[1209] Swinburne, Of Spousals, 203 ff. Whether the ring alone, without the usual words of assent, is a sufficient sign of contracting espousals or marriage, depends on its presentation in solemn form or upon local or national custom: ibid., 209-12.
[1210] Swinburne, op. cit., 207-9. The symbolism of the ring is explained in the same spirit by Martin Bucer, Script. Anglic. (Basel, 1577), Censur. in ordinat. eccles., cap. xx, pp. 488, 489: Whitgift, "Defence of the Answer," Works, III, 353 n. 11. (Cf. chap. xi, below, where this passage is quoted.) The early rituals, as we have seen (above, chap, vii, sec. 1), quote the Decree of Gratian as authority for the "vein extending to the heart."
[1211] On the archæology of the ring see further Saxse, Arcana annuli pronubii, 68 ff.; Wood, The Wedding Day, 217-34; Wheatley, Illustrations of the Common Prayer, 437-40; Brand, Popular Antiquities, II, 102 ff.; Douce, Illustrations of Shakespeare, I, 109 ff.; Jeaffreson, Brides and Bridals, I, 138-66; Gentleman's Magazine, 1795, pp. 727, 728, 987; also Gent. Mag. Library: Manners and Customs, 54-57; Notes and Queries, 3d series, VII, 12, 307, 350, 387 (metal of the ring); 5th series, XII, 407, 474, 514. The fourth finger in connection with the vein to the heart is mentioned by Aulus Gellius, lib. x, c. 10; also by Macrobius, Saturnal., lib. vii, c. 13, who "quotes the opinion of Ateius Capito, that the right hand was exempt from this office because it was much more useful than the left hand, and therefore the precious stones of the rings were liable to be broken; and that the finger of the left hand was selected which was the least used."—Gent. Mag. Lib., loc. cit., 54. The mediæval marriage ceremony is described by Chaucer, Merchant's Tale, ll. 450-509 (ed. Morris, London, 1891), 332-333.
[1212] Cf. 2 and 3 Ed. VI., c. 23, cited above; and Hooper, Later Writings, II, 138.
[1213] Swinburne, op. cit., 231,232; Burn, op. cit., 138, 139, 140.
[1214] In general on the Protestant theory of marriage see Friedberg, Geschichte der Civilehe, 6 ff.; idem, Eheschliessung, 153-98; Richter, Lehrbuch, 1050 ff.
[1215] The selections from Luther's writings relating to the nature of marriage and the question of its sacramental character take up the first 215 pages of Strampff's Dr. Martin Luther: Ueber die Ehe.
[1216] Luther, "Vom ehelichen Stande," Bücher und Schriften (Jena, 1564), I, fol. 170b; also in Strampff, 205.
[1217] Friedberg, Eheschliessung, 157.
[1218] Luther, Von der Babylonischen gefencknuss der Kirchen; idem, Von den Conciliis und Kirchen (1539): quoted by Friedberg, op. cit., 157, 158, notes. These passages and others in Strampff, 205 ff., 213 ff.