The Henson Journals

[102]

Saturday, March 15th, 1919.

There was a white frost leading in a fine day. I continued work on the Anson Memoir, making very poor progress. After lunch Ella and I walked to Bullinghope. On my return I had an unpleasant interview with Mr Higgins, to whom I refused permission to officiate in the diocese: & then Wynne–Willson did the letters.

When we passed over the bridge this afternoon the gauge registered 5 feet of water. On Thursday night, the depth was recorded to be 15 feet 9 inches. Thus this week's flood was nearly 11 feet of water. That was a "spate" which would be difficult to exceed even in Scotland.

I wrote to Ernest in response to his request for advice as to the right way of handling a communicant, who has married his own niece at a registry office. James had prepared me a brief memorandum in which he shewed (α), that such a marriage was void both in civil and in ecclesiastical law, (β), that the man was capable in law of making another marriage, (γ), that he must have perjured himself, or his niece must have perjured herself in order to get married. It seemed to me that these people could not possibly be received to Communion while they live together as man & wife! I suggested writing to the Archbishop.

---