300、⑷女方宣布同意后，要给予信物。信物是指礼物。同意之后，这些就是订婚的确认和见证，也是喜爱和幸福的最初标志。这些礼物之所以是确认，是因为它们是同意的信物。这就是为何当两人就某事达成一致时，我们会说“给我一个信物。”同样，若两人郑重订婚，并赠予礼物确认订婚，我们就说他们许下诺言，因而通过订婚予以确认。
这些礼物起到见证的作用，因为信物如同相爱的永久可见证据，因而也是对它们的纪念，尤其是戴上能看得见的戒指、香囊、吊坠等。它们形成代表新郎和新娘意志的一种形像。这些信物是喜爱的最初标志，因为婚姻之爱承诺的是永恒的喜爱，这些礼物就是其最初果实。它们标志着爱情的幸福，这是众所周知的；因为一看到它们，心里就欢喜；并且由于爱情就在它们里面，所以这些喜爱的标志比其它任何礼物都要亲切和珍贵，仿佛他们的心就在其中。
由于这些信物起到巩固婚姻之爱的作用，所以同意后赠予礼物是古人当中一个约定俗成的做法；接受它们后，这对情侣就算订婚了，也就是说，这二人被宣称为新郎和新娘。然而，要知道，礼物的赠予还有一个选择的问题，即：是订婚前赠送还是订婚后赠送。若订婚前赠送，它们就是同意订婚的确认和见证；若订婚后赠送，它们就是同意结婚的确认和见证。
300、（4）女方同意后，双方要互送礼物做为见证。礼物起到肯定见证的作用，它们是第一种互惠和财富。
起到肯定见证的作用是因为它们是双方彼此同意的象征。正当双方在某方面达成一致后会互换证物作为证明一样。双方约定要结婚并送信物，他们就受到了约定。另外，这些礼物会一直作为见证物来证明双方的爱，起到了提醒的作用，尤其是象戒指、项链、别针等会常被戴着并看得见。人们可以从中看到双方对未来婚姻的倾向。
这些礼物是第一种互惠。婚姻之爱中有着永不停息的双方的互惠，而这些礼物是最初的互惠和果实。
这些礼物也是爱的财富。双方看到它们时会感到高兴。因为它们反映着双方的爱。这些互惠比别的东西更珍贵，就好象双方的心在其中一样。
因为这些礼物是婚姻之爱的支持者。双方同意结婚后送礼物也是为女人所接受的一种礼节。收到礼物后，双方就订婚了。是在订婚前交换礼物，还是在订婚后交换礼物，这是双方的自由。若在订婚前交换礼物，表示双方同意订婚，若在订婚后交换礼物，表示双方同意结婚。
300. (iv) After the announcement of consent pledges are to be given.
By pledges are meant gifts, which serve to confirm and bear witness to the engagement, and which are the first marks of good will and happiness. These gifts are confirmations because they are tokens of consent. That is why, when two people agree on something, we say, 'Give me a token.' Similarly we say of a couple, who have engaged to get married and given presents to confirm the promise, that they are pledged, and so confirmed in the engagement.
[2] These gifts bear witness, because the pledges are as it were permanent visible evidence of mutual love, and so also serve to call this to mind, especially if they are rings, pomanders and sashes which are worn so as to be seen. They form a kind of pictorial image of the intentions of the engaged couple. The pledges are the first marks of good will, because conjugial love promises itself everlasting good will, and these gifts are its first fruits. They are marks of the happiness of love, as is well known; for on seeing them the mind is cheered, and since there is love in them, these marks of good will are more dear and more precious than any other gifts whatsoever. It is as if their hearts were in them.
[3] Since these pledges serve to establish conjugial love, the giving of presents after giving consent was an accepted practice among the people of antiquity, and when they had been accepted, the couple were pronounced engaged. It should, however, be known that it is a matter of choice whether the presents are given before or after the ceremony of engagement. If given before, they confirm and bear witness to the agreement to become engaged; if afterwards, they confirm and bear witness to the agreement to marry.
