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This is a
popularized Medieval ceremony... It is a
short version of the full, original text -
for which some couples then add modern
passages or readings to it. It also is
shorter. The core sources are the Book of
Common Prayer of HRM Elizabeth I of
England, extracts from the Sarum Rite and
the York Rite, and various other lesser
sources.
At the day and time
appointed for solemnization of Matrimony,
the persons to be married shall come into
the porch of the Church with their friends
and neighbors; and there standing
together, the Man on the right hand, and
the woman on the left, with that person
who shall give the Woman betwixt them, the
Priest shall say:
Dearly beloved, we
are gathered together here in the sight of
God to join together this Man and this
Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an
honourable estate, instituted of God in
Paradise, and into which holy estate these
two persons present come now to be joined.
Therefore if any man can shew any just
cause, why they may not lawfully be joined
together, let him now speak, or else
hereafter for ever hold his peace.
I require and charge you both, as ye will
answer at the dreadful day of judgment
when the secrets of all hearts shall be
disclosed, that if either of you know any
impediment, why ye may not be lawfully
joined together in Matrimony, that ye
confess it. For ye be well assured, that
so many as be coupled together otherwise
than God's Word doth allow are not joined
together by God; neither is their
Matrimony lawful. At which day of
Marriage, if any man do allege and declare
any impediment, why they may not be
coupled together in Matrimony, by God's
Law, or the Laws of the Realm; and will be
bound, and sufficient sureties with him,
to the parties; or else put in a Caution
(to the full value of such charges as the
persons to be married do thereby sustain)
to prove his allegation; then the
solemnization must be deferred, until such
time as the truth be tried. If no
impediment be alleged, then shall the
Priest say unto the
Man: Wilt the have this Woman to be thy
wedded wife, to live together after God's
ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony?
Wilt the love her, comfort her, honour,
and keep her, in sickness and in health;
and forsaking all other, keep thee only
unto her, so long as ye both shall live?
The Man shall answer: I will.
Then shall the Priest say to the Woman:
Wilt the have this man to be thy wedded
husband, to live together after God's
ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony?
Wilt the obey him, and serve him, love,
honour, and keep him in sickness and in
health; and, forsaking all other, keep
thee only unto him, so long as ye both
shall live?
The Woman shall answer: I will.
Thus ends the formal betrothal. The couple
shall advance to the Altar, led by the
Minister, who shall then turn to the
assembled company, and say:
Who giveth this Woman to be married to
this Man?
The person who gives the Woman shall
answer, and shall place the Woman's right
hand in the hand of the Minister, and then
shall retire. Then shall they give their
troth to each other in this manner: The
Minister, receiving the Woman at her
father's or friend's hands, shall cause
the Man with his right hand to take the
Woman by her right hand, and to say after
him as followeth,
GROOM' VOW: "I,
___________, take thee __________ to my
wedded wife, to have and to hold from this
day forward, for better for worse, for
richer for poorer, for fairer or fouler,
in sickness and in health, to love and to
cherish, till death us depart, according
to God's holy ordinance; and thereunto I
plight thee my troth.
Then shall they loose their hands; and the
Woman, with her right hand taking the Man
by his right hand, shall likewise say
after the Minister,
BRIDE'S VOW: I
___________ take thee___________ to my
wedded husband, to have and to hold from
this day forward, for better for worse,
for richer or poorer, in sickness and in
health, to be bonny and buxom at bed and
at board, to love and to cherish, till
death us depart, according to God's holy
ordinance; and thereunto I plight thee my
troth.
Then shall they
again loose their hands; and the Man shall
give unto the Woman a Ring, laying the
same upon the Book with the accustomed
duty to the Priest and Clerk. And the
Priest shall bless the Ring(s) in the
following manner:
Bless these Rings, O
merciful Lord, that those who wear them,
that give and receive them, may be ever
faithful to one another, remain in your
peace, and live and grow old together in
your love, under their own vine and fig
tree, and seeing their children's
children. Amen.
And the Priest,
taking the Ring, shall deliver it to the
Man, to put it on the fourth finger of the
Woman's left hand. And the Man holding the
ring there, and taught by the Priest,
shall say,
GROOM: With this
Ring I thee wed, (here placing it upon her
thumb) and with my body I thee honor,
(here placing it upon her index finger)
and with all my worldly goods I thee
endow; (here placing it upon her ring
finger) In the Name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
If it be a
double-ring ceremony, let the Woman do the
same as the Man, giving him the ring, and
repeating the same words as he. They both
shall kneel down; and the Minister shall
say,
Let us pray. O
Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all
mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the
Author of everlasting life; Send thy
blessing upon these thy servants, this man
and this woman, whom we bless in thy Name;
+ that, as Isaac and Rebecca lived
faithfully together, so these persons may
surely perform and keep the vow and
covenant betwixt them made, whereof this
Ring given and received is a token and
pledge, and may ever hereafter remain in
perfect love and peace together, and live
according to thy laws; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
And here shall be said the LORD'S PRAYER.
Then shall the
Priest join their right hands together,
and say,
Those whom God hath
joined together let no man put asunder.
Then shall the Minister speak unto the
people. Forasmuch as N and N have
consented together in holy wedlock, and
have witnessed the same before God and
this company, and thereto have given and
pledged their troth each to the other, and
have declared the same by giving and
receiving of a Ring, and by joining of
hands; I pronounce therefore that they be
Man and Wife together, in the Name of the
Father, + and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Amen
The Minister shall
add this blessing.
God the Father, God
the Son, God the Holy Spirit, bless,
preserve, and keep you; the Lord
mercifully with his favour look upon you;
and so fill you with all spiritual
benediction and grace, that ye may so live
together in this life, that in the world
to come ye may have life everlasting.
Amen.
And here the
Minister shall turn the couple to the
Company, and they may kiss each the other,
and then proceed from the Altar. And if it
be the wish of the couple to take
Communion, they may do it privately,
following these ceremonies.
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