Introduction. Case-studies -- Legal records and the courts -- Uncertain unions -- Broken lives -- Uncertain unions: Case studies. Courtship and contract -- Forced marriaged -- Clandestine marriage -- A forged clandestine marriage -- A bigamous marriage -- Broken lives: Case studies. Boteler v. Boteler -- Blood v. Blood -- Clavert v. Calvert -- Turts v. Turst -- Dineley v. Dinely -- Beaufort v. Beaufort -- Grafton v. Grafton -- Middleton v. Middleton -- Lovden v. Lovden -- Cadogan v. Cadogan -- Otway v. Otway -- Westmeath v. Westmeath.