Notes and Queries, Number 47, September 21, 1850 | Page 6

law to be
given against women convicted of certain crimes, and substituting
another judgment in lieu thereof."
A debt of gratitude is due to the memory of Sir Benjamin Hammett, for
his exertions, at that period, in the cause of humanity. Thank God, we
now live in times when the law is less cruel, and more chary of human
life.
OCTOGENARIUS.
* * * * *
A NOTE ON MORGANATIC MARRIAGES.
Grimm (_Deutsche Rechts Alterthumer_, vol. ii., p. 417.), after a long

dissertation, in which it appears that the money paid by the bridegroom
to the wife's relations (I believe subsequently also to the wife herself)
had every form of a _purchase_, possibly derived also from some
symbolic customs common to all northern tribes, offers the following as
the origin of this word "morganatic:"--
"Es gab aber im Alterthum noch einen erlaubten Ausweg für die
Verbindung vorneluner Männer mit geringen (freien und selbst
unfreien) Frauen, den _Concubinat_, der ohne feierliches Verlöbniss,
ohne Brautgabe und Mitgift eingegangen wurde, mithin _keine wahre
und volle Ehe_, dennoch ein rechtmässiges Verhältniss war.
"Da jedoch die Kirche ein solches Verhältniss missbilligte durch keine
Einsegnung weihte, so wurde es allmählich unerlaubt und verboten als
Ausnahme aber bis auf die neueste Zeit für Fürsten zugelassen--ja
durch Trauung an die linke Hand gefeiert. Die Benennung
Morganatische Ehe,--Matrimonium ad Morganaticam (11. Feud. 29.),
rührt daher, dass den Concubinen eine Morgangabe (woraus im
Mittelalter die Lombarden '_Morganatica_' machten)--bewilligt zu
werden pflegte--es waren Ehen auf blosse Morgengabe. Den Beweis
liefern Urkunden, die Morganatica für Morgengabe auch in Fallen
gebrauchen wo von wahrer Ehe die Rede ist." (See Heinecius, Antiq. 3.
157, 158.)
The case now stands thus:
It was the custom to give money to the wife's relations on the
marriage-day.
It was not the custom with respect to unequal marriage (Misheirath):
this took place "ohne Brautgabe und Mitgift," which was also of later
origin.
The exception made by the Church for _princes_, restored the woman
so far, that the marriage was legally and morally recognised by the
Lombard law and the Church, with exceptions as regards _issue_, and
that the left hand was given for the right.

With regard to this latter, it would be desirable {262} to trace whether
giving of the land had any symbolic meaning. I think the astrologists
consider the right as the nobler part of the body; if so, giving of the left
in this case is not without symbolic significance. It must be
remembered how much symbolism prevailed among the tribes which
swept Europe on the fall of the Roman empire, and their Eastern origin.
The Morgengabe, according to Cancianus (_Leges Barbarorum_, tom.
iv. p. 24.), was at first a free gift made by the husband after the first
marriage night. This was carried to such excess, that Liutprand
ordained
"Tamen ipsum Morgengabe volumus, ut non sit amplius nisi quarta
pars ejus substantia, qui ipsum Morgengabe dedit."
This became subsequently converted into a right termed justitia.
Upon this extract from a charter,--
"Manifesta causa est mihi, quoniam die ilio quando te sposavi,
promiseram tibi dare justitiam tuam secundum legem meam [qr. my
Lombard law in opposition to the Roman, which he had a right to
choose,] in Morgencap, id est, quartam portionem omnium rerum
mobilium et immobilium," &c.
Cancianus thus comments:--
"Animadverte, quam recte charta hæc cum supra alligatis formulis
conveniat. Sponsus promiserat Morgencap, quando feminam
desponsaverat, inde vero ante conjugium chartam conscribit: et quod et
Liutprandi lege, et ex antiquis moribus Donum fuit mere gratuitum, hic
appellatur Justitia secundum legem Langobardorum."
The Morgencap here assumes, I apprehend, somewhat the form of
dower. That it was so, is very doubtful. (Grimm, vol. ii. p. 441.
"Morgengabe.")
"An demselben Morgen empfängt die JungFrau von ihrem Gemahl ein

ansehnliches Geschenk, welches Morgengabe heisst. Schon in der
Pactio Guntherammi et Childeberti, werden Dos und Morganagiba
_unterschieden_, ebenso _Leg. Rip._ 37. 2. Alaman. 56. 1, 2. Dos und
Morgangeba; _Lex Burgend._ 42. 2. Morgangeba und das 'pretium
nuptiale;' bei den Langobarden, 'Meta und Morgengab.'"
I do not say this answers the question of your correspondent G., which
is, what is the derivation of the word?
Its actual signification, I think, means left-handed; but to think is not to
resolve, and the question is open to the charitable contributions of your
learned and able supporters.
As regards the Fairy Morgana, who was married to a mortal, I confess,
with your kind permission, I had rather not accept her as a satisfactory
reply. It is as though you would accept "once upon a time" as a
chronological date! She was married to a mortal--true; but
_morganatically_, I doubt it. If morganatic came from this, it should
appear the Fairy Morgana was the first lady who so underwent the
ceremony. Do not forget Lurline, who married also a mortal, of whom
the poet so