Marriage Duty Act 1694

LVII. Quakers, Papists, whether Popish Recusant Convicts or not, and Jews, and other Persons living together as Man and Wife, liable to Duty, and to be levied as in all other Cases.

Notice by the Man to Collector, of such Marriage; Penalty £5.

Provided always and bee it further enacted by the authority aforesaid That all persons comonly called Quakers or reputed such and all Papists or reputed Papists whether they are Popish Recusants Convict or not and all Jews or any other persons who shall cohabitt and live together as man and wife shall and are hereby made lyable to pay the several & respective duties and su[m]ms of money payable upon marriages according to their respective degrees titles orders and qualifications as they ought to have paid by virtue of this Act if they had been married according to the Law of England which duties and su[m]ms of money shall bee collected levied and paid in such manner and subject to such rules and directions and under such penalties and forfeitures as are in this Act specified and conteined for and concerning payment of the several and respective duties payable upon marriages any thing herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding. And upon every pretended marriage which shall bee made by any such person within the said terme of five yeares according to the method and forms used amongst them the man soe entring into such pretended state of matrimony shall within five days after give notice thereof to the Collectors or one of them of the Parish or Place where hee lives and in default of giving such notice hee shall forfeit the su[m]m of five pounds one moiety thereof to the Kings Majesty the other moiety to the informer.