European Middle Ages Wedding
The Form of Matrimony in the European Middle Ages As
reconstructed
by W. J. Bethancourt III (Medium Length Ceremony)
This is not intended to be represented as a true marriage rite
of the era, but rather a reconstruction (with such alterations
and interpolations as to make it acceptable in modern
usage), nor is it represented as a "official" rite of any
Church, The sources used were 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.
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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, by God's Law, or the Laws of the Realm; let him
now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace.
And also, speaking unto the persons that shall be married,
he shall say,
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.
If no impediment be alleged, then shall the Priest say unto
the Man,
N., Wilt thou have this Woman to be thy wedded wife, to live
together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of
Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honour, and
keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others,
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,
N., Wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband, to
live together after God's ordinance in the holy estate of
Matrimony? Wilt thou 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.
They shall then advance unto the Altar, led by the Minister,
who shall then turn to the assembled company, and the
person who gives the Woman 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 follows,
I, N., take thee N 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.
The Woman shall likewise say after the Minister,
I N. take thee N 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,
and taught by the Priest, he shall say,
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 "Our Father." 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
And 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.
Hudson Valley Ceremonies