"12 Aug. 1729. [Greek: phd] _f_[Greek: iuê s]h[Greek: illings phêr total]. N.B. Th[Greek: ê] 28th o_f_ [Greek: Aphril 1736 mrs bêll chamê and Earnêstl]y [Greek: intrêated mê to Erasê T]h[Greek: ê marriagê out o]_f_ [Greek: t]h[Greek: ê booch] for [Greek: t]h[Greek: at] h[Greek: êr] h[Greek: usband] h[Greek: ad bêat and abusêd] h[Greek: er in a barbarous mannêr].... [Greek: I madê] h[Greek: êr bêleiuê I did so,] _f_[Greek: or] wh[Greek: ich]h I h[Greek: ad] h[Greek: al]_f_ [Greek: a guinêa, and s]h[Greek: ê samê timê dêliuêrêd mê uph] h[Greek: êr chêrti]_f_[Greek: ichatê. No phêrson phrêsênt (Achchording to] h[Greek: er dêsirê])." Paid five shillings per total. N.B.--The 28th of April, 1736, Mrs. Bell came and earnestly intreated me to erase the Marriage out of the book, for that her husband had beat and abused her in a barbarous manner.... I made her believe I did so, for which I had half a guinea, and she, at the same time, delivered me up her certificate. No person present (according to her desire). Perhaps, next to Dr. Gaynam, the bishop, no one did more business in Fleet Marriages than Walter Wyatt. We have already read some of his moral apothegms. He made a large income out of his Marriages, and, looking at the value of money, which was at least three times that of the present time, his profession was highly lucrative. Take one Month for instance. October, 1748-- Oct. y^e 1 at home 2 11 6 abroad nil. 2 " 5 13 6 " 11 6 3 " 2 15 6 " 16 0 4 " 12 3 " 10 0 5 " 1 5 6 " nil. 6 " 10 6 " 1 4 6 7 " 1 8 6 " nil. -------------------- Total... 17 19 3 From 8th to 15th " ... 17 6 6 " 15th " 21st " ... 10 0 6 " 21st " 27th " ... 6 17 0 " 28th " 31st " ... 5 9 6 ---------- £57 12 9 ========== Or nearly £700 a year--equal to about £2,500 of our Currency. No wonder then, that when he died, March 13, 1750, he left a will behind him, which was duly proved; and by it he left his children in ward to his brother, and different legacies to his family--to his married daughter Mary, he bequeathed five pounds, and his estate at Oxford.