The Book of Common Prayer of the Church of Ireland: Marriage · The Book of Common Prayer of the Church of Ireland: Front Matter

The Book of Common Prayer

	The Book of Common Prayer of the Church of Ireland: Marriage

THE FORM OF
SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY.
¶ The Banns of	The
all that are to be married together (save when a Licence shall be issued	rubrics concerning the banns have been considerably enlarged since this
for such Marriage) must be published in the Church three several Sundays	was printed in 1936.
or Feast-days, in the time of Divine Service, after the Nicene Creed,
or immediately after the Second Lesson at Morning or Evening Prayer; the
Curate saying after the accustomed manner.
I PUBLISH the Banns of Marriage between
M. of — and N. of — If any of you know cause,
or just impediment, why these two Persons should not be joined together
in holy Matrimony, ye are to declare it. This is the first [second, or
third] time of asking.
¶ And if two persons
that are to be married to each other dwell in divers Parishes, the Banns
must be asked in both Parishes; and the Curate of the one Parish shall
not solemnize Matrimony betwixt them, without a Certificate of the Banns
being thrice asked, from the Curate of the other Parish.
¶ At the day and
time appointed for solemnization of Matrimony, the Persons to be married
shall come into the Body of the Church with their friends and neighbours:
and there standing together, the Man on the right hand, and the Woman
on the left, the Priest shall say,
DEARLY beloved, we are gathered together
here in the sight of God, and in the face of this Congregation, to join
together this Man and this Woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable
estate, instituted of God in the time of man's innocency, signifying unto
us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church; which holy
estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle
that he wrought, in Cana of Galilee; and is commended in holy Scripture
to be honourable among all men: and therefore is not by any to be enterprised,
nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly; but reverently,
discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God; duly considering
the causes for which Matrimony was ordained:
First, for the increase of mankind, according to the
will of God, and for the due ordering of families and households, that
children might be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and
to the praise of his holy Name;
Secondly, for the hallowing of the union betwixt man
and woman, and for the avoidance of sin;
Thirdly, for the mutual society, help, and comfort,
that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity.
Into which holy estate these two Persons present come
now to be joined. Therefore if any man can shew any just cause why they
may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter
for ever bold his peace.
(¶ Note, when
more than one man and one woman come to be married at the same time, all
that follows, down to the Psalm, shall be said for each couple severally.)
¶
Then, speaking unto the Persons that shall be married, he shall say,
I REQUIRE and charge you both, as ye will
answer at the dreadful day of judgement when the secrets of all hearts
shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why ye
may not be lawfully joined together in Matrimony, ye do now confess it.
For be ye well assured, that so many as are coupled together otherwise
than God's Word doth allow are not joined together by God; neither is
their Matrimony lawful.
¶ At which day
of Marriage, if any man do allege and declare any impediment, why they
may not be coupled together in Matrimony, by God's Law, or the Laws of
this Realm; and will be bound, and sufficient sureties with him, to the
parties; or else put in a caution (to the fall value of such charges as
the Persons to be married do thereby sustain) to prove his allegation:
then the solemnization must be deferred, until such time as the truth
be tried.
¶ If no impediment be alleged, then shall the
Curate say unto the Man,
M. WILT
thou have this Woman to thy wedded wife, to live together after God's
ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her, comfort
her, honour, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all
other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?
¶ The Man shall answer,
I will.
¶ Then shall the Priest say
unto the Woman,
N. WILT
thou have this Man to thy wedded husband, to live together after God's
ordinance in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou obey him, and serve
him, love, honour, and keep him, in sickness and in health, and, forsaking
all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?
¶ The Woman shall answer,
I will.
¶ Then shall the Minister say,
Who giveth this Woman to be married to this Man?
¶ Then shall they give their
troth to each other in this manner:
The Minister, receiving
the Woman at her father's or friend's hands, shall cause the Man with
his right hand to take the Woman by her right hand, and to say after him
as followeth:
I M. take thee N. to
my wedded wife to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for
worse, for richer for poorer in sickness and in health, to love and to
cherish, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance; and
thereto I plight thee my troth.
