92 TRANSCRIPT OF THE EARLIEST REGISTER OF DALE ABBEY. 



correct, it would seem that the people of Dale took a worldly- 

 wise view of the marriage fees. High fees might deter people 

 from marriage at Dale, and, in consequence, the poor of the 

 parish would be deprived of a certain amount of relief, as, at the 

 close of the seventeenth century, the shilling fees were distributed 

 by the overseers of the poor. This is shown by entries in the 

 Register. On the other hand, when the question of the place 

 of burial left little choice, the fee was a higher one — three 

 shillings and fourpence. It may be noted that, though there are 

 several different styles of writing, some extremely bad, almost all 

 the entries of any period are in one hand, be they weddings, 

 christenings, or burials. 



The state of the document makes it desirable that a copy 

 should be made, and the information safely recorded. It is in 

 a state of sad dilapidation. It is a coverless paper book, with a 

 large hole through the first two leaves. It has, moreover, been 

 kept in time past in a damp place, and the paper is consequently 

 in a poorly preserved condition — the edges are worn away and 

 turned ; and as time goes on, words at present decipherable will 

 become unrecognisable, or will disappear altogether. 



A study of the entries will show that they are not contemporary 

 ones. Omissions, cramped entries, and the want of chronological 

 order and sequence will show that the entries were made some 

 time after the ceremonies. Some of the words and figures have 

 been corrected by contemporary, and some by apparently later, 

 hands. 



The book has been re-bound at some time, and it is plainly 

 evident that at that time there were more leaves than at present. 

 In the process of re-binding there was a considerable displace- 

 ment of the leaves. The notes on the text, it is hoped, will 

 explain this. To make this transcript as chronologically correct 

 as possible, the following order of the pages of the Register has 

 been made : — i to 12 (13 blank), 45 to 48, 42 to 37, 43, 44, 36 

 to 26 (25 and 24 blank), 23 to 16 (15 blank), 14. 



The volume measures 15 in. by 6 in. 



