"Lo, bretheren, we are comen here before God and his angels and all his halowes, in the face and presence of our moder holy Chyrche, for to couple and to knyt these two bodyes togyder, that is to saye, of this man and of this woman, that they be from this tyme forthe, but one body and two soules in the fayth and lawe of God and holy Chyrche, for to deserue everlastynge lyfe what someuer that they have done here before."
"I charge you on Goddes behalfe and holy Chirche, that if there be any of you that can say any thynge why these two may not lawfully be wedded togyder at this tyme, say it nowe outher pryuely or appertly, in helpynge of your soules and theirs bothe."
Secondly, addressing the man and the woman:
"Also I charge you both and eyther be your selfe, as ye wyll answer before God at the day of dome, that yf there be thynge done pryuely or openly, betwene yourselfe, or that ye knowe any lawfull lettyng why that ye may nat be wedded togyder at thys tyme, say it nowe or we do any more to this mater."[986]
If no objection to the marriage is made, the priest, in several long paragraphs of the service, explains the canons relating to publication of banns, the times when the ecclesiastical celebration is forbidden, and the evils growing out of clandestine unions, with the penalty of three years' suspension from office for the priest who fails to prohibit such marriages in his parish. Then follows the essential act, the celebration of the sponsalia. This, as already mentioned, is in two distinct parts. The first part is the repetition of the betrothal per verba de futuro, the priest putting the vows in the form of a question to each party. He says to the man:
"N., wylt thou haue this woman to thy wyfe and loue her [and wirschipe hir[987]] and keep her, in sykenes and in helthe, and in all other degrese be to her as a husbande sholde be to his wyfe, and all other forsake for her, and holde the only to her to thy lyues ende."
The man is to answer: "I wyll." The priest then says to the woman:
"N., wylt thou haue this man to thy husbande, and to be buxum to hym [luf hym, obeye to him, and wirschipe[988] hym], serue hym and kepe hym in sykenes and in helthe: and in all other degrese be unto him as a wyfe shulde be to her husbande, and all other to forsake for hym, and holde the only to hym to thy lyues ende."
The woman is to say: "I wyll."
This closes the first part. The second part is the gifta, or marriage properly so called, per verba de praesenti. The priest says: "Who gyues me this wyfe?" "Then," runs the Latin rubric, "shall the woman be given away by her father or by a friend; if a maid, she shall have her hand bare; if a widow, she shall have it covered."[989] The man shall receive her to keep in God's faith and his own, as he has vowed before the priest; and holding her by the right hand with his right hand, he shall plight the woman his troth in words of the present tense, saying after the priest: