Dist. 34
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 34
DISTINCTIO XXXIV.
Cap. I. De personis legitimis.
Nunc superest attendere, quae personae sint legitimae ad contrahendum matrimonium. Legitimae iudicantur personae secundum statuta patrum, quae diversa sunt. Aliae namque fuerunt legitimae ante Legem, aliae sub Lege, aliae in tempore gratiae. Item, in primitiva Ecclesia quaedam erant legitimae, quae modo non sunt. Earum vero, quae modo legitimae sunt, vel illegitimae, quaedam sunt plene legitimae, quaedam omnino illegitimae, quaedam mediae. Plene legitimae sunt, quibus non obviat votum continentiae, vel ordo sacer, vel cognatio, vel dispar cultus, vel condicio, vel naturae frigiditas, et si quid est aliud. Penitus vero illegitimae sunt per votum, per ordinem, per cognationem, per disparem cultum. Mediae vero sunt, nec plene legitimae nec omnino illegitimae, per frigiditatem, vel per condicionem. Si enim tales iunguntur ignoranter, commanere possunt, quibusdam accedentibus causis, et eisdem deficientibus, dividi.
Cap. II. De frigidis separandis, vel non.
De his enim, qui causa frigiditatis debitum reddere non possunt, consulit beatus Gregorius, ut permaneant. Sed si mulier causatur dicens: volo esse ma-
ter et filios procreare; decernit, ut uterque eorum septima manu propinquorum iuret, quod nunquam carnaliter convenerint; et tunc mulier secundas nuptias contrahat, vir autem, qui frigidae naturae est, absque spe coniugii permaneat. Ait enim sic1: « Interrogasti de his qui matrimonio iuncti sunt et nubere non possunt, si ille aliam, vel illa alium ducere possit; de quibus scriptum est: Vir et mulier, si se coniunxerint, et post dixerit mulier de viro, quod coire non possit cum ea; si potest probari quod dicit per iustum iudicium, accipiat alium; si vero ille acceperit aliam, separentur ». Item: « De his requisisti, qui ob causam frigidae naturae dicunt se non posse invicem operam carni dantes commisceri. Iste vero, si non potest ea uti pro uxore, habeat eam quasi sororem. Quodsi retinaculum coniugale voluerint rescindere; maneant utrique innupti; nam si huic non potuit naturaliter concordare, quomodo alteri conveniet? Si igitur vir aliam uxorem vult accipere; manifesta patet ratio, quia, suggerente diabolo odii fomitem, exosam eam habuerit, et ideo eam dimittere mendacii falsitate molitur. Quodsi mulier causatur et dicit: volo esse mater et filios procreare; uterque eorum septima manu propinquorum, tactis sacrosanctis reliquiis, iureiurando dicat, ut nunquam per commixtionem carnis coniuncti una caro effecti fuissent. Tunc videtur mulier secundas posse contrahere nuptias; humanum dico propter infirmitatem carnis eorum2. Vir autem, qui frigidae naturae est, maneat sine coniuge. Quodsi et ille aliam acceperit copulam; tunc hi qui iuraverant, periurii crimine rei teneantur, et poenitentia peracta, priora cogantur recipere connubia ». « Hoc servandum est, cum uterque idem fatetur. Sed vir si asserit, se debitum reddidisse uxori, et illa diffitetur; cui potius fides habenda sit, merito quaeritur3 ». De hoc ita statutum est: « Si quis accepit uxorem et habuit eam aliquo tempore, et ipsa femina dicit, quod nunquam coisset cum ea, et ille vir dicit, quod sic fecit; in veritate viri consistat, quia vir est caput mulieris ». « Hoc de naturali impossibilitate statutum est ».
Cap. III. De his qui maleficiis impediti coire nequeunt.
De maleficii autem impedimento hoc tenendum decernitur, quod « si per sortiarias et maleficas concubitus non sequitur, hortandi sunt quibus ista eveniunt, ut spiritu contrito et humiliato Deo et sacerdoti de omnibus peccatis confessionem faciant et lacrymis atque eleemosynis, orationibus et ieiuniis Domino satisfaciant; et per exorcismos ac cetera ecclesiasticae disciplinae munimina ministri Ecclesiae tales sanare procurent. Quod si non potuerint, separari valebunt. Sed postquam alias nuptias expetierint, illis viventibus, quibus iunctae fuerint, prioribus, quos reliquerant, etiam si possibilitas concumbendi eis reddita fuerit, reconciliari nequibunt4 ». — Quod in fine huius capituli continetur ex rigore magis dictum intelligendum est quam ex canonica aequitate; vel intelligendum est, non posse reconciliari prioribus nisi iudicio Ecclesiae, quo divisio facta fuerat.
Cap. IV. De furiosis.
Furiosi quoque, dum in amentia sunt, matrimonium contrahere non valent. Unde Fabianus5: « Neque furiosus neque furiosa matrimonium contrahere possunt; sed si contractum fuerit, non separentur ». Item Nicolaus: « Hi qui matrimonium sani contraxerunt, et uni ex duobus, vel ambobus amentia vel furor vel aliqua infirmitas accesserit; ob hanc infirmitatem talium coniugia solvi non possunt. Similiter est sciendum de his qui ab adversariis excaecantur, vel membris truncantur, vel a barbaris exsecti fuerint ».
Cap. V. De his qui dormiunt cum duabus sororibus.
