Now! Then! A marriage is blocked at York despite compelling reason for it to proceed

9 March 1834: A marriage is blocked at York despite compelling reason for it to proceed

York Courant. 1834/03/11. Marriage Forbidden. York. Get it:

Excerpt

On Sunday morning last, a somewhat singular occurrence took place in St Cuthbert’s Church in this city. The clergyman had published, for the third time, the banns of marriage between a young couple, and the bridegroom expectant had earnestly urged the worthy minister of the necessity of making them “twain one flesh” on the instant. But no sooner had the banns been proclaimed, than a harsh unwelcome voice exclaimed “I forbid that.” “Thou’s now’t to dea we’et,” responded the vexed bridegroom. However, on further inquiry, it appeared that the blushing bride was under age, and that her mother, who lives at Selby, and who could not make it convenient to attend in person, had retained the forbidding personage for that special service. The clergyman, therefore, would not proceed to the marriage, and though the bridegroom urged, as an additional reason, that his bride elect, partaking of that forwardness which is so remarkable this budding season, was likely to become a mother before the next day, they were obliged to depart in a state of single blessedness.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

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Via John Bibby (Bibby 2022).

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Original

On Sunday morning last, a somewhat singular occurrence took place in St. Cuthbert’s Church in this city. The clergyman had published, for the third time, the banns of marriage, between a young couple, and the bridegroom expectant had earnestly urged the worthy minister of the necessity of making them “twain one flesh” on the instant. But no sooner had the banns been proclaimed, than a harsh unwelcome voice exclaimed “I forbid that.” “Thou’s now’t to dea we’et,” responded the vexed bridegroom. However, on further enquiry, it appeared that the blushing bride was under age and that her mother, who lives at Selby, and who could not make it convenient to attend in person, had retained the forbidding personage for that special service. The clergyman, therefore, would not proceed to the marriage, and though the bridegroom urged, as an additional reason, that his bride elect, partaking of that forwardness which is so remarkable this budding season, was likely to become a mother before the next day, they were obliged to depart in a state of single blessedness.

182 words.