In artful Strategem to tye the noose, While women ' Do you want the Parson? ' cry." "Yesterday," said The Old Whig of April 14, 1737, "Parson Gaynham, near eighty years of age, very remarkable for hav ing coupled thirty-six thousand persons in the Liberty of the Fleet, was himself married in the same Liberty to his servant-maid, who has lived with him upwards of fourteen years." Reed's Weeklv Journal, June 25, 1737, . contained this item : "Monday last the wry-neck'd Parson of the Fleet (who by his own Books, as it ap peared at Christmas last, had married thirtysix thousand persons), was attacked at his Majesty's suit and carried to Wood Street Compter for ^200, being the penalty for giving certificates of Marriages that are not stampt with a 5s. stamp, according to Act of Parliament." "The Hand and Pen " barber's shop was a favorite chapel of Gaynham's. The follow ing lines, written in his day, tell of him and other Fleet prelates of lesser degree : "Long has old Gaynham with applause Obeyed his Master's cursed Laws, Readily practis'd every Vice, And equal'd e'en the Devil for device. His faithful Services such favor gain'd, That he first Bishop was of Hell ordain'd, Dan Wigmore rose next in degree, And he obtained the Deanery. Ned Ashwell then came into grace, And he supplied th' Archdeacon's place. But as the Devil, when his ends Are served, he leaves his truest friends, So fared it with this wretched three, Who lost their Lives and Dignity." Brought to trial, the sulphurous bishop was asked why he could not recollect the names of certain persons whom he had united.
"Why, I have married two thousand couples since then," was his indignant reply. There was not always honor among mar riage agents of the Fleet. On witness of a plyer, a parson was convicted of forty-three perjured oaths, and fined one shilling per oath; but the plyer, much to his disappoint ment, received nothing for his pains. The Reverend John Flood, who saved money by having his mistress " ply " for him, and died in the middle of a wedding, wrote in his memorandum : "I have liv'd so long I am weary of living, I wish I was dead and my sins forgiven : Then I am sure to go to heaven, Although I liv'd at sixes and sevens." The following entries from Fleet registers and memoranda tell their own story : "Sepr 29 1736, John Bennett Turner of St. Clement Danes and Barbara Munden Batchr and Spr. "He a little old man about 60 years of age and very effeminate in his voice. Domi Silk Clark." "N. B. they had lived together 4 years as man and wife; they were so vile as to ask for a certifycate to be antidated." ' "N. B. the person belonging to ye house aloud me only 2s. out of 8s." "Had a noise for foure hours about the money." "N. B. Stole a silver spoon." "Stole my cloathes brush." "Her eyes very black, and he beat about ye face very much." One marriage " was to be secret for a month." "Oct. 3d 1742. James Higham Marriner of St. Margts West. Br Alice Sergant do Sp. were married at Lilly's. Pd 17 : 6. Marriage, 4s. A; Clk 5; C. 3 Boles of Bunch." [Bowls of punch.] "Feb. 2. 1745. James Fraizer of Coll,
