2 8 December 1748. 



couple, the bridegroom fays he has no mo- 

 ney it prefer* t, but would pay the fee at 

 the firft opportunity : however he goes off 

 with his wife, and the clergyman never 

 gets his due. This proceeding has given 

 occafion to a cuftom which is now 

 common in Maryland, When the clergy- 

 man marries a very poor couple, he breaks 

 off in the middle of the Liturgy, and cries 

 out, Where is my fee ? The man muft then 

 give the money* and the clergyman pro- 

 ceeds ; but if the bridegroom has no mo- 

 ney, the clergyman defers the marriage 

 till another time, when the man is bette* 

 provided. People of fortune, of whom the 

 clergyman is fure to get his due, need not 

 fear this disagreeable queftion, wfyen they 

 are married. 



HOWEVER, though the parfon has got 

 licences to marry a couple, yet if he be 

 not very careful, he may get into very difa- 

 greeable circumftances ; for in many parts 

 of the country there is a law made, which, 

 notwithftanding the governor's licence, 

 greatly limits a clergyman in fome cafes. 

 He is not allowed to marry a couple who are 

 not yet of age, unlefs he be certain of the 

 confent of their parents. He cannot mar- 

 ry fuch ftrangers as have bound themfelves 

 to ferve a certain number of years> in order 



to 