¶ Then shall they
loose their hands; and the Woman, with her right hand taking the Man by
his right hand, shall likewise say after the Minister,
I N. take thee M. to
my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better
for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love,
cherish, and to obey, till death us do part, according to God's holy ordinance;
and thereto I give thee my troth.
¶ Then shall they
again loose their hands; and the Man shall give unto the Woman a ring,
laying the same upon the book with the accustomed duty to the Priest and
Clerk. And the Priest, taking the ring, shall deliver it unto the Man,
to put it upon the fourth finger of the Woman's left hand. And the Man
holding the ring there, and taught by the Priest, shall say,
WITH this Ring I thee wed, with my body
I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the Name
of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
¶
Then the Man leaving the ring upon the fourth finger of the Woman's left
hand, they shall both kneel down; and, the Congregation still standing,
the Minister shall say,
Let us pray.
O ETERNAL God, Creator
and Preserver of all mankind, Giver of all spiritual grace, the Author
of everlasting life: Send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man
and this woman, whom we bless in thy Name; that, as Isaac and Rebecca
lived faithfully together, so these Persons may surely perform and keep
the vow and covenant betwixt them made (whereof this Ring given and received
is a token and pledge), and may ever remain in perfect love and peace
together, and live according to thy laws; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
¶ Then shall the Priest join
their right hands together, and say,
Those whom God hath joined together let no man put
asunder.
¶ Then shall the Minister speak
unto the people:
FORASMUCH as M. and N.
have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before
God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either
to other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving of a Ring,
and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be Man and Wife together,
In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
¶ And the Minister shall add
this Blessing:
GOD the Father, God the Son, God the Holy
Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you: the Lord mercifully with his favour
look upon you; and so fill you with sill spiritual benediction and grace,
that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye
may have life everlasting. Amen.
¶ Then the Minister
or Clerks, going to the Lord's Table, shall say or sing this Psalm following:
Beati omnes.
Psalm 128.
BLESSED are all they that fear the LORD
: and walk in his ways.
For thou shalt eat the labours of thine hands : O well is thee, and happy
shalt thou be.
Thy wife shall be as the fruitful vine : upon the walls
of thine house;
Thy children like the olive-branches : round about
thy table.
Lo, thus shall the man be blessed : that feareth the
LORD.
THE LORD
from out of Sion shall so bless thee : that thou shalt see Jerusalem in
prosperity all thy life long
Yea, that thou shalt see thy children's children :
and peace upon Israel.
GLORY be to the Father, and
to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall
be : world without end. Amen.
Or this Psalm:
Deus misereatur.
Psalm 67.
GOD be merciful unto us, and bless us
: and shew us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us;
That thy way may be known upon earth : thy saving health
among all nations.
Let the people praise thee O God : yea, let all the
people praise thee.
O LET the nations rejoice
and be glad : for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the
nations upon earth.
Let the people praise thee, O God : let all the people
praise thee.
THEN shall the earth bring
forth her increase : and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing.
God shall bless us : and all the ends of the world
shall fear him.
GLORY be to the Father, and
to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall
be : world without end. Amen.
¶
The Psalm ended, and the Man and the Woman kneeling before the Lord's
Table, the Priest standing at the Table, and turning his face towards
them, shall say,
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Answer. Christ, have mercy upon us.
Minister. Lord, have mercy upon us.
OUR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed
be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Minister. O Lord, save thy servant, and thy
handmaid;
Answer. Who put their trust in thee.
Minister. O Lord, send them help from thy
holy place;
Answer. And evermore defend them.
Minister. Be unto them a tower of strength;
Answer. From the face of their enemy.
Minister. O Lord, hear our prayer;
Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.
Minister.