300. 4. After she declares her consent, gifts should be given as pledges. By pledges we mean gifts given after she declares her consent which are affirmations, testifications, first favors and treasures.
These gifts are affirmations, because they are tokens of their mutual consent. So when an agreement is reached between two parties, people say, "Give me something in token of it;" and when two have promised themselves in marriage and affirmed their mutual promise by gifts, they are said to be pledged and thus sworn.
[2] These gifts are testifications, because as pledges they are like continual witnesses visibly testifying to their love for each other, being therefore also reminders of it, especially if they are rings, lockets or pins which are worn openly to the sight. One sees in them a kind of representative reflection of the intentions of the future bridegroom and bride.
These pledges are first favors, because conjugial love includes a promise of everlasting favor, of which these gifts are the first fruits.
These gifts are the treasures of love, as everyone knows, for the mind is gladdened at the sight of them; and because they reflect their love, these favors are dearer and more precious than any other gifts, as though they held their hearts within.
[3] Since these pledges are given in support of conjugial love, the giving of gifts following declarations of consent was an accepted practice among ancient peoples, and on their being accepted the couples were declared betrothed. It should be known, however, that it is a matter of individual choice whether to bestow these gifts before a formal betrothal or after it. If they are given before, they are affirmations and testifications of a couple's consent to the betrothal; if given afterward, they are affirmations and testifications also of their consent to the wedding.
300. 4. After they announce their consent they should give pledges.
Pledges means gifts, which are assurances, testimonies, and first favors. They are delightful after the consent. The pledges are assurances because they are tokens of consent. This is why two parties say, "Give me a token," when they agree to something.
And we call two people "given in pledge," which means confirmed, when they have vowed marriage and confirmed the vows with gifts. The pledges are testimonies because the pledges are like perpetual eyewitnesses of mutual love, and so they are also reminders of it - especially if they are rings, scent bottles and pendants hung where they are seen. A certain image of the bride's and groom's souls is in them. The pledges are first favors because married love pledges itself eternal good will, which the gifts are the first fruits of. The pledges are delightful, as is well known. It makes your mind happy to look at them, and because love is in them these favors are dearer and more precious than any others.
The couple's hearts are in them, so to speak.
Since the pledges support married love, people in ancient times also had the established custom of gifts after consent, and after accepting them the couple were pronounced bride and groom.
But note that it is a matter of choice whether to give the gifts before the formal commitment or after it. If before, gifts are assurances and testimonies to the commitment. If afterward, they are the same thing for the wedding as well.
300. IV. THAT AFTER THE DECLARATION OF CONSENT, PLEDGES ARE TO BE GIVEN. By pledges are meant gifts. After the consent, these are confirmations, testifications, first favors, and gratifications. That the gifts are confirmations is because they are the tokens of mutual consent. Therefore, when two persons consent to anything, it is said, "Give me a token," and of two who are solemnly betrothed and have confirmed their betrothal by gifts, it is said that they are pledged and so confirmed.
[2] That they are testifications is because these pledges are like continual eye-witnesses of their mutual love and hence are also memorials thereof, especially if they are rings, scent-bottles and pendants which are suspended in sight, there being in these an image representative of the minds of the bridegroom and bride. That these pledges are first favors is because conjugial love promises itself everlasting favor, and of this, these gifts are the first fruits. That they are the gratifications of love is known, for the mind is exhilarated at the sight of them; and because love is in them, these favors are dearer and more precious than all other gifts.
[3] It is as though their hearts were in them. Moreover, because these pledges are stabilizers of conjugial love, the giving of gifts after consent was an established custom among the ancients, and after acceptance of them, the two were declared to be bridegroom and bride. But it should be known that the giving of gifts, whether before the act of betrothal or after, is a matter of choice. They are confirmations and testifications of consent to the betrothal if given before it, and to the nuptials if given after it.
