The 1552 Book of Common Prayer: Marriage · The 1552 Book of Common Prayer: Preface & Of Ceremonies

The Book of Common Prayer

	The Book of Common Prayer - 1552

THE FOURME OF
SOLEMNIZACYON OF MATRYMONYE.
First the bannes
must be asked three severall Sundayes or holy daies, in the time of
service, the people being present after the accustomed maner.
And if the persons
that woulde be maryed dwell in divers Parishes the bannes must be asked
in both Parishes, and the Curate of thone [the
one] Parish shall not solemnize Matrimonie betwixt them, without
a certificat of the bannes beeyng thryce asked, from the Curate of the
other Parishe. At the daye appoynted for Solemnizacion of Matrimonye,
the persones to be maryed shal come into the bodye of the churche, with
theyr frendes and neyghbours. And there the Priest shall thus saye.
DEARELY beloved
frendes, we are gathered together here in the syght of God, and in the
face of. his congregacion, to joyne together thys man and this woman
in holy matrimonie, which is an honorable estate, instituted of god
in Paradise, in the time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the
misticall union that is betwixte Chryste and hys Churche: whiche holy
estate Chryst adourned and beutified with his presence, and fyrst miracle
that he wrought, in Cana of Galile, and is commended of Saincte Paul
to bee honourable among all men; and therefore is not to bee enterprised,
nor taken in hande unadvisedly, lightely, or wantonly, to satisfie mennes
carnall lustes and appetites, lyke brute beastes that have no understandynge:
but reverently, discretely, advisedly, soberly, and in the feare of
God: Duely consideryng the causes for whiche Matrymonye was ordayned.
One was the procreacion of children, to be broughte up in the feare
and nurtoure of the Lorde, and prayse of God. Secondlye it was ordeined
for a remedye agaynste synne, and to avoide fornicacion, that suche
persons as have not the gyfte of continencie myght marye, and kepe themselves
undefiled members of Christes body. Thirdly, for the mutuall societie,
helpe, and coumforte, that the one ought to have of the other, both
in prosperitie and adversitie; into the whiche holy estate these two
persons present come now to be joyned. Therefore if any man can shew
any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together: let him
now speake, or els hereafter for ever holde hys peace.
And also speak yng to the persones
that shalbe maried, he shall saye.
I require and charge you (as you
wil aunswere at the dreadful day of judgment, when the secretes of al
hearts shalbe disclosed) that if either of you doe knowe any impediment,
why ye may not be lawfully joyned together in Matrimonie, that ye confesse
it. For be ye wel assured, that so many as be coupled together otherwyse
then god's word doth allowe, are not joyned together by god, neither
is there Matrimonye lawfull.
At whiche daye
of mariage it any man doe allege and declare any impediment why thei
may not be coupled together in Matrimony by god's law or the lawes of
this Realme, and wyl be bounde, and sufficient suerties with him, to
the parties, or elles put in a caucion to the full value of such charges
as the persons to be maried doeth susteine to prove his allegacion:
then the Solemnizacion must be deferred, unto such tyme as the trueth
be tryed. If no impedimente bee alleged, then shal the Curate saye unto
the man.
N.
Wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after
god's ordinaunce in the holy estate of matrimonie? Wilte thou love her,
coumfort her, honour, and kepe her in sickenes and in health? And forsaking
al other kepe thee onely to her, so long as you both shall lyve?
The
man shall aunswere,
I
wyll.
Then shal the Priest saye to the woman.
N.
Wilte thou have this man to thy wedded housband, To lyve together
after god's ordynaunce, in the holy estate of matrimony? Wylte thou
obey him, and serve him, love, honor, and kepe him, in sickenes and
in health? and forsakyng al other kepe thee onely unto him, so long
as you both shall lyve?
The
woman shall aunswere,
I
wyll.
Then shall the Minister saye,
Who geveth this woman to be maryed unto thys man?
And the Ministre
receiving the woman at her father or frendes handes, shal cause the
man to take the woman by the ryght hande, and so either to geve their
trouth to other. The man first saying,
I N. take
thee N. to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day
foreward, for better, for worse, for rycher, for poorer, in sickenes,
and in health, to love, and to cherish, till death us depart, according
to goddes holy ordynaunce: And thereto I plight thee my troth.
Then shall they loose theyr handes,
and the woman takyng again the man by the ryght hand shall saye.
I N. take
thee N. to my wedded husbande, to have and to holde from this day forewarde,
for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickenes, and in health,
to love, cherish, and to obeye, tyl death us depart, according to goddes
holy ordynaunce: And thereto I geve thee my troth.
Then shall they
agayne loose their handes, and the man shal geve unto the woman a ryng,
laying the same upon the boke, with the accustomed duty to the priest
and clerke. And the priest taking the ring shall delyver it unto the
man, to put it upon the fourth finger of the woman's lejt hand. And
the man taught by the priest, shal say,
With this ring I thee wedde: with
my body I thee worship: and with al my worldly goodes I thee endow.
