"You S: do now in the Presence of God, and these Witnesses, Take R: to be your _Wife_; Promising that so far as shall be consistent with y^e Relation w^{ch} you now sustain, as a Servant, you will Perform y^e Part of an _Husband_ towards her; And in particular, you Promise, that you will _Love_ her: And that, as you shall have y^e Opport^{ty} & Ability, you will take a proper _Care_ of her in Sickness and Health, in Prosperity & Adversity: And that you will be True & _Faithfull_ to her, and will Cleave to her _only, so long_ as God, in his Provd^{ce}, shall continue your and her abode in Such Place (or Places) as that you can conveniently come together." Similar words are repeated to the woman; and when each in turn has sealed this unique troth-plight, the minister continues: "I then agreeable to your Request, and w^{th} y^e Consent of your Masters & Mistresses, do Declare, that you have Licence given you to be conversant and familiar together, as _Husband and Wife_, so long as God shall continue your Places of abode as aforesaid; and so long as you shall behave your-selves as it becometh Servants to doe: For you must, both of you, bear in mind, that you Remain Still as really and truly as ever, your Master's Property, and therefore it will be justly expected, both by God and Man, that you behave and conduct your-selves, as Obedient and faithfull Servants towards your respective Masters & Mistresses for the Time being."[703] [Footnote 703: "And finally," continues the minister, "I exhort & charge you to beware lest you give place to the Devil, so as to take Occasion from the Licence now given you, to be lifted up with _Pride_, and thereby fall under the Displeasure, not of Man only, but of God also; for, it is written, that God resisteth the Proud, but he giveth Grace to the humble. "I shall now conclude w^{th} _Prayer_ for you, that you may become good Christians, and that you may be enabled to conduct as such; and in partic^r, that you may have Grace to behave suitably towards each Other, as also dutifully towards your Masters & Mistresses, not w^{th} Eye-Service, as Men-pleasers, but as y^e serv^{ts} of Chr^t, doing y^e will of God from y^e heart." Published by MOORE, _Slave Marriages in Mass._: in DAWSON'S _Hist. Mag._, 2d series, V, 137.] Through this ingenious device, it is clear, the permanence of the slave's nuptial bond, with all his connubial and family rights, was made absolutely dependent upon his owner's will. CHAPTER XIII ECCLESIASTICAL RITES AND THE RISE OF CIVIL MARRIAGE IN THE SOUTHERN COLONIES