100 
Urdahl—Historical Survey of Fee Systems. 
while the clerk wrote the bond which was required, the secre¬ 
tary recorded it, and the minister performed the ceremony, each 
of whom must be given fees for their services. 
But the colonial marriage license was, in its essence, radi¬ 
cally different from the modern marriage license. The license 
which the governors granted, was at first regarded as a special 
dispensation. Everybody was not required to obtain this 
license; and the more usual way in many colonies, was to be 
married in the churches, after the banns had been proclaimed, 
and the other formalities complied with. The special dispensa¬ 
tion conferred by the marriage license from the governor, was 
the privilege of being married at home, without going through 
all the prescribed formalities. The new method obviated all 
the publicity which the old customs required, and soon became 
popular in many colonies. The governors were, as a rule, very 
willing to grant these licenses, because of the fees which they 
thereby obtained. The governor of Pennsylvania is reported 
to have obtained considerable revenue from this source. * 1 
But the governor’s prerogative extended to many other mat¬ 
ters with which our governors of the day have nothing to do. 
In Massachusetts they granted licenses to Frenchmen to open 
shop, or carry on trade in the province. 2 A fee had to be paid 
to obtain the governor’s signature to validate a deed from 
Indians. 3 Licenses to trade with the Indians were obtained in 
the same way. 4 A fee for each ordinary license was also a part 
of the governor’s perquisite in many places, 5 as were peddlers’ 
issue probates of wills, to license schoolmasters and printers, to erect 
forts, and establish fairs and markets. Civil List of New York, 1887, 
p. 163. Governor Andros, appointed Governor General in 1686, charged 
60s for the probate of each will, besides expenses of journey to Boston; 
and for confirming patents of lands granted under the old charter, he 
charged 50£. Columbia College Studies , I, 300. 
1 Mem. Pa. Hist. Soe., XI, 357. 
3 Laws of Massachusetts, 1693, p. 90. 
3 Ibid., 1701, I, 471. 
*Ibid., 1713, p. 725. 
5 The Duke of York’s laws, 1676, provided that licenses to sell liquor be 
issued by the Governor to those recommended, “in order thereto by- two 
justices in open court.” 