In the name of the father, and of the sonne, and of the holy gost. Amen.
Then the man leaving the ryng upon
the fourth finger of the woman's lefte hande, the Ministre shal say,
¶ Let us praye.
O ETERNAL God,
creatour and preserver of all mankynd, gever of al spiritual grace,
the auctour of everlastyng lyfe: Sende thy blessyng upon these thy servauntes,
this man and this woman, whom we blesse in thy name, that as Isaac and
Rebecca lived faithfully together; so these persons maye surely perfourme
and kepe the vowe and covenaunt betwixt them made, whereof this ryng
geven and receyved is a token and pledge: and maye ever remayne in perfecte
love and peace together; and lyve accordynge unto thy lawes; throughe
Jesus Christe oure Lorde. Amen.
¶
Then shal the Priest joyne theyr ryght handes together, and saye,
Those whom god hath ioyned together, let no man put asunder.
¶ Then shall the Ministre speak unto the people.
FORASMUCHE
as N. and N. have consented together in holy wedlocke,
and have witnessed the same beefore god and thys company, and thereto
have geven and pledged their troth either to other, and have declared
thesame by geving and receyving of a ryng, and by joyning of hands:
I pronounce that they bee man and wyfe together. In the name of the
father, of the sonne, and of the holy gost. Amen.
¶
And the ministre shal adde thys blessyng.
GOD
the father, god the sonne, god the holy gost blesse, preserve, and kepe
you: the lorde mercyfully with his favoure loke upon you, and so fyll
you with all spirituall benediccion and grace, that you maye so lyve
together in this life, that in the world to come you may have lyfe everlastynge.
Amen.
¶
Then the Ministers or Clerkes, going to the Lordes table, shall saye
or syng this Psalme following.
Beati
omnes. cxxviii.
BLESSED
are all they that feare the Lord : and walke in hys ways.
For thou shalt eate the labour of thy handes : O
well is thee, and happy shalte thou be.
Thy wife shall be as the fruitfull vyne : upon the
walles of thy house.
Thy chyldren lyke the Olive braunches : round about
thy table.
Lo, thus shal the man be blessed : that feareth the
lord.
The lord from out of Sion shall blesse thee : that
thou shalt see Hierusalem [Jerusalem]
in prosperitie al thy lyfe longe.
Yea, that thou shalte see thy chyldrens chyldren
: and peace upon Israel.
Glory be to the father, &c.
As it was in the, &c.
¶ Or els thys Psalme folowinge.
Deus
misereatur. Psalm lxvii,
GOD
be merciful unto us, and blesse us : and shew us the light of hys countenaunce,
and be mercifull unto us.
That thy waye may bee knowen upon the earth : thy
saving health among al nacions.
Let the people prayse thee (O god :) yea, let al
the people prayse thee.
O let the nacions reioice and be glad : for thou
shalte judge the flock righteously, and govern the nacions upon the
earth.
Let the people prayse thee, O God : lette al the
people prayse thee.
Then shal the earth bring furth her encrease : and
God, even our god, shal geve us his blessing.
God shal blesse us, and al the endes of the world
shall feare hym.
Glory be to the father, &c.
As it was in thee, &c.
¶ The Psalme ended, and the man and the woman kneling
afore the lordes table: the prieste standyng at the table, and turning
his face towarde them, shall saye.
Lorde, have mercy upon us.
Aunswere. Christ, have
mercy upon us.
Ministre. Lorde, have
mercye upon us.
¶ Our father which arte in heaven, &c.
And leade us not into temptacion.
Aunswere. But delyver
us from evyll. Amen.
Minister.
O Lorde save thy servaunt, and thy hand-mayde.
Aunswere. Which put
theyr trust in thee.
Minister. O Lorde,
sende them helpe from thy holy place.
Aunswere. And evermore
defende them.
Minister. Be unto them
a towre of strength.
Aunswere. From the
face of theyr enemye.
Minister. O Lorde,
heare our prayer.
Aunswere. And let our
crye come unto thee.
The
Minister.
O
God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, blesse these thy servaunts,
and sowe the sede of eternal lyfe in theyr mindes, that whatsoever in
thy holy worde they shall profytably learne, they may in dede fulfyl
the same. Loke, O Lord, mercyfully upon them from heaven, and blesse
them. And as thou diddest send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sara to
theyr great comfort; so vouchsafe to send thy blessing upon these thy
servaunts, that they obeying thy wyl, and alway being in safetie under
thy proteccion, may abide in thy love unto theyr lives' ende, through
Jesu Christ our Lorde. Amen.
This
prayer next folowing shalbe omitted where the woman is past chyld-birth.
O
MERCIFUL Lord and heavenly father, by whose gracious gift mankind is
encreased: we beseche thee, assist with thy blessing these two persons,
that they may both be fruiteful in procreacion of chyldren, and also
lyve together so long in godly love and honestie, that they may see
their children's children unto the third and fourth generacion, unto
thy prayse and honour: through Jesus Christ our Lorde Amen.
