My British Empire

  Chapter 40 Journey

  After finishing these tasks, Edward handed over all the matters of reclaiming the wasteland to Butler Howard, which was his job anyway.

  Edward set off for Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire, with twenty knights and sisters Lucy and Luna. And, of course, there's the goofy little Arthur White Horse.

  In fact, when Edward went, Queen Catherine and Thomas Seymour were already engaged, and they were legally husband and wife.

  One month ago, on March 20th, the sun in the sky looked very soft. Catherine and Baron Seymour came to the church in Fort Sudeley with a nervous mood. As soon as she got off the carriage, she unconsciously took Thomas' hand and held it tightly.

   You know, she has been married three times, and this is the fourth time, and she still came to the church to be engaged to a baron as the king's queen.

  At the request of Catherine Parr, Thomas did not invite too many people to their engagement ceremony, only his elder brother, the Duke and Duchess of Somerset, and Catherine's younger brother, the Duke of Parr.

   At this time, under the door of the church, the priest of the church was already greeted by the porch wearing a braid and white cassock.

  The cassock worn by the priest is exquisite, and white represents purity and cleanliness.

  After entering the church, the clergy of the church will verify the identity of the two to be engaged, record the specific personal information of the two, and then ask them some questions, or confirm that the two are voluntary to marry.

   This is a young guy who seems to have seen Queen Catherine, and was still a little surprised by her arrival. He stroked his chest with his hand to calm down

  , then asked in an unhurried tone: "Ms. Catherine Parr, if the Holy Church agrees, will you swear to marry Baron Thomas Seymour?"

  Catherine replied calmly: "I promise."

   "Then, Baron Thomas Seymour, if the Holy Church agrees, will you swear to marry Ms. Catherine Parr?".

   "I am willing!" Baron Seymour's voice was very affirmative and resonant.

  When it is confirmed that the will of the two to get married is not wavering, the clergy will bless the two of them in Latin and say: "I am engaged for you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen."

  After the blessing, the betrothed couple will exchange rings.

Baron Seymour took the ring off his finger, put it on Catherine's hand and said: "Ma'am - with this gold ring you will know that I am yours - my eternal and faithful love." Correspondingly, Catherine also from He took off the ring from his own finger and put it on Baron Seymour's hand in the same tone.

The holding of the engagement ceremony is not simply announcing to others that I want to marry you as a wife, it represents a kind of right, the loyalty and protection of both parties to each other, the engagement agreement is legally binding, not can be stopped at will.

  The two people who are engaged do not register at the marriage registry as they do today, but at the clergy of the local church.

  The church at that time indeed played a role similar to that of a government agency in this regard. The clergy were not only witnesses to witness the marriage in reality, but also represented God's well-wishers.

   On the other hand, since the two have made a vow before God, they will not easily violate their original promise in later life. The church has always been the witness and defender of the marriage vow.

  In the Middle Ages, what's even more frustrating is that once such an engagement ceremony is completed, it does not mean that the two can get married immediately.

   Such an engagement is actually only the first guarantee of marriage, so what is the second guarantee? That is the 40-day "wedding notice period" after the engagement.

  The number of 40 days is a special meaning and a symbol.

  In the Christian church, **** once experienced the temptation of the devil for 40 days in the wilderness. Therefore, to extend this meaning means that people should imitate **** and endure the 40-day test.

During the 40-day marriage notice period, the two and their respective families will announce their planned marriage many times in order to reveal some hidden things that do not comply with the church's regulations, such as close relatives prohibited by the church, or two One of the persons has a previous marriage contract which has not been dissolved, etc.

  These measures are to make the marriage relationship more transparent on the one hand, and on the other hand, to purify the nature of marriage and avoid marriages that violate the norms. In addition, even if the two are engaged, it is forbidden for unmarried couples to live in the same room during the marriage notice period.

   These measures are still powerful measures to protect marriage from the perspective of today. At least the two of you can be more open to each other, you can raise issues that you didn't pay attention to before, and you can make things that are hidden from each other public. This is essentially treating marriage as a sacred thing.

  Our marriage today is too impetuous, and our attitude towards marriage is not serious enough. How many people use the slogan of liberating human nature to release their desires, and throw away all the responsibilities they have? Only when we truly realize our responsibilities and undertake the corresponding obligations, can we have the courage to mention the so-called liberation of human nature, otherwise it is debauchery.

  After 40 days of marriage test, the next step is the last step to achieve a positive result-marriage.

  Edward was thinking about the medieval English wedding, but his body was shaking unconsciously as the carriage moved forward.

   "Oh! It's so uncomfortable!" Edward lay in the carriage with a look of lovelessness, his head resting on Luna's round lap, and the girl's scent pouring into Edward's nose could not stop his inner depression.

  Edward felt that his heart was broken. When he went to Windsor Manor a few days ago, he didn't feel much about riding in a carriage.

  And on the way to Gloucestershire, from morning to afternoon, Edward's stomach started to churn, and his brain didn't feel like his own.

  He didn't expect that a person who didn't get motion sickness in the previous life would actually get motion sickness in this life! Could it be because of the physique?

   "Ouch!" Edward vomited uncontrollably into the wooden basin prepared in advance, and suddenly, the carriage was filled with the smell of stomach acid.

   "Your Majesty, are you feeling better?" Luna wiped Edward's lips with a sheep towel, and asked with concern and reluctance.

   "Yes! Your Majesty, why not stop the carriage for a while!" Lucy came up with a good idea and tried to ask Edward.

   "No need, long-term pain is worse than short-term pain, let's keep going!"

"But…"

   "It's nothing, it's getting dark, we can't spend the night in the wild!" Edward's tone was full of unshakable emotions.

  Luna shook her head slightly towards Lucy, signaling her to stop.

  Lucy stopped talking, and turned around unwillingly.

  Edward lay on Luna's lap again, watching the two little peaches shaking in front of him, his eyes gradually narrowed. Before he knew it, Edward slowly fell asleep.

   Luna and Lucy in the carriage breathed a sigh of relief.

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  (end of this chapter)