De sponsalibus
(Concerning betrothals.)
1 Florentinus libro tertio institutionum. Sponsalia sunt mentio et repromissio nuptiarum futurarum.
1 Florentinus, Institutes, Book III. A betrothal is the mention and promise of a marriage to be celebrated hereafter.
2 Ulpianus libro singulari de sponsalibus. Sponsalia autem dicta sunt a spondendo: nam moris fuit veteribus stipulari et spondere sibi uxores futuras,
2 Ulpianus, On Betrothals. “Betrothal” is derived from the word “promise,” for it is customary among the ancients to stipulate and promise wives to one another.
3 Florentinus libro tertio institutionum. unde et sponsi sponsaeque appellatio nata est.
3 Florentinus, Institutes, Book III. From this source the term betrothed, applicable to both sexes, is derived.
4 Ulpianus libro trigesimo quinto ad Sabinum. Sufficit nudus consensus ad constituenda sponsalia. 1Denique constat et absenti absentem desponderi posse, et hoc cottidie fieri:
5 Pomponius libro sexto decimo ad Sabinum. haec ita, si scientibus his qui absint sponsalia fiant aut si postea ratum habuerint.
5 Pomponius, On Sabinus, Book XVI. Provided that the absent parties are aware of the betrothal, or that they subsequently ratify it.
6 Ulpianus libro trigesimo sexto ad Sabinum. Si puellae tutores ad finienda sponsalia nuntium miserunt, non putarem suffecturum ad dissolvendam nuptiarum spem hunc nuntium, non magis quam sponsalia posse eos solos constituere, nisi forte omnia ista ex voluntate puellae facta sint.
6 Ulpianus, On Sabinus, Book XXXVI. If the guardians of a girl send a notice of the termination of a betrothal, I do not think that this will be sufficient to destroy the expectation of marriage, any more than it would be sufficient, of itself, to establish it; unless all this is done with the consent of the girl.
7 Paulus libro trigesimo quinto ad edictum. In sponsalibus nihil interest, utrum testatio interponatur an aliquis sine scriptura spondeat. 1In sponsalibus etiam consensus eorum exigendus est, quorum in nuptiis desideratur. intellegi tamen semper filiae patrem consentire, nisi evidenter dissentiat, Iulianus scribit.
7 Paulus, On the Edict, Book XXXV. In case of a betrothal, it makes no difference whether witnesses are present, or whether the party makes a verbal promise. 1In betrothals, the acquiescence of those persons who must consent to the marriage is required. Julianus says that the father is always understood to consent, unless it is clear that he refuses to do so.
8 Gaius libro undecimo ad edictum provinciale. Furor quin sponsalibus impedimento sit, plus quam manifestum est: sed postea interveniens sponsalia non infirmat.
8 Gaius, On the Provincial Edict, Book XI. It is perfectly evident that insanity is an impediment to betrothal, but if it occurs afterwards, it will not annul it.
9 Ulpianus libro trigesimo quinto ad edictum. Quaesitum est apud Iulianum, an sponsalia sint, ante duodecimum annum si fuerint nuptiae collatae. et semper Labeonis sententiam probavi existimantis, si quidem praecesserint sponsalia, durare ea, quamvis in domo loco nuptae esse coeperit: si vero non praecesserint, hoc ipso quod in domum deducta est non videri sponsalia facta. quam sententiam Papinianus quoque probat.
9 Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book XXXV. Inquiry is made by Julianus whether a marriage contracted before the twelfth year takes the place of a betrothal. I have always approved the opinion of Labeo, who held that if a betrothal had preceded a marriage, it would still continue to exist, even after the girl had begun to live with her husband; but if it had not been contracted previously, and the girl had been brought to the house of her husband, the betrothal could not be considered to have been made. Papinianus also concurs in this opinion.
10 Idem libro tertio disputationum. In potestate manente filia pater sponso nuntium remittere potest et sponsalia dissolvere. enimvero si emancipata est, non potest neque nuntium remittere neque quae dotis causa data sunt condicere: ipsa enim filia nubendo efficiet dotem esse condictionemque extinguet, quae causa non secuta nasci poterit. nisi forte quis proponat ita dotem patrem pro emancipata filia dedisse, ut, si nuptiis non consentiret, vel contractis vel non contractis repeteret quae dederat: tunc enim habebit repetitionem.
