DECIPHERING SNIPPET OF 1682 MARRIAGE LICENCE .

[Les de B]

Recently submitted a request for part transcription of this 1682 Marriage Licence of Somerset, and was helped. Here is another request from that same licence.

Can anybody help me with the handwriting which is found at the very top of the licence? As you can see the printed part underneath is Latin, but hopefully the written section is English?

It is the Marriage of Alexander Pile and Grace Bartholomew. I think I can make out "Alexander Pile" up the top and "of Jacob Bartholomew" second last line. The rest of the writing I'm not sure.

Does anybody have any idea what this section of the licence relates to? There are 5 signatures at the bottom of the licence, 4 of them appear to signed by PILE family members, but the 5th is clearly signed by a "James Bartholomew", which is different to what appears at the top i.e. "of Jacob Batholomew". I'm hoping this means Jacob Batholomew is the father of Grace (which I haven't confirmed yet), and maybe the witness James Bartholomew is a brother?

Les

[Bookbox]

As mentioned in your other thread, it is a marriage bond -- part of an application to marry by licence, without banns. It is not the licence itself.

The intending groom (usually) and a friend or relative swear that there is no lawful impediment to the marriage, against a penalty sum payable in the unlikely event that their statement is untrue.

Bonds are in two parts -- the Obligation (in Latin) and the Condition (in English). This extract is part of the Obligation and is all in Latin. Apart from the names, places and date, the wording is standard.

Jacobus is the Latin for James, as well as for Jacob. So the bondsmen named here are Alexander Pile and James (or Jacob) Bartholomew. Relationships are not normally stated in allegations or bonds unless one party was under age, so the person named here might be Grace's father or brother, or even another relative.

There are plenty of threads on RC giving the full text of a standard marriage bond, if you need it.

[Les de B]

"Bookbox" - thank you for your very informative reply.

Les