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"Married before the Justice" circa 1653

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Julie

Julie Report 31 May 2020 14:46

I have found a marriage entry in the general register of a church in England in 1653 that states "married before the Justice". Can someone throw some light on what this might have meant?

ErikaH

ErikaH Report 31 May 2020 16:45

Have you tried googling?

I haven't, but I would guess that it meant 'by licence' in front of (Before) the local JP

But........that is ONLY guesswork ;-)

Julie

Julie Report 31 May 2020 17:08

I did google it and didn't find anything specific to England around this date. Given that "civil" marriage was a much later introduction, and this event is noted in the parish register, I am puzzled. I don't know if it is significant, but the brides family were "gentry" and the bride 16/17 yrs of age at the time.

malyon

malyon Report 31 May 2020 17:21

Catholics who exchange marriage vows in the presence of civic officials (Justice of the Peace) are not considered validly married in the eyes of the Catholic Church.
Once you start living together and become sexually active, you will be classified as living in a state of mortal sin. That is because when one is sexually involved with another person without being married, (or in a non-recognized marriage), such behaviour is sinful.

lancashireAnn

lancashireAnn Report 31 May 2020 17:33

If that marriage was after 29th September 1653 this might cover it

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/acts-ordinances-interregnum/pp715-718

Researching:
Liverpool (Cartwright, Chambers, Miller), Todmorden (Sutcliffe, Mallison), Abergavenny (Watkins, Prosser)

malyon

malyon Report 31 May 2020 17:53

sounds to me that you are married by a justice not married by a priest or vicar

Julie

Julie Report 31 May 2020 22:06

lancashireAnn - many thanks the marriage was indeed after 29th September that year, so it would seem to cover the situation. So civil marriage did exist before 1837, you learn something new every day.

lancashireAnn

lancashireAnn Report 1 Jun 2020 16:53

Glad it was useful Julie. I had not seen it before so it was something new for me too

Researching:
Liverpool (Cartwright, Chambers, Miller), Todmorden (Sutcliffe, Mallison), Abergavenny (Watkins, Prosser)