New Jersey as a colony and as a state : one of the original thirteen . on marriage as a divinesacrament, yet both were rigid in contending thatsuch an important civil contract should not beentered into lightly, nor should neglect be madein preserving the record of so momentous anevent. Superficialists have brought the charge againstsome of the settlers of East Jersey that the Scotchemigrants regarded leniently those commonlaw marriages sometimes contracted amongservants aboard ships destined for Perth Amboyand Elizabethtown. An examination of the factsrelating to the eastern division shows the
New Jersey as a colony and as a state : one of the original thirteen . on marriage as a divinesacrament, yet both were rigid in contending thatsuch an important civil contract should not beentered into lightly, nor should neglect be madein preserving the record of so momentous anevent. Superficialists have brought the charge againstsome of the settlers of East Jersey that the Scotchemigrants regarded leniently those commonlaw marriages sometimes contracted amongservants aboard ships destined for Perth Amboyand Elizabethtown. An examination of the factsrelating to the eastern division shows the unfair-ness of such a charge. In 1669 a certain marriagein East Jersey was declared unlawful by order,the parties being well known in the province;while during the year 1675, to properly regu-late marriage, a legislative act directed each townclerk, under penalty, to provide a record book forregistering all marriages, together with births anddeaths, a like plan being provided by the Funda-mental Constitutions of Legislature of May, 1668,—the first to as-. 322 NEW JERSEY AS A COL semble in East Jersey,—contained men who wereearnest in their endeavor to give proper sanctionto the marital affairs of the colonists. The actpassed at that session is a direct refutation of anylaxness in the matter, the statute directing thatno person or persons, son, daughter, maid, or serv-ant, should be married without the consent ofparents or masters. The intent of the parties tomarry was directed to be three times published insome public meeting or kirk, or set up in writ-ing for fourteen days on some public house. Minis-ters, justices of the peace, or some chief offi-cer were authorized to perform the ceremony, orthe governor could grant a license to persons attheir own disposing, or to minors when theirparents or masters had given consent. In Novem-ber, 1675, this law was reenacted. The careful attention paid to the publishing ofthe banns and the necessity for a license did notsit
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Keywords: ., bookauthorleefranc, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1902
