1786 Marriage Entry Questions

[Just Kia]

I have the marriage entry of Samuel NORMAN to Elizabeth WIMBUSH 23 Feb 1786.
Elizabeth is noted as "a minor" - can some please remind me what age she would have to be under to be a minor? Under 16? Under 21?
Consent is given by William Pearson, the guardian of Elizabeth. Does this probably mean her parents were deceased?

Samuel, Elizabeth and 3 witnesses signed the marriage entry (no his/her x marks and the signatures are all in different writing). William Pearson was one of them, the other two being Benj^m Holloway and M^a Cowley.
I understand Benj^m being short for Benjamin but what is M^a short for? Matthew?

Does the fact that Elizabeth - a minor female - signed her name in 1786 suggest that she was reasonably well educated and therefore probably from a reasonably well off family?

[stanmapstone]

A minor was under 21.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

Lord Hardwicke's 1753 Marriage Act, made it illegal for those in England under the age of 21 to get married without the consent of their parents or guardians.

Stan

[Siamese Girl]

It looks like Mo Cowley to me ? - A Moses Cowley married a Sarah Gimber at St George's Bloomsbury in 1771.

I'm not sure that the fact that Elizabeth could sign her name means she was from a well off family. Literacy levels, especially in London, were quite high at that time.

Carole

[Just Kia]

Thank you Stan and Carole =)