in the Presence of some Registrar of
the District in which such registered Building is situated, and of Two,
or more, credible Witnesses; provided also, that in some Part of the
Ceremony, and in the Presence of such Registrar and Witnesses, each of
the Parties shall declare:

"'I do solemnly declare, That I know not of any lawful Impediment why I,
A. B., may not be joined in Matrimony to C. D.'

"And each of the Parties shall say to the other:

"'I call upon these Persons here present to witness that I, A. B., do
take thee, C. D., to be my lawful wedded Wife [or Husband].'

"Provided also, that there be no lawful Impediment to the Marriage of
such Parties."

The old House of Commons was destroyed by fire on 16 Oct., 1834, and it
was not until September, 1837, that the first contracts for the
commencement of the construction of the new works, in connection with the
present building, were entered into. They were for the formation of an
embankment 886 feet in length, projecting into the river 98 feet further
than that then existing, to be faced with granite, and a terrace 673 feet
long next the river, and 35 feet wide, in front of the new Houses, with
an esplanade at each end 100 feet square, with landing stairs from the
river 12 feet wide. The whole surface of the front building was to be
excavated, and filled in with concrete 12 feet thick, thus forming a
permanent and solid foundation for the superstructure. Towards the end
of this year, the Queen was somewhat pestered with lunatics. On Nov. 4,
as she was going through Birdcage Walk on her return from Brighton, a man
of respectable appearance went near the Queen's carriage, held up his
fist, and made use of most insulting language towards Her Majesty and the
Duchess of Kent, declaring that the Queen was an usurper, and he would
have her off her Throne before a week was out. He was afterwards
arrested, and turned out to be Mr. John Goode, a gentleman of large
property in Devonshire, who had been previously in custody on 24th of May
(Her Majesty's birthday) for creating a disturbance and forcibly entering
the enclosure of Kensington Palace. He was taken before the Privy
Council, and when examined, declared that he was a son of George IV. and
Queen Caroline, born at Montague House, Blackheath, and that, if he could
but get hold of the Queen, he would tear her in pieces. He was told to
find bail, himself in 1,000 pounds, and two sureties of 500 pounds each;
but