most interesting, when, as was
the case in most villages where no beadle was kept, he combined the
duties of that office with those of the policeman; and in no respect
does he figure in so interesting a light as in the pleasing function of
arranging paupers' marriages and seeing that they were carried out.
The motive for all Dogberry's finesse in match-making diplomacy was
connected with the old parochial settlement. If one of the fair sex
was likely to become troublesome to a parish our friend Dogberry made
it his business to get hold of the responsible swain, and by
persuasion, bribes, and threats, managed to bring the parties together,
get them through the marriage ceremony, and himself (the constable)
earned the lasting gratitude of the parish for having got rid of a
pauper, settlement and all! The pecuniary consideration involved was
so important that when the bride was of one parish and the bridegroom
of another, a good dealing of manoeuvring between the rival
constables--the one to force on and the other to prevent the
match--took place, and when the successful constable did manage to
bring the parties together, the {50} parish benefitting by the process
could afford to be liberal, and Dogberry, and his "aid," and the
wedding pair, had a merry time of it while the credit of the parish
lasted. So much of a bargain-making was this marrying a pauper that it
is not unusual to find such entries as these in the parish books of
last century--

L s. d.
Gave W---- a wife, cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 19 6
By expenses attending, Marrying, Mary D----,
and sending her away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 17 6

When a pauper had brought about trouble under the Bastardy Laws
Dogberry first used the arm of the law by apprehending him, and then
the subtle methods of diplomacy by marrying him.

Interesting are the detailed accounts of the old weddings carried out
under the superintendence of the Parish Constable. Here is one from
the parish of Therfield--

Therfield Parish dr. to H. Hodge.
Etin and drinkin at John Hollensworth's weddin.
Aug. 8 3 folks suppor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0
" 9 3 folks brakfarst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 1 6
" " 3 deners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 3 0
" " 3 suppors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0
" 10 3 brakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . .