[Footnote 425: For instance, on May 22, 1651, such a petition from Mary Longe was allowed, provided "she be published according to law": _Mass. Col. Rec._, III, 232. Sept. 7, 1643, "Jacob Sheath & Margaret Webbe are permitted to joyne in marriage, though but twice published": _ibid._, II, 46. May 30, 1644, "without further publishment," Robert Parke "hath libertye to proceed in marriage with Alice Tompson": _ibid._, III, 3.] [Footnote 426: _Mass. Col. Rec._, II, 15; IV, Part I, 290; _cf._ _ibid._, I, 275, 276; and WHITMORE, _Col. Laws of Mass._ (1660-72), 188; _ibid._ (1672-86), 130. But town clerks continued to act: _Salem Town Rec._, 148. The office of "Clark of the writts" seems to have been created in 1641, primarily to issue summons and attachments: _Mass. Col. Rec._, I, 344, 345. See also "Province Laws of New Hampshire," in _Coll. of New Hamp. Hist. Soc._, VIII, 31. Originally clerks of the writs were appointed by the general court; but later it was ordered that they should be licensed by the shire court or court of assistants. Those presented for license were first nominated in town-meeting: _Mass. Col. Rec._, II, 188; _Dorchester Town Rec._, 116; _Salem Town Rec._, 148, 195; _Boston Town Rec._ (1660-1701), 100, 103, 130, 197. _Cf._ HOWARD, _Local Const. Hist._, I, 90, 91, 331.] [Footnote 427: WHITMORE, _Col. Laws of Mass._ (1660-72), 188; _ibid._ (1672-86), 130; _Mass. Col. Rec._, II, 59.] [Footnote 428: See the acts of 1692 and 1696: _Acts and Resolves_, I, 61, 209, 210. By the former statute ministers and justices are required to make a quarterly report of marriages solemnized by them to the clerk of the sessions of the peace. The act of 1716, referred to in SEWALL'S _Diary_, provides that the town clerk shall send in to the same officer an annual transcript of marriages recorded by him. "The volume of such returns for Suffolk County has very recently (written 1882) been transferred to the custody of the city registrar of Boston."--SEWALL'S _Diary_, in 5 _Mass. Hist. Coll._, VII, 112, and the note by the editors.]