O GOD of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of
Jacob, bless these thy servants, and sow the seed of eternal life in their
hearts; that whatsoever in thy holy Word they shall profitably learn they
may in deed fulfil the same. Look, O Lord, mercifully upon them from heaven,
and bless them. And as thou didst send thy blessing upon Abraham and Sarah,
to their great comfort, so vouchsafe to 8end thy blessing upon these thy
servants; that they obeying thy will, and alway being in safety under
thy protection, may abide in thy love unto their lives' end; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
¶ Then may follow this Prayer:
O MERCIFUL Lord and heavenly Father, by
whose gracious blessing mankind is increased; Bestow, we beseech thee,
on these thy servants the heritage and gift of children, and grant that
they may also live together so long in godly love and honesty, that they
may see their children christianly and virtuously brought up, to thy praise
and honour; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
O GOD, who by thy mighty power hast made
all things of nothing; who also (after other things set in order) didst
appoint, that out of man (created after thine own image and similitude)
woman should take her beginning, and, knitting them together, didst teach
that it should never be lawful to put asunder those whom thou by Matrimony
hadst made one: O God who hast so consecrated the state of Matrimony,
that in it is signified and represented the spiritual marriage and unity
betwixt Christ and his Church; Look mercifully upon these thy servants,
that both this man may love his wife, according to thy Word (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 maybe loving and amiable,
faithful and obedient to her husband; and in all quietness, sobriety,
and peace, be a follower of holy and godly matrons. O Lord, bless them
both, and grant them to inherit thy everlasting kingdom; through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
¶ Then shall the Priest say,
ALMIGHTY God, who at the beginning did
create our first parents Adam and Eve, and did sanctify and join them
together in marriage; Pour upon you the riches of his grace, sanctify
and bless you, that ye may please him both in body and soul, and live
together in holy love unto your lives' end. Amen.
¶ After which,
if there be no Sermon declaring the duties of Man and Wife, the Minister
may read as followeth:
ALL ye that are married, or that intend
to take the holy estate of Matrimony upon you, hear what the holy Scripture
doth say as touching the duty of husbands towards their wives and wives
towards their husbands.
Saint Paul, in his Epistle
to the Ephesians, speaketh thus to all men that are married: Ye husbands,
love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself	Eph. 5. 25.
for it that he might sanctify anti cleanse it with the washing of water
by the Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not
having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy
and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.
He that loveth his wife loveth himself: for no man ever yet hated his
own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the church:
for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this
cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto
his wife; and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but
I speak concerning Christ and the Church. Nevertheless let every one of
you in particular so love his wife even as himself.
Hear also what Saint Peter,
who was himself a married man, saith unto them that are married: Ye husbands,
dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife,	1 St. Pet. 3.7.
as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of
life; that your prayers be not hindered.
Hitherto ye have heard the duty of the husband towards
the wife. Now likewise, ye wives, hear and learn your duties towards your
husbands, even as it is plainly set forth in holy Scripture.
Saint Peter doth instruct
you in these words: Ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that,
if any obey not the Word, they also may without the Word be won by the	1 St. Pet. 3.1.
conversation of the wives; while they behold your chaste conversation
coupled with fear. Whose adorning, let it not be that outward adorning
of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible;
even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of
God of great price.
Saint Paul also, in the aforenamed
Epistle to the Ephesians, teacheth you thus: Wives, submit yourselves
unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head	Eph. 5. 22.
of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church: and he is the Saviour
of the body. Therefore as the Church is subject unto Christ, so let the
wives be to their own husbands in every thing. And again he saith, Let
the wife see that she reverence her husband.
And in his Epistle to the Colossians,
Saint Paul giveth you this short lesson: Wives, submit yourselves unto
your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.	Col. 3.18.
¶ Here may follow an Anthem or
Hymn.
¶ If there be no Communion, the Minister shall then say,
Let us pray.
O ALMIGHTY Lord, and everlasting
God, vouchsafe, we beseech thee, to direct sanctify, and govern both our
hearts and bodies, in the ways of thy laws, and in the works of thy commandments
; that through thy most mighty protection, both here and ever, we may
be preserved in body and soul; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.
THE grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and
the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, be with us all
evermore. Amen.
¶ It is convenient
that the new - married Persons should receive the Holy Communion at the
time of their Marriage, or at the first opportunity after their Marriage.
