?? / Marriage Bonds

[Cal241]

A simple question I hope !!

Why can I not attach a document to an intial request i.e new topic??

Cal 

[PrueM]

Hi Cuz!

Some boards don't allow you to attach things...which board are you using?

Me x

[Cal241]

Hi Cuz
I am on Lancs look ups as I did not know where to post this marriage query?
It looks to me like a pre nuptial agreement in 1791??

.............Hey it will allow me now on a 'reply'

Want to know what this is about ? It is my 4 x grandparents marriage. I have never come across this before??
Cuz Cal

[RJ_Paton]

It's not a pre -nuptial agreement as we would understand it today.
My reading of it is that if this couple did not get married then the two main signatories agreed to pay £200 to the church (approx £24,000 today).

[Gadget]

Hi Cal 

It's a marriage bond - part of the granting of a license (rather than banns). I have a few of them. As Falkyrn says, the signatories (potential groom and his bondsman) agreed to pay if the bond was not honoured or the information given was untrue.

I have one which not only has the signature but also the the smudgy finger print of my ancestor 

Gadget

[Cal241]

HI  thanks for the reply

I can't believe that they would have had to pay £200 if they did not go ahead or gave false information, how fascinating!

I wonder how the Ag Labs and others with very little income could guarantee this amount or did the amount vary, set by the Vicar ??

Thanks again

Cal

[RJ_Paton]

Have alook at http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/bihr/guideleaflets/marriagebondguidance.pdf
which explains some more about such bonds.
They basically were applications to marry by special licence rather than having banns called publicly in the parish as would have been the norm.

[behindthefrogs]

What you have is the allegation followed by the actual licence.  The sum of two hundred pounds is payable if it is later discovered that the couple could not legally marry.  e.g. one of them is already married.  It is this allegation which allows the marriage to take place without banns.  If they don't marry the licence just lapses and all they lose is the few pounds that was paid for the licence.

David

[Cal241]

Thank you all so much for your help 

It is great stuff!!

Cal