. coples of mourners more. Then the sword-berer and my lord maire in black. Then the aldermen and sheriffs after theim, and the hole lyvory of this felowshippe, in order. Then the ladys and gentylwomen, as the aldermen's wyfes and others, which, after dirige, cam home to his house and dranke, where they had spice-brede and comfetts, wyne, ale, and beere.
After the Reformation we have "The proceedinge to the funerall of a Knight in
Fyrste, the children of the hospitall two and two.
Then two yeomen conductors, in blacke cotes, with blacke staves in their handes.
Then poor men in gownes two and two.
Then poor weomen in gownes two and two.
Then the quyer.
Then the preacher.
Then the standard borne by a gentleman in gowne and hoode.
Then gentleweomen in gownes.
Then all the aldermen of the cytie that weare blackes.
Then the executors of the defunct.
Then the preacher, yf he be a deane.
Then the penon, borne by a gentleman in gowne and hoode.
Then the healme and creaste borne by a pursuevant.
Then the coate of armes borne by a herald.
Then Clarentius, kinge of armes of the province.
The corpes, covered with a pall of blacke velvett, borne by vj. yeomen in blacke cotes, assisted by iiij. gentlemen in gownes and hoodes, as also betweene iiij. penons of armes, videliz. one of the defuncts, one of the cities, one other of the companie wherof he was free, and the iiijth of the Marchante Venturers or of the Marchants of Muscovye, or such lyke.
Then next after the corpes followeth the chief mourner.
Then other two mourners.
Then other two mourners.
Then followeth the chamberlayne and towne clerke of
Then the swordbearer.
Then the lorde maior in blacke.
Then the aldermen havinge no blackes.
Then the estates of weomen havinge blackes.
Then aldermen's wyfes havinge no blackes.
Then the companyes.
Then the masters of the hospitalls, with grene staves.
Then the neyghbours and other parishoners.
In "the Last Chronicle of Barset", Trollope writes of Mr. Harding's funeral:
"The dean and the archdeacon came first, shoulder to shoulder, and after them came their wives. I do not know that it was the proper order for mourning, "
The wives were Mr. Harding's daughters.
Trollope was simply commentating on the order of the funeral cortège.
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=45506
.
