THE CHILD MARRIAGE of RICHARD, SECOND VISCOUNT MOLYNEUX, with SOME NOTICES of HIS LIFE, from CONTEMPORARY DOCUMENTS. by T. Alger
THE CHILD MARRIAGE OF RICHARD, SECOND VISCOUNT MOLYNEUX, WITH SOME NOTICES OF HIS LIFE, FROM CONTEMPORARY DOCUMENTS. By T. Algernon Earle, and R. D. Radcliffe, m.a., f.s.a. Read 5 th March, 1891. MONG the many interesting documents in A the muniment room at Croxteth, is a copy of a curious Case and Opinions, dated 12th July, 1648, relating to a contract of marriage, made when under age, by Richard, afterwards second Viscount Molyneux, and the Lady Henrietta Maria Stanley, daughter of the seventh Earl of Derby. Inasmuch as this gives an interesting statement of the law governing such contracts, and is a contemporary commentary on a custom, at the time it was written of frequent occurrence and long standing, it seems to be well worth recording at length. Of these " Child Marriages," Strype says in his Memorials (b. ii, p. 313), that " in the latter part of " the sixteenth century the nation became scan- " dalous for the frequency of divorces, especially " among the richer sort, one occasion being the " covetousness of the nobility and gentry, who " used often to marry their children when they " were young boys and girls, that they might join 246 Richard, second Viscount Molyneux. " land to land ; and, being grown up, they many " times disliked each other, and then separation "and divorce followed, to the breach of espousals " and the displeasure of God." Instances in our own two counties are numerous enough ; and, strange to say, the first Lord Moly- neux was in early life contracted in marriage to Fleetwood, daughter and heiress of Richard Barton, of Barton Row, co.
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