In a message dated 14/11/2007 09:22:38 GMT Standard Time, [email protected] writes: Are you sure it is not just "Pd" - for "paid" - ie the fees had been paid? ______________________________________________________________________________ _________ The 1694 Stamp Act [5 & 6 W&M, c.21] directly taxed all marriages, as did the 1694 Marriage Duty Act [6 & 7 W&M, c.6] imposed from 1st. May 1695. The scale of charges introduced by the latter legislation included 2s. 6d. for every marriage, payable by the bridegroom. The Marriage Duty Act was extended to 1st August 1706, well beyond the originally planned date of 1700. Stan