¶ If the Holy
Communion he celebrated at the time of a Marriage, the Collect, Epistle
and Gospel here following shall be used:
The Collect.
O ETERNAL God, we humbly beseech thee
favourably to behold these thy servants now joined in wedlock according
to thy holy ordinance; and grant that they, seeking first thy kingdom
and righteousness, may obtain the manifold blessings of thy grace; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
	The
	Lessons are printed out at length in the original; only the citations
The Epistle.	are given here.
Eph. 5. 20.	Eph. 5:20-33
The Gospel.	Matt.
	19:4-6
St. Matt. 19. 4.
THE THANKSGIVING OF WOMEN
AFTER CHILD-BIRTH,
COMMONLY CALLED
THE CHURCHING OF WOMEN.
¶ The Woman at
the usual time after her delivery, shall come into the Church decently
apparelled, and there shall kneel down in such place and at such time,
as hath been accustomed or as the Ordinary shall direct. And then the
Priest shall say unto her,
FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Almighty
God of his goodness to give you safe deliverance, and to preserve you
in the great danger of Childbirth; you shall therefore give hearty thanks
unto God, and say,
¶ Then shall the Priest say this
Psalm:
Dilexi, quoniam.
Psalm 116.
I AM well pleased : that the LORD
hath heard the voice of my prayer;
That he hath inclined his ear unto me : therefore will
I call upon him as long as I live.
The snares of death compassed me round about : and
the pains of hell gat hold upon me;
I found trouble and heaviness, and I called upon the
Name of the LORD : O LORD,
I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
GRACIOUS is the LORD,
and righteous : yea, our God is merciful.
The LORD preserveth the simple
: I was in misery, and he helped me.
Turn again then unto thy rest, O my soul : for the
LORD hath rewarded thee.
And why? thou hast delivered my soul from death : mine
eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
I will walk before the LORD : in the land of the living.
I believed, and therefore will I speak; but I was sore
troubled : I said in my haste, All men are liars.
WHAT reward shall I give unto
the Loan : for all the benefits that he bath done unto me?
I will receive the cup of salvation : and call upon
the Name of the LORD.
I will pay my vows now in the presence of all his people
: in the courts of the LORD'S house, even in the
midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.
GLORY be to the Father, and
to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall
be : world without end. Amen.
Or this Psalm:
Nisi Dominus.
Psalm 127.
EXCEPT the LORD
build the house : their labour is but lost that build it.
Except the LORD keep the city
: the watchman watcheth but in vain.
It is but lost labour that ye haste to rise up early,
and so late take rest, and eat the bread of carefulness : for so he giveth
his beloved sleep.
Lo, children and the fruit of the womb : are an heritage
and gift that cometh of the LORD.
Like as the arrows in the hand of the giant : even
so are the young children.
Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them
: they shall not be ashamed when they speak with their enemies in the
gate.
GLORY be to the Father, and
to the Son : and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall
be : world without end. Amen.
¶ Then the Priest shall say,
Let us pray.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
OUR Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed
be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, The power, And the
glory, For ever and ever. Amen.
Minister. O Lord, save this woman
thy servant;
Answer. Who putteth her trust in
thee.
Minister. Be thou to her a strong
tower;
Answer. From the face of her enemy.
Minister. Lord, hear our prayer;
Answer. And let our cry come unto thee.
Minister. Let us pray.
O ALMIGHTY God, we give thee humble thanks
for that thou hast vouchsafed to deliver this woman thy servant
from the great pain and peril of Child-birth; Grant, we beseech thee most
merciful Father, that she, through thy help, may both faithfully
live, and walk according to thy will, in this life present, and also may
be partaker of everlasting glory in the life to come; through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
¶ Then shall the Minister say,
THE Lord bless thee, and keep
thee: the Lord make his face to shine upon thee and
be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon
thee, and give thee peace, both now and for evermore.
Amen.
¶ The Woman, that
cometh to give her Thanks, must offer accustomed Offerings; and if there
be a Communion, it is convenient that she receive the Holy Communion.

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