... of the Cloth

[Colin Moretti]

I've just received a copy of a marriage licence bond dated 1750. It contains the stipulation that the marriage shall take place
... between the hours of eight and twelve of the cloth in the forenoon Why of the cloth? Does it just mean the time as adjudged by the vicar (no GMT or even railway time in those days)?

Thanks

Colin

[hughar]

Suggest that it says "of the clock".

[Colin Moretti]

:o

You're right, of course. That's what comes of looking at things by artificial light as one's eyes (along with the rest of one's body) start to decline. Much easier to see when the light was better during the day!

In mitigation, the c was a bit like a t and the right-hand leg of the k only just had a kink in it.

Colin