Life Events in Medieval English Churches

 One medieval child who was not baptised until the age of 12 was known as Pagan, but baptism on the day of birth became normal. The principal Godparent would normally name the child after himself, sometimes leading families to have John 2 and 3. One could not marry one's Godparents children. Baptisms also included exorcism, salt put in the mouth, the sign of the cross on head, breast and hand. The priests saliva was applied to the child's ears and nostrils. Oil and wax were added to the water which might be warmed with a red hot poker or even fire underneath. The priest breathed on the water three times in the shape of a cross. The water was renewed once a week but noble families could expect fresh water. The priest would hold the child's hand. Boys were held in the right hand, girls in the left. Baptism was by immersion three times facing different directions including downwards. The priest asked the baby if he wanted to be baptised and the Godparents answered "I do" on the child's behalf. The child would be dressed in a white cloth which must be returned to church later. He must be brought to confirmation with all godly haste. Parents were given other helpful advice like keeping the child from water, fire, horses foot and hounds tooth until the age of 7 and not to share a bed with the child until he could say "lie further away".

Only after the Reformation was confirmation delayed to a minimum age, of at least seven. Children were generally confirmed whenever a Bishop was available in medieval England. Some diocese required it to take place within a year or three of baptism and its delay was generally lamented. The call to delay confirmation until adolescence is rare.

Confirmation was sometimes called being "bishoped".

For medieval confirmation, you will need a sponsor, but avoid someone you might want to marry. Bring a bandage which will be wrapped around your chrismed forehead. Then go to the priest who will wash you and burn it. The Bishop might confirm you in the open air, but take care if the does it from horseback and there is a crowd.

In medieval marriage services, wives to be promised to be buxom, but this meant obedient, not buxom, in some forms, bonny and buxom in bed and board - bonair meaning courteous. Men would symbolically give cash to their wives and were expected to be able to make provision for them in case they died. 

Marriages could take place at any age. On typical ages, see p324

A private marriage vow whether consummated or not was considered binding. Marriage required consent and understanding and non-church weddings were often disputed and the church wanted to regularise and regulate. 

About 16% of adults in the 1680s were unmarried. 

It was customary to watch with a corpse, but this could include drinking, singing, dancing and even wrestling. 

"a medieval church was almost as much a place of the dead as it was of the living" (p348)