Hi Miriam
Welcome to Rootschat - and we hope we can help you further your research into your ancestors.
When John Moon married Lucy young, The licence itself would presented to the parson (and very few survive), but the associated allegations, bonds and registers of licences kept in the issuing office are much more likely to be extant and many have been published. The allegation (required until 1823) was a sworn statement that Canon Law had been observed and that there was no legal impediment to the proposed marriage. Two bondsmen were required to lodge securities (from circa 1579) that parents or guardians had given their consent and that there was no present or pending impediment. One bondsman was usually the groom and the other often a relative. The information required varied with the diocese but frequently included, in addition to the groom's and bride's names, their status (i.e. bachelor, widower, spinster or widow), ages (particularly of minors), occupations, places of residence and the church where the marriage was to be celebrated. If therefore the Parish Register indicates marriage by licence a search should be made for the associated documentation first consulting any indexes available, which should also be searched whenever difficulty is experienced in tracing a marriage. It is a mistake to assume that only gentry obtained licences.
An example will illustrate the value better than description:
2 January 1829 Edmund Hills, Hartfield, labourer, 20 (with consent of Wm. Hills, Hartfield, publican) and Mary Anne Pelling, West Hoathly, spinster, 20 (with consent of Thomas Pelling, West Hoathly, labourer, her father).
J.S.W.Gibson's book (see Bibliography) shows, for each county, the licences available, where located and whether published.
Chris in 1066Land
