Fleet Marriages. Sole's Rigt. of Foot Br. & Elisabeth Fisher of Stains Sp. Dare O. all. Pd M. m. Left a Silver Buckle for ye Bousom of a Shirt and a Hankerchife for 1s. : 3." "September 14. 1737. A coachman came and & was half married and wou'd give but 3s. 6d. & went off." "June 2 1 st 1740. John Jones of Eaton Sutton in Bedfordshire and Mary Steward of the same came to Woods in Fleet Lane about six o'clock in the morning. Mr. Ashwell and self had been down the markett Wood called him and I went with him there found the said man and woman wooman offer'd Mr. Ashwell 3 shillings to marry him he would not so he swore very much and would have knocked him down but for me. was not married; took this memorandum that they might not Pretend afterwards they was married and not Register'd." "July ( 1744) 1 S . Came a man and wooman to the Green Canister, he was an Irishman and Taylor to bee married. Gave Mr. Ashwell [whose clerk was the writer of this entry and the one before it] 2 : 6. but would have 5s went away and abuised Mr. Ashwell very much, told him he was a Thief and I was worse. Took this account because should not say they was married and not Registered. N. B. The Fellow said Mr. Warren was his relation." "May 28th 1742. Thomas Tinworth of Lowton in Essex B & Sart : & Jane Palmer ditto Sp. Half married went away (he had 4s) to fetch more money. Saide he had a hundred Pound left by his father, his uncle had it in his hands took this account because She could not come and say they was mar ried and not (registered)." "John and Elizabeth August 30th 1737, at Mr. Sandy's the Fleet. He said he be longed to the sea, and had his own hair." "December 12th 1739. About ye Hour of 10 in ye Evening there came 2 men and One woman to Mr. Burnfords The man yt
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was married appear'd by Dress as a Gentle man of fortune and ye woman yt was married appear'd like a Lady of Quality, ye Man yt came with em seemed to me to be a Tayler who sd he knew Mr. B d very well & me likewise, The Gentleman would not pay but in a mean and scandalous manner, he offered d. & went Down stairs and Down ye Court came back Again & pd. g. in all and went away without telling of tier, their names. N. B. He sd he had 2 Xn. Names viz : John Skinner & ye Gentlewoman sd her name was Elizabeth. N. B. The Gentle woman when married had on a floured Silk Round Gown & after she was married she pulls off her flower'd Gown & underneath She had a Large full Black Silk Gown on & went away in ye same. Ye other was wrapt up. B d absent." "1 74 1. May ye 1 2th 1741. A certain man with a spott in one eye a Sinament coat And a young woman with a Pritty Genteel face & Appearance came to Mrs. Crooks and were Married she had on a Linnen Gown the Man sd his name was Edward But would not tell who he was only yt he came from Spitalfield. The young woman sd her Name was Ann More of ye same Parish." "8 Oct: 174 1. Robt Mary at New market married. Pool'd of his coat because it was Black, said he would not be married in that coat fo yt Reason pd 2s, 6." One recorder was clever enough to make his private notes in the big register under the disguise of Greek characters in English com binations. A specimen of these freakish en tries will indicate what proof they were against ignorant curiosity : "January 1728. 13th. Andrew Wild aWhitesmith of St. Sepulchres and Mary Harold of do. Wr. and Ww per Jno Floud. papp : rhpiji s/ttXAtvys &> ovr) S0, .xqprifr). Thr) fipihriypoop. oxis rhrj ftporhr/p of rhi] p.r)p.opaf3r) Jovarflav WtX8 E^jj^vtt/S ar Tyflvpv.
