The Right Hand of the Woman

R. I will. THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY. Then the Priest asks the Bride : N., wilt thou take N., here present, for thy lawful husband, according to the rite of our holy Mother the Church ?

R. I win. Then the woman is given away by her father or friend ; and , if she has never been married before , she has her hand uncovered ; but if she is a widow , she has it covered. The man receives her to keep in God's faith and his own ; and, holding her by the right hand in his own right hand, plights her his troth , saying after the Priest as follows: I, N., 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, till death do us part, if holy Church will it permit ; and thereto I plight thee my troth. Then they loose their hands; and, joining them again , the woman says after the Priest : I, N., take thee, N., 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, till death us do part, if holy Church will it permit ; and thereto I plight thee my troth. Their troth being thus pledged to each other on both sides, and their right hands joined, the Priest says: Ego conjungo vos in matri- I join you together in mar- momum, in nomine Patris, + riage, in the name of the Fa- et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti, 'ther, + and of the Son, and of Amen