My sister dined with me on the remains of yesterday’s dinner with the addition of some onion sauce. In the afternoon my sister went down to pay Mrs French and Molly a visit, and in the evening Thomas Durrant and myself went to accompany her home. We two together with my sister, Molly and Sam French played at loo two or three hours; I lost 12¼d. We stayed and supped with Mrs French on a cold roast chick, a piece of cold ham, a bread and cheese and apple pie. Came home very sober about 12:15.
Sam Jenner, being come to saw wood for me tomorrow, took part of my bed. This day were married at our church Mr Simonds Blackman and Mary, his wife (alias Mary Margerison). The reason for this was, she being under age, some months ago they went into Flanders and were married at a place called Ypres, but as this marriage was not in all respects agreeable to the laws of England in regard to their issue enjoying the gentleman’s estate without a possibility of a great deal of trouble to prove the fact of their marriage, the young lady’s father in consideration of this has given his consent for this second marriage (she not being now 19 years of age) and they were agreeably [consequently] married this day by a license which styled her “Mary Margerison, otherwise Blackman.”
In my own private opinion I think instead of making laws to restrain marriage it would be more to the advantage of the nation in general to give encouragement to it, for by that means a great deal of debauchery would in all probability be in prevented and a greater increase of people might be the consequence, which I presume would be one real benefit to the nation, and I think it is the first command of the parent and governor of the universe: Increase and multiply. The observation of St Paul is that marriage is honorable in all men.