Help with actual laws restricting marriage in the past?

I'm doing a persuasive speech arguing for the rights of homosexual people to marry, and I want to juxtapose what we are doing now to the past, when 1) marriage was restricted by social status and 2) marriage was restricted by race





I can easily argue about these things and show that while we think these old sentiments are ridiculous, we too are doing something ridiculous. However, I'm having trouble finding actual proof of legislation that says ';If you are a beggar, you can't marry the Duke.';





Can someone please help me? I need proof of both 1 and 2.Help with actual laws restricting marriage in the past?
Old court libraries. The internet came out in the 70's, at which point 'Ya'll whities can't marry the negroes' legislation was mostly gone.








Here's something having to do with making laws based on 'beleif:'


Buddhists outnumber Christians world over. So ask the Christians in your class, ';If the buddhists all took a vote and decided that we should tear down all of the statues of Jesus and replace them with statues of Buddha, would you accept that in your church? No? But they believe that the true way to heaven is accepting the word of Buddha! It's what they believe! And they voted! That makes it law, right? So what's the problem here?';





You kind of back them into a corner because they have to admit that forcing your religious beliefs down other people's throats is wrong. Either they're okay with praying to Buddha or they're hypocritical. There is no third option.