no 



SOLEMNIZATION OF MATRIMONY. 



ited in a poem, entitled "Der Meier Helmbrecht." The poet describes 

 the marriage of a robber, Lammerschlind, and Gottliude, a farmer's 

 daughter, (1507. sqq.) 



" uf stuont ein alter grise ; 



der was der worte wise, 



der kunde so getaniu dine. 



er staltes beide in einen rinc, 



er sprach ze Lemberslinde 



'welt ir Gotelinde 



elichen nemen ? so sprechet Ja.' 



'gerne,' sprach der knabe sa. 



er vragte in aber anderstunt, 



' gerne,' sprach des knaben munt. 



zem drittenmale er do sprach 



' nemt ir si gerne ?' der knabe jach 



' so mir sele unde lip, 



ich nime gerne dize wip.' 



do sprach er ze Gotelinde 



' welt ir Lemberslinde 



gerne nemen zeinem man ?' 



' ja, herre, ob mir sin got gan.' 



' nemt ir in gerne ?' sprach aber er. 



'gerne, herre ! gebt rairn her !' 



Zem dritten male 'welt irn ?' 



'gerne, herre! nu gebet mini.' 



do gap er Gotelinde 



ze wibe Lemberslinde, 



und gap Lemberslinde 



ze manne Gotelinde. 



si sungen alle an der stat, 



uf den vuoz er ir trat. 



Translation. 

 Up rose an aged man 

 Who had a ready tongue, 

 And thus he joined the twain. 

 Within a circle he both did place, 

 And then to Lemberslinde spake : 

 ' Wilt thou Gotelinde take. 

 For thy wedded wife ? Then say me yea.' 

 'Most willingly,' the youth replied. 

 He asked again the second time : 

 ' Most willingly,' rejoined the youth again. 

 The third time thus once more he spake : 

 ' Dost take her willingly ?' ' ay,' responds 

 ' Dear as my soul and body, [the youth, 

 Most gladly do 1 take this wife.' 

 And then he spake to Gotelinde : 

 ' Wilt thou willingly take Lemberslinde 

 Thy wedded husband aye to be ?' 

 ' Yea, sir, for better or for worse !' 

 'Dost take him willingly?' again he asks, 

 * Ay, sir, with good will ! give him now 



to me.' 

 The third time doth he ask ; ' wilt have 



him, say?' 

 ' Ah, willingly, sir ! now do give him me.' 

 Then gave he Gotelinde 

 To be wife to Lemberslinde, 

 And gave Lemberslinde 

 To be husband to Gotelinde. 

 And now they all did join in song. 

 But he* did step upon her foot.f 



Here, then, neither the parties interested, nor the poet, are at all 

 concerned at the absence of an ofKciating ecclesiastic : but here already, 

 the whole solemnity of the transaction depends on the thrice repeated 

 question, and on the bridegroom's stepping on the bride's foot, thereby 

 indicating the assumption of possession and authority, according to an 

 ancient custom and statute. (From an ancient collection of popular 

 poems we learn, that any one, stepping on a sorcerer's foot, thus pos- 

 sessed himself, and deprived him, of his power of vaticination.) Thus 

 much for the 13th century. The scene of the poem, from which the 



* The bridegroom. 



t It will be observed that I have taken liberties with two or three lines. 



