Hereford Diocese Marriage Licences, 1660-1690
At present, I am working on a database listing details of the surviving Bonds which accompanied the issuing of a Marriage Licence. The Licence itself was given to the parties concerned but the Bonds themselves survive from 1660 onwards for the Hereford Diocese at the Hereford Record Office.
The bonds give the names of the groom and the bride-to-be, usually with parish and status (bachelor, widow(er), spinster). The 'bondsmen' are also listed, with their signatures (or cross, if illiterate), and usually with parish and occupation. The usual bondsmen were the groom and one other, but up to three (excluding the groom) can occur. The Bond was witnessed, usually by two people, one of them the Cleric authorised to issue the Licence. Finally the parish(es) where the wedding could take place are set down (usually one particular place).
An 'Allegation' was normally sworn at the same time, and this document gives more details about the groom and bride-to-be, including the age of the parties. The Allegations less frequently survive.
On the Database, I have included all the information available (or legible) on the document(s), including a cross if the participant was illiterate. The Bonds and Allegations provide a wealth of material.
The dates covered so far are 1660, the date of the first surviving Bonds, to 1692. There are nearly 6000 records over these years.
[Sample Marriage Index Extracts]