| Citation |
NHG-P.766.048
25 Jul 1766:43 (512)
London. April 19. We hear from Bristol, that the last
president of the Wiltshire Society, Mr. Sandfast Smith, made
a proposal, which was agreed to be the committee, for
allowing L20 towards the marriage of two young women of
sober characters, to whose parents it might be some relief
to have a daughter thus disposed of. Lacock in Wilts was
the parish approved of to choose from; notice was given in
the church, and seven candidates offered for the bounty; the
two church wardens, two overseers, and minister of the
parish chose two on Easter Monday, and made a return of
their names. And Monday last, April 21, being the day
appointed for the nuptials, thirty or forty gentlemen on
horseback, and five postchase, attended the president to
Lacock. Half a mile from the place they were met by a band
of music, and went in procession, amidst the acclamations of
two or three thousand people, to church, where after
prayers, the ceremony was performed, and the rings given, on
which was a motto The reward of virtue. A sermon was then
preached by the Rev. Mr. Robbins, greatly to the
satisfaction of a very attentive audience. After a dinner
given to the company by the president, at his own
experience, the two fortunes of 10L each, in half crowns, in
two green silk purses, were given. the whole was conducted
with the utmost decency, and at six in the evening the
company broke up for their return homewards.
. . . [9 lines]
|