SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY
The first matter to be attended to in arranging for a marriage in any parochial church was, as now, the publication of the banns in the church on three successive Sundays or feast days. This was to secure the proof of the freedom of the parties to marry. In a book of instructions for parish priests, written about 1426, some interesting information is given as to marriage.
“The seventh Sacrament is wedlock,” it says, “before the which Sacrament the banes in holy church shal be thryes asked on thre solempne dayes—a werk day or two between, at the lest: eche day on this maner: N. of V. has spoken with N. of P. to have hir to his wife, and to ryght lyve in forme of holy chyrche. If any mon knowe any lettyng qwy they may not come togedyr say now or never on payne of cursyng.”
On the day appointed for the marriage, at the door of the church, the priest shall interrogate the parties as follows:—
“N. Hast thu wille to have this wommon to thi wedded wif. R. Ye syr. My thu wel fynde at thi best to love hur and hold ye to hur and to no other to thi lives end. R. Ye syr. Then take her by yor hande and say after me: I N. take the N. in forme of holy chyrche to my wedded wyfe, forsakyng alle other, holdyng me hollych to the, in sekenes and in hele, in ryches and in poverte, in well and in wo, tyl deth us departe, and there to I plyght ye my trowthe.”
Then the woman repeated the form as above.
It was this “Marriage at the church door” which had to be established, according to Bracton, in any question as to the legality or non-legality of the contract. After this “taking to wife at the church door,” the parties entered the church and completed the rite in the church itself. As in the case of baptisms, churchings, and funerals, the fee for marriages was fixed at 1d., but apparently all who could afford it, gave more.
“Three ornaments,” says the author of Dives and Pauper—“three ornaments (at marriage) belonged principally to the wyfe: a rynge on her finger, a broche on hyr breste, and a garlande on hir head. The rynge betokeneth true love; the broche betokeneth clenness of herte and chastity that she ought to have; and the garland betokeneth the gladness and the dignity of the sacrament of wedlock.”
Some of the ornaments for the bride at marriage the parish provided. The nuptial veil was one of the things which the churchwardens were supposed to find, and frequent inquiries were made concerning it in the parochial visitations. In one parish the wardens possessed “one standing mazer to serve for brides at their wedding;” and in another, a set of jewels was left in trust for the use of brides on their wedding day. If lent outside the parish, they were to be paid for, and the receipt was to go to the common purposes of the church to which they belonged.