Hi My 3x gr. grandmother Sarah Spencer's Executors of her fathers will gave a £300 marriage settlement bond. This was stated as money in trust in case the marriage did not go well she had money for herself. I understand that the other of her inheritance would become property of her husband. 1785 Regards Mary ----- Original Message ----- From: "G W Coppock" <gwcoppock@cablelynx.com> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 6:41 PM Subject: [OEL] 17th Century marriage bonds > While there is traffic concerning marriage bonds, I thought I would ask > about the marriage bond of my 7Great Grandparents. > > In my caes the bride to be was the one required to post the bond. She > was named as a spinster and was 29 years old, he was 26. Is there any > significance to the bride being required to post the bond? Thanks > > GW > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > OLD-ENGLISH Web Page > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/ > >

In message <003c01c4043b$c7578600$11749a8e@home>, Mary <murcon@allstream.net> writes >Hi > My 3x gr. grandmother Sarah Spencer's Executors of her fathers will >gave a £300 marriage settlement bond. This was stated as money in trust in >case the marriage did not go well she had money for herself. I understand >that the other of her inheritance would become property of her husband. A marriage settlement is different - the post was about the allegation and bond signed by an intending groom (or very rarely bride) to obtain a licence to marry other than by banns (3 week delay and public announcement.) The sum stated is only payable if he defaults on the intention to marry. ( a fee for the licence itself was paid_) A marriage settlement is a sum secured -usually by the father of the bride - on his daughter who is about to marry. In general, the husband would receive with her a dowry of money or land (which were his to use) but a wise father would tie the dowry up at least in part for his daughter - she gets a set provision (house, land, money) if she becomes a widow, and if she dies, her own children get it, not any children the husband has by a subsequent wife. -- Eve McLaughlin Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society