(Vol. v., p. 370.)
A Query has been put respecting a clergyman marrying himself. Such a
thing did once occur in the case of the Rev. J. D. T. M. F----g, curate
of the parish of S----n M----t, Somersetshire. The parish register
informs us that--
"On three several Sundays, namely, on the 22nd and 29th days of
July, and the 5th August in the year 1787, banns of marriage were
published in the parish church between J. D. T. M. F----g and H.
V. B----t; and after the third publication, no impediment being
alleged, the said J. D. T. M. F----g and H. V. B----t were
_immediately_ married in the face of the congregation, on the 5th
of August, 1787, by J----n F----g curate."
The parties' names are appended to the form "This marriage was
solemnised between us;" and then follows, "in the presence of" two
witnesses who signed their names, one of them being the "clark," as he
spelt the word. The event occurred "on a Sacrament Sunday." An aged
parishioner, who was about seventy-four or seventy-five years of age
when my informant wrote, perfectly remembered the ceremony; and added,
that previously to Mr. F.'s return from the Lord's Table to the reading
desk, in order to continue the service, from the Second Lesson, he
exchanged a kiss with his blushing bride! It appears that, owing to
several persons having disputed the _validity_ of this marriage, the
said parties were re-married by the Rev. W. N----s, officiating
minister, on the 9th October in the same year.
I have heard that Mr. F. was always regarded as an eccentric man, if not
deranged. I think I have heard that the bride was a milk girl, with whom
the reverend gentleman fell in love because "she reminded him of his
first love!" The marriage was decidedly opposed by his relatives and
friends, which led to the above-mentioned singular occurrence. I
believe, before performing the ceremony himself, Mr. F. publicly
inquired "whether there was any one provided to marry him?" As there was
not, he proceeded to the performance of the ceremony himself.
I have heard also of some such case of a clergyman marrying himself in
Ireland. But the marriage was, I believe, pronounced null and void, and
the clergyman deposed from the ministry.
Connected with this subject, I would relate another circumstance related
to me as a fact by a clergyman, now a surrogate, who for very many years
was curate of the parish adjoining that in which it occurred. He related
it to justify and to explain his own somewhat unusual practice of using
the _surnames_ as well as Christian names of the parties throughout the
Marriage Service, saying that in the parish of B----y, Gloucestershire,
the not doing so led to the _wrong couple being married_, owing to the
stupidity of the parties and their friends! The rector, Rev. Mr. M----d,
on discovering the mistake, formally pronounced the whole proceeding
null and void, and then married the right couple!
A correspondent lately inquired whether a person could be buried in a
garden! In N----h, Gloucestershire, such a thing occurred about sixteen
years ago. An eccentric old gentleman built a kind of summer-house in
his garden, and prepared his own tomb in it, and was there buried
according to his directions. I rather think the funeral service was
read, under the express sanction of the bishop, by the rector of an
adjoining parish, who was a friend of the deceased.