| 1777.
CHAP.
XII. |
LAWS of MARYLAND.
this state, unless by ministers of the church of England, ministers
dissenting from
that church, or Roman priests, appointed or ordained according to the rites
and
ceremonies of their respective churches, or in such manner as hath been
heretofore
used and practised in this state by the society of people called quakers;
and if
any person shall celebrate the rites of marriage between any white persons,
as aforesaid,
contrary to the true intent and meaning hereof, he shall forfeit and pay
for every offence five hundred pounds current money. |
Penalty on
ministers marrying
persons
related, &c. |
IV. And be it
enacted, That if any minister within this state shall knowingly
celebrate the rites of marriage between any persons related within the
degrees of
kindred or affinity in the said table expressed, (to avoid which offence
he is to
make diligent inquiry) he shall forfeit and pay for every offence five
hundred
pounds current money. |
No persons to
marry without
licence,
&c. |
V. And be it
enacted, That no person within this state shall marry without
such licence as by this act is directed, or before the names of the parties
intending
to marry shall be thrice published in some parish church or chapel, meeting
house,
Romish chapel, or other house of religious worship, in the county where
the woman
shall have her usual residence, on three several Sundays, by some minister
residing within the same county where the woman to be married usually lives,
(or if a quaker, before publication of his marriage shall be made in such
manner
as hath been heretofore used and practised in this state by the people
of his society)
under the penalty of five hundred pounds current money; and if any minister
shall marry any person without such licence or publication as aforesaid,
he shall
forfeit five hundred pounds current money; and if any minister shall go
out of the
county where he resides, and there join together in matrimony any persons
belonging
to this state, and if any minister shall go out of this state, and there
celebrate
the rites of marriage between any persons belonging to this state, without
such licence or publication as above prescribed, he shall forfeit
and pay five hundred
pounds current money. |
Penalty on
persons marrying
out of
the state, &c. |
VI. And be it
enacted, That if any person belonging to this state shall go out
of this state, and there marry with any person belonging to this state,
contrary to
this act, each of the said parties shall be liable to the same punishment
or penalty
as if the offence had been committed within this state. |
Places of worship
to be recorded,
&c. |
VII. And be
it enacted, That every parish church or chapel, belonging to the
church of England, and every meeting house, Romish chapel, or other house
of
religious worship, belonging to and used by any sect or denomination or
christians,
shall be recorded in the records of the county court wherein such
church, chapel, or house of worship shall be, and none shall be esteemed
as such
for the publication of marriage agreeable to this act, unless recorded
as aforesaid. |
Ministers to
return lists of
marriages,
&c. |
VIII. And be
it enacted, That every minister celebrating a marriage by licence
as aforesaid, shall annually, in the month of November, return on oath
a list
of the names of the persons and the time when married, to the treasurer
of his
shore, under the penalty of two hundred pounds current money. |
Penalty on
ministers
marrying persons
under
age. |
IX. And be it
enacted, That if any minister shall join in marriage any male
under the age of twenty-one years, or any female under the age of sixteen
years,
and not before married, without the consent of the parent or guardian of
every
such person, personally given, or signified under the hand and seal of
the said parent
or guardian, and attested by two witnesses, he shall forfeit and pay five
hundred
pounds current money. |
Reader may
publish bans,
&c. |
X. And be it
enacted, That where any parish or parishes have not a minister
officiating therein, it shall and may be lawful for the reader or the clerk
of such
parish or congregation to publish the bans of matrimony. |
Ministers not
to marry servants,
&c. |
XI. And be it
enacted, That if any minister shall wilfully publish the bans of
marriage between any servants, or between a free person and a servant,
or if he |
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