had been blessed--this being considered one of the most
important of the marriage ceremonies. "On the evening of the
wedding-day," says Mr. Jeaffreson,[721] "when the married couple sat in
state in the bridal-bed, before the exclusion of the guests, who
assembled to commend them yet again to Heaven's keeping, one or more
priests, attended by acolytes swinging to and fro lighted censers,
appeared in the crowded chamber to bless the couch, its occupants, and
the truckle-bed, and fumigate the room with hallowing incense." In "A
Midsummer-Night's Dream" (v. 1), Oberon says:

"Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray.
To the best bride-bed will we,
Which by us shall blessed be;
And the issue there create
Ever shall be fortunate."

[721] "Brides and Bridals," vol. i. p. 98; see Brand's "Pop.
Antiq.," vol. ii. p. 175.

Steevens, in illustration of this custom, quotes from Chaucer's "The
Merchant's Tale" (ed. Tyrwhitt), line 9693:

"And when the bed was with the preest yblessed."

The formula for this curious ceremony is thus given in the Manual for
the use of Salisbury: "Nocte vero sequente cum sponsus et sponsa ad
lectum pervenerint, accedat sacerdos et benedicat thalamum, dicens.
Benedic, Domine, thalamum istum et omnes habitantes in eo; ut in tua
pace consistant, et in tua voluntate permaneant: et in tuo amore vivant
et senescant et multiplicentur in longitudine dierum. Per Dominum.--Item
benedictio super lectum. Benedic, Domine, hoc cubiculum, respice, quinon
dormis neque dormitas. Qui custodis Israel, custodi famulos tuos in hoc
lecto quiescentes ab omnibus fantasmaticis demonum illusionibus. Custodi
eos vigilantes ut in preceptis tuis meditentur dormientes, et te per
soporem sentiant; ut hic et ubique depensionis tuae muniantur auxilio.
Per Dominum.--Deinde fiat benedictio super eos in lecto tantum cum
oremus. Benedicat Deus corpora vestra et animas vestras; et det super
eos benedictionem sicut benedixit Abraham, Isaac, et Jacob, Amen. His
peractis aspergat eos aqua benedicta, et sic discedat et dimittat eos in
pace."[722]

[722] See Douce's "Illustrations of Shakespeare," pp. 123, 124.

In the French romance of Melusine, the bishop who marries her to
Raymondin blesses the nuptial-bed. The ceremony is there presented in a
very ancient cut, of which Douce has given a copy. The good prelate is
sprinkling the parties with holy water. It appears that,