New Je'Jey, Raccoon. 29 



to pay off their paffage from Europe, with- 

 out the confent of their matters ; if he 

 acts without their confent, or in oppo- 

 fition to it, he muft pay a penalty of fifty 

 pounds, Pcnfyhania currency, though he 

 has the licence, and the certificate of the 

 two men who are to anfwer for any objec- 

 tion. But parents or mailers give them- 

 felves no concern about thefe'men, but 

 take hold of the clergyman, who is at li- 

 berty to profecute thofe who gave him the 

 certificate, and to get his damages repaid. 

 With the confent of the parents and mailers 

 he may marry people without danger to 

 himfelf. No clergyman is allowed to mar- 

 ry a negro with one of European extrac- 

 tion, or he muft pay a penalty of one 

 hundred pounds, according to the laws of 

 Penfyhania. 



There is a very peculiar diverting cuf- 

 tom here, in regard to marrying. When a 

 man dies, and leaves his widow in great po- 

 verty, or fo that fhe cannot pay all the debts 

 with what little fhe has left, and that, not- 

 withstanding all that, there is a perfon who 

 will marry her, me muft be married in no 

 other habit than her fhift. By that means, 

 me leaves to the creditors of her deceafed 

 hufband her cloaths, and every thing which 

 they find in the home. But fhe is not 



obliged 



