in any proceedings whatever, which are openly avowed to be a marriage in any way not sanctioned by law; and

1889. Official Supervision.—It is the duty of a superintendent registrar, when advised that religious ceremonies are to follow a marriage at his office, to attend himself or to see that a registrar attends, in order to interfere should the proceedings be carried on upon the overt presumption that they are in the nature of a veritable marriage.

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.

1890. Licence or Certificate.-When both the parties to a marriage are members of the Society of Friends, it is sufficient to procure from a superintendent registrar either a licence (1794, 1802) or a cer tificate (1786) of authorization; afterwards,

1891. Optional Circumstances.-Members of the Society o Friends may effectually solemnize their marriages when, where, of how they think proper, without the presence of a recognized official

JEWS.

1892. When both the parties are Jews, the like authority suffices as for Quakers (1890); and

1893. Jews may solemnize their marriages with the like freedom as that accorded to Quakers (1891).

REGISTRATION.

1894. Not Essential.-No marriage, properly authorized and solemnized, and evidenced of by two witnesses, can be legally esteemed void for lack of registration; but,

1895. Legal Requirement. The law requires every marriage to be registered; and

1896. Official Responsibility.—Every person who is authorized to solemnize a marriage is responsible for its registration.

1897. Church of England.-Every place of worship belonging to the Church of England which is duly registered for marriage, is provided with a Register Book, in which successive marriages are registered in the order of their occurrence; and

1898. Duty of Parties.-After every marriage in a church of England, the respective parties, before leaving the premises, are re

quired by law to join in filling up a form of registration in the book provided.

1899. Form.-The following is the form adopted for the regis tration of marriages in the Church of England :—

Married in the

ceremonies of the Established Church, after banns, [or by licence, by special

bcence, or by certificate]

church [or chapel] according to the rites and

by me

vicar [or other

designation of officiating clergyman].

1900. The Witnesses.—In registering a marriage in the Church of England, at least two witnesses must sign the book, but any reasonable number more persons may sign as witnesses in addition, with the assent of all the parties.

1901. Responsibility of Clergyman.-The officiating clergyman at a marriage in the Church of England, is responsible for due registration in the proper book.

1902. Duplicate Register.-In the vestry of every church of Ergland there is a duplicate book of registered marriages, which is the duty of the clergyman to see filled up progressively in accordance with the original.

1903. Registered Buildings-No Books Kept.-Buildings duly registered for marriages (other than buildings belonging to the Church of England) are not provided with register books; but,

1904. District Register,-At every marriage in a registered balding (other than buildings belonging to the Church of England) the registrar of the district is bound to have his district register book with him, and to see that the proper particulars are entered therein and signed; and

1905. Form.-The form for registering marriages in registered buildings corresponds precisely with those provided for churches of England (1899); only,

1906. The foot of each tabular statement in the marriage registers used by the registrars reads as follows:

Married in the [name of chapel or meeting house, and description where situate] being a registered building, according to the rites and ceremonies of the [name of sect] by licence [or by certificate without licence] by me

This marriage was solemnized by us

in the presence
of

Minister.

1907. Minister's Signature.—Whenever a marriage takes place in a registered building, the minister for the time being of such building, even though he should take no part in the ceremony, is bound to be present at it, and to sign his name as though he actually officiated; but,

1908. Responsibility. In registered buildings the responsibility of the registration, and duplicate registration in the district register, rests upon the registrar.

1909. The Witnesses.—As in the case of church registers (1900), two witnesses must, or more may, sign the register of marriages in registered buildings.

1910. Superintendent Registrar's Offices.-When a marriage takes place at a superintendent registrar's office, the registrar must also be present, with the same book as he would be provided with in a registered building. The like tabular form (1899) serves, but the statement at foot slightly differs, as follows:

Married at the office of the superintendent of the

[or parish], by licence [or by certificate without licence], before me

Union

1911. The superintendent registrar's signature to marriages. solemnized by him, in lieu of "clergyman," appears as "minister" (1906) in other cases, but the registrar is responsible for due registration and duplicate entry (1902).

1912. Quakers.-Registration in the case of marriages of Quakers is effected under the superintendence of an officer of that body, who is supplied with duplicate books accordingly. Such officer is

responsible for the registration and duplicate entry in manner resembling the forms before referred to (1906).

1913 Jews. In the case of marriages of Jews, the registration is effected under the superintendence of the secretary of the Synaque to which the husband belongs. Such secretary is supplied with the requisite books, and is responsible for the registration and cate entry in the forms before referred to (1906).

1914. At Consulates.-British consuls, and some other persons abroad in certain cases, are provided with register books for marriages, dare charged with the responsibility of witnessing, registering, and entering in duplicate, all marriages which take place officially before them.

PRESERVATION OF REGISTERS.

1915. The duplicate marriage register books remain in custody of the parties respectively in charge of them, or their successors, until they are full; when one is transmitted to the registrar general, and the other remains for local reference, in the care of the parties respectively charged with the responsibility of safely keeping them.

CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRATION.

1916. Right to Copies.-A certificate or copy of the registration H any marriage must be delivered to any applicant therefor, after die notice and reasonable time for search, by the officer in charge of the original registration.

1917. Church of England.—If the marriage is known to have en place in a church of England, application should be made to te clergyman in charge, or the parish clerk.

1918. District Registrar.—If the marriage took place in any other

ng, application should be made to the registrar of the district, ::f by Jews or Quakers, then to one of the appointed officers of em, as the case may be.

1919. Registrar General.-If the place of marriage is not known, plcation should be made at the office of the registrar general. 1320. Right of Search.-In any case, should the registration of a arriage not be found by any of the respective officials, arrangeFents may be made by the applicant to search the book or books at e place suspected, or at the office of the registrar general.

P

PROOF OF MARRIAGE.

1921. The Register.-The original registration, or a properly authenticated certificate thereof, accompanied by a complete identification of the parties, is legal proof of a marriage; but,

1922. Witnesses.-If a certificate of a marriage cannot be produced, nor registration found, the affirmative evidence of any person or persons present at the marriage, who can also identify the parties, is legal proof.

1923. General Repute.-Though neither certificate (1916) nor evidence (1894) can be produced of the marriage of certain parties, yet if they live together as man and wife, and are known by general repute as such, the law allows the presumption that they are duly married, unless evidence to the contrary is produced; for,

1924. Presumed Wedlock.—Should the marriage of any parties, living together as husband and wife, be disputed, the burden of proof that they are not married rests with the objectors.

VOID AND VOIDABLE MARRIAGES.

VOID.

A marriage is absolutely null and void, to all intents and purposes, if it can be proved :

1925. Incapacity.-That either of the parties was, at the time of solemnization, insane, idiotic, or impotent (1723-4); or,

1926. Consanguinity.-That the parties are related within the terms of consanguinity forbidden by law (1652 and 1835); or,

1927. Bigamy.-That either of the parties at the time of the solemnization was already duly married to a person then living, and not divorced three months previously (a); or,

1928. Royal Family.-That either of the parties was a member of the royal family, and not duly authorized to marry (1718); or, 1929. Fraud. That both the parties, at the time of solemnization, were guilty of or fully cognizant of any wilful essential informality, either in the authority to marry or in the declarations made to procure the authority; or,

(a) See "Divorce."