CHRISTIAN
MEDIEVAL CEREMONY
This is a popularized
Medieval ceremony... It is a short version
of the full, original textfor
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.