Part 11 (2/2)

(7) Banns may be forbidden on four grounds: If either party is married already; or is related by consanguinity or affinity; or is under age; or is insane.

(8) Banns published in false names invalidate a marriage, if both parties are cognisant of the fact before the marriage takes place, i.e.

if they wilfully intend to defeat the law, but not otherwise.

(2) Licences.

There are two kinds of Marriage Licence, an Ordinary, or Common Licence, and a Special Licence.

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An _Ordinary Licence_, costing about 2, is granted by the Bishop, or Ordinary, in lieu of Banns, either through his Chancellor, or a ”Surrogate,” i.e. subst.i.tute. In marriage by Licence, three points may be noticed:--

(1) One (though only one) of the parties must reside in the parish where the marriage is to be celebrated, for fifteen days previous to the marriage.

(2) One of the parties must apply for the Licence in person, not in writing.

(3) A licence only holds good for three months.

A _Special Licence_, costing about 30, can only be obtained from the Archbishop of Canterbury,[11] and is only granted after special and minute inquiry. The points here to notice are:--

(1) Neither party need reside in the parish where the marriage is to be solemnized.

(2) The marriage may be celebrated in any Church, whether licensed or unlicensed[12] for marriages.

(3) It may be celebrated at any time of the day. It may be added that if any clergyman {121} celebrates a marriage without either Banns or Licence (or upon a Registrar's Certificate), he commits a felony, and is liable to fourteen years' penal servitude.[13]

Other safeguards there are, such as:--

_The Time for Marriages_.--Marriages must not be celebrated before 8 A.M., or after 3 P.M., so as to provide a reasonable chance of publicity.

_The Witnesses to a Marriage_.--Two witnesses, at least, must be present, in addition to the officiating clergyman.

_The Marriage Registers_.--The officiating clergyman must enter the marriage in two Registers provided by the State.

_The Signing of the Registers_.--The bride and bridegroom must sign their names in the said Registers immediately after the ceremony, as well as the two witnesses and the officiating clergyman. If either party wilfully makes any false statement with regard to age, condition, etc., he or she is guilty of perjury.

Such are some of the wise safeguards provided by both Church and State for the Sacrament of Marriage. Their object is to prevent the {122} marriage state being entered into ”lightly, unadvisedly, or wantonly,”

to secure such publicity as will prevent clandestine marriages,[14] and will give parents, and others with legal status, an opportunity to lodge legal objections.

Great is the solemnity of the Sacrament in which is ”signified and represented the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and His Church”.

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