10 The Same, Disputations, Book III. Where a daughter is under the control of her father, he can send a notice to her affianced, annulling the betrothal; but if she has been emancipated, he can neither do this, nor bring an action for property given by way of dowry, because the daughter herself, by marriage, constitutes the dowry, and extinguishes the right to recover the same which results from the fact that the marriage has not been consummated; unless it may suggest that the father gave the dowry in behalf of his emancipated daughter, under the condition that if he should not consent to the marriage, and, indeed, whether the marriage was contracted or not, he could recover what he gave; he will then be entitled to a personal action for its recovery.
11 Iulianus libro sexto decimo digestorum. Sponsalia sicut nuptiae consensu contrahentium fiunt: et ideo sicut nuptiis, ita sponsalibus filiam familias consentire oportet:
11 Julianus, Digest, Book XVI. A betrothal, like a marriage, is. made with the consent of the contracting parties, and therefore, as in the case of marriage, a son under paternal control must agree to it.
12 Ulpianus libro singulari de sponsalibus. sed quae patris voluntati non repugnat, consentire intellegitur. 1Tunc autem solum dissentiendi a patre licentia filiae conceditur, si indignum moribus vel turpem sponsum ei pater eligat.
12 Ulpianus, On Betrothals. A girl who evidently does not resist the will of her father is understood to give her consent. 1A daughter is only permitted to refuse to consent to her father’s wishes, where he selects someone for her husband who is unworthy on account of his habits or who is of infamous character.
13 Paulus libro quinto ad edictum. Filio familias dissentiente sponsalia nomine eius fieri non possunt.
13 Paulus, On the Edict, Book V. Where a son under paternal control refuses his consent, a betrothal cannot take place, so far as he is concerned.
14 Modestinus libro quarto differentiarum. In sponsalibus contrahendis aetas contrahentium definita non est ut in matrimoniis. quapropter et a primordio aetatis sponsalia effici possunt, si modo id fieri ab utraque persona intellegatur, id est, si non sint minores quam septem annis.
14 Modestinus, Differences, Book IV. In contracting a betrothal, there is no limit to the age of the parties, as is the case in marriage. Wherefore, a betrothal can be made at a very early age, provided what is being done is understood by both persons, that is to say, where they are not under seven years of age.
15 Idem libro singulari de enucleatis casibus. Tutor factam pupillam suam nec ipse uxorem ducere nec filio suo in matrimonio adiungere potest. scias tamen, quod de nuptiis tractamus, et ad sponsalia pertinere.
15 The Same, Selected Cases. A guardian cannot himself marry his own ward, nor can he unite her in marriage with his son. It must be noted, however, that although we are treating of marriage, this rule also applies to betrothals.
16 Ulpianus libro tertio ad legem Iuliam et Papiam. Oratio imperatorum Antonini et commodi, quae quasdam nuptias in personam senatorum inhibuit, de sponsalibus nihil locuta est. recte tamen dicitur etiam sponsalia in his casibus ipso iure nullius esse momenti, ut suppleatur quod orationi deest.
16 Ulpianus, On the Lex Julia et Papia, Book III. A Rescript of the Emperors Antoninus and Commodus which forbade Senators to marry certain persons, did not mention anything with reference to betrothals; still, it is properly held that betrothals made under such conditions are void by operation of law; in order to supply what is lacking in the Rescript.
17 Gaius libro primo ad legem Iuliam et Papiam. Saepe iustae ac necessariae causae non solum annum vel biennium, sed etiam triennium et quadriennium et ulterius trahunt sponsalia, veluti valetudo sponsi sponsaeve vel mortes parentium aut capitalia crimina aut longiores peregrinationes quae ex necessitate fiunt.
17 Gaius, On the Lex Julia et Papia, Book I. Just and necessary reasons often exist for protracting a betrothal, for one, two, three, or four years, and even for a longer time; as, for instance, the illness of either of the parties, the death of their parents, accusations of capital crimes, or long journeys made through necessity.
18 Ulpianus libro sexto ad edictum. In sponsalibus constituendis parvi refert, per se (et coram an per internuntium vel per epistulam) an per alium hoc factum est: et fere plerumque condiciones interpositis personis expediuntur.
18 Ulpianus, On the Edict, Book VI. It makes little difference, in the contracting of betrothals, whether this is done by the parties in the presence of one another, or by means of an intermediary, or in writing, or in some other way; and very frequently the conditions of marriages are settled by the agency of others than those chiefly interested.