Note 1414 — Chapter X · RISE OF CIVIL MARRIAGE

The act took effect on March 25, 1754; and between its passage on June 6 and that date these parsons did a roaring good business. The Gentleman's Magazine, XXIV, 141 (Sunday, March 24, 1754), has the following:

"Being the last day before the commencement of the marriage act before 11 o'clock 45 couple were married at Mr. Keith's chapel, and when they ceased, near 100 pair had been joined together; two men being constantly and closely employed in filling up licenses for that purpose." See Keith's appeal for charity, because the act had reduced him "from a great Degree of Affluence" to "such a deplorable state of misery in the Fleet Prison," in Ashton, The Fleet, 364, 365.

Clandestine contracts, however, were not entirely put an end to by the Hardwicke act. In the Savoy chapel Dr. John Wilkinson and his representatives solemnized many hundreds of marriages contrary to the provisions of the law; but these were, of course, absolutely void: Jeaffreson, Brides and Bridals, II, 192-202; Burn, Fleet Marriages, 139-41. Burn is in error when he says (139) "there does not appear to have been any clandestine marriages" at the Savoy "until after the Marriage Act." Such a marriage took place there in 1596. Under date of June 14, in that year, W. Monne, Master of the Savoy, writes to Lord Cobham, whose grandchild and ward was a party to this contract, that he has "conferred with Archb. of Canterbury concerning Mr. Bigge, the chaplain of the Savoy who performed the marriage. Bigge said he thought he might well do it because his fellow chaplains were in the habit of marrying people without license. Archb. committed Bigge to the Gate House pending Cobham's pleasure, also ordered that 'no such disorderly marriage shall be offensively in the Savoy performed.'"—Reports of the Hist. Manuscripts Commission, V, 136, 139.