ESPOUSAL (OF. espousailles, Fr. epou sallies, from Lat. sponsalia, betrothal, pl. of spunsalis, bride, from spouse, bride, from spon dere, to pledge). A ceremony of betrothal prepar atory to marriage. (1) Among the Jews, the first advances suggesting betrothal or engagement were generally on the part of the young man's parents (Gen. xxxiv. 6, 24) ; sometimes, however, the young man himself suggested the union (Judges xiv. 2). The proposition was accompanied by the giving of gifts, and, when both parties agreed, the groom's parents gave a dowry to the bride's family. Originally this was the property of the family, but later it became the property of the bride to provide for her future in case of forced divorce or the death of her husband. From the time of betrothal any breaeh of chastity on the part of the bride meant death, and in general the same rules applied as if the marriage had already been celebrated. There is no definite period after betrothal when the marriage takes place. in later times the right of choosing was given to the in dividuals in the marriage, but even then the form of betrothal was still binding. (2)
In the early Christian Church also a ceremony of espmisal preceded marriage. The preliminaries consisted in a nuitual agreement between the parties that the marriage should take place with in n limited time, confirmed by certain donations as the earnest of marriage, and attested by a sufficient number of witnesses. The free consent of parties contracting marriage was required by the old Roman law and by the Code of Justinian.
The gifts bestowed were publicly recorded. The dowry settled on the bride was stipulated in pub lic instruments under hand and seal. The ring was given at. the betrothal rather than at the ac tual marriage. The use of the marriage ring dates from very early times, and its recognized place was then as now on the woman's fourth fin ger. The witnesses present, friends of both parties, were usually ten in number. The espousal, as in corporated with the wedding rite, is plainly traceable in the usage of the Roman, Anglican, and other churches of the present day.