O God, which by thy mighty power hast made all thinges
of naught, which also after other thinges set in ordre didst appoynt
that out of man (created after thyne owne ymage and similitude) womanne
should take her beginning: and, knitting them together, didst teach
that it should never be lawefull to put asunder those, whom thou by
matrimonie hadst made one: O god, which hast consecrated the state of
matrimonie to such an excellent misterie, that in it is signified and
represented the spiritual manage and unitie betwixt Christ and his church:
Loke mercyfully upon these thy servaunts, that both this man may love
his wife, according to thy worde, (as Christ did love his spouse the
church, who gave himself for it, loving and cherishing it even as his
own flesh;) and also that this woman may be loving and amiable to her
husband as Rachel, wise as Rebecca, faithful and obedient as Sara; and
in all quietnes, sobriete, and peace, be a folower of holy and godly
matrones: O Lorde, blesse them both, and graunt them to inheritie thy
everlasting kingdome, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Then
shal the Priest saye,
ALMIGHTIE
god, which at the beginning did create our first parentes Adam and Eve,
and did sanctifie and joyne them together in mariage: poure upon you
the riches of his grace, sanctifie and blesse you, that ye may please
him bothe in body and soule, and lyve together in holy love, unto your
lyves' ende. Amen.
Then shal begin
the Communion, and after the Gospel shal be sayd a sermon, wherein ordinarely
(so oft as there is any mariage) the office of a man and wyfe shalbe
declared according to holy scripture: or yf there be no sermon, the
Minister shall reade this that foloweth.
ALL ye whiche
be maried, or whiche entende to take the holy estate of matrimonie upon
you: heare what holye scripture doeth saye, as touching the duetie of
husbandes towards theyr wyves, and wyves towarde theyr husbandes. Sainct
Paule (in his Epistle to the Ephesians the fyfth Chapter) doeth geve
this commaundemente to all maried men.
Ye husbandes, love your wyves, even as Christ loved
the church, and hath geven himself for it, to sanctifie it, pourging
it in the fountayne of water, throughe thy worde, that he might make
it unto himself a glorious congregacion, not having spot, or wrinkle,
or any such thinge; but that it should be holy and blameles. So men
are bound to love theyr owns wyves as theyr owne bodies. He that loveth
his owne wife, loveth himself. For never did any man hate his owne flesh,
but nourissheth and cherissheth it, even as the Lord doth the congregacion;
for we are membres of his body, of his fleshe, and of his bones.
For this cause shal a man leave father and mother,
and shall be joyned unto his wyfe, and they two shalbe one fleshe. This
mistery is great, but I speak of Christ and of the congregacion. Neverthelesse,
let every one of you so love his owne wyfe, even as himselfe.
Likewise the same Sainct Paul (writing to the Colossians)
speaketh thus to al men that be maried: Ye men love your wyves and be
not bitter unto them. (Coloss. iii.)
Heare also what Sainct Peter the apostle of Christe,
which was himself a maried man, sayeth unto all men that are maried.
Ye husbandes, dwel with your wives according to knowledge: Geving honour
unto the wyfe, as unto the weaker vessel, and as heyres together of
the grace of lyfe, so that your prayers be not hyndered. (1
Pet. iii.)
Hetherto ye have hearde the duetie of the husbande
towarde the wyfe.
Nowe lykewyse, ye wyves, heare and learne your duetie
towardes youre husbandes, even as it is playnly set forth in holy scripture.
Sainct Paul (in the forenamed Epistle to the Ephesians)
teacheth you thus: Ye women submitte yourselves unto your own husbandes
as unto the lord: for the husbande is the wyve's head, even as Christe
is the head of the Church. And he is also the saviour of the whole body.
Therefore as the church, or congregacion, is subjecte unto Christe,
so lykewyse let the wyves also bee in subjeccion unto theyr owne husbandes
in all thinges. (Ephes. v.)
And agayne he sayth: Let the wyfe reverence her husbande. And (in his
Epistle to the Collossians) Sainct Paule geveth you this shorte lesson:
Ye wyves, submit your selves unto your own husbandes, as it is convenient
in the Lorde. Coloss. iii.
Sainct Peter also doth instruct you very godly, thus
saying:
Let wives be subject to theyr owne husbandes, so
that yf any obey not the word, they may be wonne without the worde,
by the conversacion [=behavior]
of the wyves, whyle they behold your chaste conversacion, coupled with
feare: whose apparel let it not be outward, with broyded heere [braided hair]
and trimming about with gold, eyther in putting on of gorgeous apparel:
but let the hyd [hid]
man, which is in the heart, be without al corrupcion, so that the spirits
be milde and quiet, which is a precious thing in the syght of God. For
after this maner (in the olde tyme) dydde the holy women, whiche trusted
in God apparel themselves, being subject to their owns husbandes: as
Sara obeyed Abraham callinge him Lord, whose daughters ye are made,
doynge well and beyng not dismayde with any feare. (1
Pet. iii.)
The newe maried persons (the same
daye of their mariage) must receive the holy communion.

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