[1181] In Germany betrothal rituals were sometimes prescribed in the church ordinances: Friedberg, op. cit., 222, 223, 224; and public espousal ceremonies were in use in England: Burn, Parish Registers, 138 ff.
[1182] Friedberg, op. cit., 293, 299, 300. On the Brautkinder see Schott, Einleit. in das Eherecht, 193, 194; and on secret betrothals and the laws forbidding them consult especially Hofmann, Handbuch des teutschen Eherechts, 146 ff.; and compare Loy, Das protest. Eherecht, 447 ff.
[1183] The earliest Protestant marriage ritual appears to have been written by Bugenhagen: see the ritual (1523) ascribed mainly to him, published with discussion by Schubert, Die evang. Trauung, 142-53. Compare "Der Bericht Christoph Gerungs von Memmingen über die erste Priesterhochzeit zu Augsburg anno 1523;" ibid., 132-41, showing that the nuptial ceremony is but a confirmation of the sponsalia de praesenti already concluded.
[1184] Luther, "Traubüchlein für die einfältigen Pfarrherren" (1534), Kleinere Schriften, II, 219-23; with which compare "Der kleine Katechismus" (1529), in Strampff, 340, 341, 422; and the rituals analyzed by Sohm, op. cit., 197 ff. In this connection read Bullinger's discussion of the proper conduct at weddings in Der christlich Ehestand, lvs. 59-68; or the same in Sarcerius, Vom heil. Ehestande, foll. 102-7; also Bidembach, De causis mat. tr., 3 ff.; Forster, De nuptiis, 167 ff.; and Brouwer, De jure connubiorum, 619 ff.
Dieckhoff, Die kirch. Trauung, 108-14, points out that the exchange of rings and the declaration of the marriage to the assembled people, instead of saying to the parties themselves the words "Ego conjungo vos in nomine," etc., are innovations of the Reformation period. For further discussion see Schubert, Die evang. Trauung, 51 ff.; Hofmann, Handbuch des Eherechts, 172 ff.; Richter, Lehrbuch, 1121 ff.; Scheurl, Das gemeine deutsche Eherecht, 63 ff.
For examples of rules and rituals adopted by some of the churches consult Richter, Evang. Kirchenordnungen, I, 31, 32 ("Landesordnung des Herzogthums Preussen"), 330, 331 (Brandenburg), 347-50 (Geneva); II, 47, 48 ("Cölnische Reformation"), 375-77 (Brandenburg); especially Fischer, "Die älteste evang. Kirchenordnung in Hohenlohe," ZKR., XV, 1-48; and compare Meier, Jus, quod de forma mat. valet, 49 ff.; Goeschen, Doctrina de mat., 48-58; Friedberg, Eheschliessung, 212 ff.; Sohm, Eheschliessung, 197 ff., who analyzes the church ordinances.
[1185] By 24 Hen. VIII., c. 12 (1532): Statutes at Large, II, 71-73; Gee and Hardy, Documents, 187-95, appeals to Rome in questions of marriage and divorce are forbidden. Such cases may be carried from the archdeacon to the bishop, then to the archbishop of Canterbury or York, whose decision is final. By 25 Hen. VIII, c. 21: Statutes at Large, II, 90, the archbishop of Canterbury is given a right of dispensation similar to that formerly exercised by the pope. Chapter 19 of the same statute, ibid., II, 85-87; Gee and Hardy, Documents, 195 ff., provides for the appointment of a commission of thirty-two men to examine the whole body of canons in order to determine which should be accepted as valid; but until the commission should conclude its labors "such Canons Constitutions Ordinances and Synodals Provincial being already made," not repugnant to the laws or customs of the realm, "nor to the Damage or Hurt of the King's Prerogative Royal, shall now still be used and executed as they were afore." No report was made by this commission; nor did the Reformatio legum ecclesiasticarum prepared by another commission, which was provided for by 3 and 4 Ed. VI., c. 11: Statutes at Large, II, 295, ever take effect: Friedberg, Eheschliessung, 310 n. 3. The act of 25 Hen. VIII., c. 19, was repealed by 1 and 2 Philip and Mary, c. 8: Statutes at Large, II, 342 ff.; but again restored by 1 Eliz., c. 1: Statutes, II, 379 ff. So the result was the practical retention of the canon law. Cf. Friedberg, op. cit., 309-11.
[1186] It is proved by the celebrated case of Bunting v. Lepingwell, 1585-86: Coke's Reports, II, 355-59. See Friedberg's analysis of this case and other proofs collected by him: Eheschliessung, 313-18; also Swinburne, Of Spousals, 13, 15, 74-108, especially 193 ff., 222 ff., 236-39, who shows the canon-law theory to be in full force in the reign of Elizabeth; and Cranmer, Misc. Writings, 359, 360. Hale's Precedents, 120, 136, 137, 146, 147, 169, 170, 185, 192, affords several interesting illustrations for the Reformation period.
[1187] Furnivall, Child-Marriages, Divorces, and Ratifications, in the Diocese of Chester, 1561-6 (edited for the Early Eng. Text Society, London, 1897), especially 56-71, 184-202 (trothplights), 140, 141 (clandestine marriages), 72-102 (adulteries and affiliations).
[1188] Swinburne, Of Spousals, 15, 233-35; Friedberg, op. cit., 315 n. 4.