From: hayesstw@telkomsa.net   
      
   On Thu, 25 Sep 2025 16:10:12 +0100, "J. P. Gilliver"   
    wrote:   
      
   >On 2025/9/25 12:47:25, Jenny M Benson wrote:   
   >> On 25/09/2025 11:30, J. P. Gilliver wrote:   
   >>> The preprinted forms for marriage bonds and allegations have this text:   
   >>>   
   >>> .. made oath as follows (to wit) That he is of the age of [	] Years and   
   >>> upwards, and a [	] and intends to marry [	] of the Parish of [	] in the   
   >>> County of [	] and Diocese of [		] aged [	] Years and upwards ...   
   >>>   
   >>> (or variations thereon). [The second box might be filled in with e. g.   
   >>> Bachelor, Widower; the long one with name of diocese Spinster. They   
   >>> aren't really boxes, just gaps.]   
   >>>   
   >>>   
   >>> Can anyone explain the "Years and upwards" wording?   
   >>   
   >> Isn't is just another way of saying "at least n years old"?   
   >>   
   >Yes, but why say "at least 23" (for example)? If the person is unsure of   
   >his (or her) age, and just wants to swear he (or she) is over the age of   
   >majority, say 21 (and I've seen enough who do say that when it isn't   
   >true!), but if he knows, why the "and upwards"?   
      
   The "and upwards" is for those who are unsure. If it weren't printed   
   there, and there was simply a blank to be filled in with the actual   
   age, "don't know" or "unknown" or "not sure" would not satisfy the   
   legal requirements. If the actual age is known, then it adds nothing.   
      
      
   --   
   Steve Hayes   
   Web: http://hayesgreene.wordpress.com/   
        http://hayesgreene.blogspot.com   
        http://groups.yahoo.com/group/afgen/   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)