300. (iv) After the declaration of consent pledges are to be given. By pledges we mean gifts which, following consent, are confirmations, attestations, first favors and gladnesses. The gifts are "confirmations" because they are tokens of consent. Hence when two consent to a thing, they say, "Give me a token," and two who have vowed marriage and confirmed their vows by gifts are said to be plighted, thus confirmed.
[2] The pledges are "attestations" because they are like constant ocular witnesses of mutual love and thus are also reminders of it, especially things like rings, scent-bottles and sashes, which are worn in sight; there is in such things a certain representative image of the minds of bridegroom and bride. Those pledges are also "first favors," because marital love bespeaks everlasting favor, of which those gifts are the first-fruits. It will be granted that they are gladnesses of love; the mind is exhilarated at the sight of them, and, given in love, these favors are dearer and more precious than all other gifts. It is as if the hearts of the two were in them.
[3] As such pledges are securities of marital love, it was also an established custom among the ancients to make gifts following consent, and on acceptance of them to pronounce the two bridegroom and bride. But it should be known that it is in one's free choice to present the gifts before or after the act of betrothal; if presented before, they are confirmations and attestations of consent to the betrothal; if afterwards, to the marriage, also.
300. (4) That after declaration of consent pledges ought to be given. By pledges are meant gifts, which are confirmations, testimonials, first favors, and gladnesses after the consent. These gifts are confirmations because they are the tokens of consent; wherefore, when two covenant to anything it is said, 'Give me a token,' and of two who are espoused in marriage and have confirmed their promises by gifts, it is said that they are plighted, that is confirmed. They are testimonials, because these pledges are like abiding visible witnesses of mutual love, and thence are also memorials of it; especially, if they are rings, scent-bottles, and lockets, which are suspended in sight, there is in them a certain representative image of the minds of the bridegroom and bride. These pledges are first favors, because conjugial love promises to itself everlasting favor, of which the firstfruits are those gifts. That they are the gladnesses of love is known, for the mind is exhilarated at the sight of them, and, because the love is in them, these favors are dearer and more precious than any other gifts whatever. It is as if their hearts were in them. Because these pledges are supports of conjugial love, gifts after consent were also an established custom among the ancients, and after acceptance of them the two were declared to be bridegroom and bride. But it should be known, that it is of their free choice whether to present the gifts before the act of betrothal or after it. If before, they are confirmations and testimonials of consent to the betrothment; if after it to the nuptials also.
300. IV: Quod post declarationem consensus, pignora danda sint. Per pignora intelliguntur dona, quae post consensus sunt confirmationes, testificationes, primi favores, et laetitiae. 1Quod dona illa sint Confirmationes, est quia sunt tesserae consensuum; quare dicitur, dum utrinque ad aliquid consentitur, da mihi tesseram, et de duobus, qui sposponderunt conjugium, et firmaverunt sponsiones per munera, quod sint oppignorati, ita confirmati.
[2] Quod sint Testificationes, [est] quia pignora illa sunt sicut continui oculares testes mutui amoris, sunt inde etiam recordationes ejus, imprimis si sunt annuli, myrothecae, et alligamenta, quae ad conspectum appenduntur; est in illis aliqua imago repraesentativa animorum sponsi et sponsae. Quod pignora illa sint Primi favores, est quia amor conjugialis spondet sibi sempiternum favorem, cujus primitiae sunt illa dona. Quod sint amoris Laetitiae, notum est; mens enim ad conspectum illorum exhilaratur, et quia amor inest, sunt favores illi chariores et pretiosiores quibuscunque donis, est sicut corda in illis sint.
[3] Quoniam pignora illa sunt stabilimenta amoris conjugialis, ideo donationes post consensus etiam apud Antiquos receptae usu fuerunt, et post acceptationes declarati sunt sponsi et sponsae. At sciendum est, quod in arbitriis sit, munera illa conferre ante actum desponsationis, vel post illum; si ante, sunt confirmationes et testificationes consensus ad desponsationem, si post illum, sunt etiam ad nuptias.
Footnotes:
1. Prima editio: latitiae.