De his etiam, qui cum duabus sororibus, vel quae cum duobus fratribus dormiunt, videndum est, quid censeant canones. « Qui dormierit cum duabus sororibus, et una ex illis ante fuerit uxor, neutram ex ipsis habeat; nec ipsi adulteri unquam in coniugio copulentur6 ». Item: « Nec propriae uxori licet sibi reddere debitum, quam sibi reddidit illicitam, sororem eius cognoscendo. Nec etiam post mortem uxoris licet ei vel adulterae copulari in coniugium ». Item Zacharias Papa7: « Concubuisti cum sorore uxoris tuae; si fecisti, neutram habeas, et uxor tua, si non fuerit conscia sceleris et continere non vult, nubat in Domino, cui vult. Tu vero et adultera sine spe coniugii maneatis, et dum vivitis, poenitentiam agite ». Quod ait: cui vult nubat; intelligendum est post mortem viri. Unde Gregorius: « Qui uxores suas in adulterio deprehendunt, nec ille nec illa aliam uxorem accipiat, vel alium virum, quamdiu ambo vivunt. Si vero adultera mortua fuerit, vir eius, si vult, nubat, adultera vero nunquam, etsi mortuus fuerit vir eius, sed omnibus diebus vitae suae poenitentiae lamenta persolvat ». — Hic de illo adulterio agitur, quod cum cognato viri, vel cognata uxoris committitur.
Cap. VI. Quod non est dimittenda uxor pro aliqua macula corporis.
Illud etiam sciendum est, quod pro aliqua infirmitate vel macula corporali non licet viro uxorem dimittere, et e converso, sed debet alter alteri subsidia providere. Unde Augustinus1: « Si uxorem quis habeat sterilem, sive deformem corpore, vel debilem membris, vel caecam, vel claudam, vel surdam, vel si quid aliud, sive morbis vel laboribus doloribusque confectam, et quidquid, excepta fornicatione, excogitari potest vehementer horribile, pro societate fideque sustineat ».
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DISTINCTION XXXIV.
Chapter I. On legitimate persons.
It now remains to consider which persons are legitimate for contracting matrimony. Persons are judged legitimate according to the statutes of the fathers, which are diverse. For some were legitimate before the Law, others under the Law, others in the time of grace. Likewise, in the primitive Church certain persons were legitimate who now are not. But of those who now are legitimate, or illegitimate, some are fully legitimate, some wholly illegitimate, some intermediate. Fully legitimate are those against whom there stands no vow of continence, nor sacred order, nor kinship, nor disparity of worship, nor condition, nor coldness of nature, and whatever else there may be. But wholly illegitimate are those [barred] by a vow, by [holy] order, by kinship, by disparity of worship. And intermediate are those neither fully legitimate nor wholly illegitimate, [barred] by coldness, or by condition. For if such persons are joined in ignorance, they can remain together, and, upon certain causes supervening—and these same failing—be divided.
Chapter II. On cold [i.e. impotent] persons, whether they are to be separated or not.
For concerning those who, by reason of coldness, cannot render the [conjugal] debt, blessed Gregory counsels that they remain [together]. But if the woman pleads, saying: I wish to be a mo-
ther and to beget children; he decrees that each of them swear, with the seventh hand of kinsmen, that they never came together carnally; and then let the woman contract a second marriage, but let the man, who is of cold nature, remain without hope of wedlock. For he speaks thus1: « You have asked concerning those who are joined in matrimony and cannot marry, whether he may take another, or she another; concerning whom it is written: A man and a woman, if they have joined themselves, and afterward the woman has said of the man that he cannot have intercourse with her; if what she says can be proved by a just judgment, let her take another; but if he has taken another, let them be separated ». Likewise: « You have inquired concerning those who, by reason of cold nature, say that they cannot have mutual intercourse, giving themselves to the flesh. But let this man, if he cannot use her as a wife, have her as a sister. But if they wish to break the conjugal bond; let both remain unmarried; for if he could not naturally accord with this one, how will he suit another? If therefore the man wishes to take another wife; the reason is manifestly plain, that, the devil suggesting the kindling of hatred, he has held her hateful, and therefore contrives to dismiss her by the falsehood of a lie. But if the woman pleads and says: I wish to be a mother and to beget children; let each of them, with the seventh hand of kinsmen, touching the sacred relics, declare by oath that they had never, joined by the commingling of flesh, been made one flesh. Then the woman seems able to contract a second marriage; I say this as a human [concession] on account of the weakness of their flesh2. But let the man, who is of cold nature, remain without a spouse. But if he too has taken another union; then let those who had sworn be held liable for the crime of perjury, and, penance being performed, let them be compelled to resume the former wedlock ». « This is to be observed, when both confess the same thing. But if the man asserts that he has rendered the debt to his wife, and she denies it; which is rather to be believed is deservedly asked3 ». Concerning this it has been thus decreed: « If anyone has taken a wife and had her for some time, and the woman herself says that he had never come together with her, and the man says that he did so; let it stand upon the truth of the man, because the man is the head of the woman ». « This has been decreed concerning natural impossibility ».
Chapter III. On those who, impeded by sorcery, are unable to have intercourse.
But concerning the impediment of sorcery this is to be held as decreed, that « if through sorceresses and witches intercourse does not follow, those to whom these things happen are to be exhorted, that with a contrite spirit and humbled they make confession of all their sins to God and to the priest, and satisfy the Lord with tears and alms, with prayers and fasts; and through exorcisms and the other safeguards of ecclesiastical discipline let the ministers of the Church procure to heal such persons. But if they cannot, they may be separated. Yet after they have sought other marriages, while those are living to whom they were joined—the former ones, whom they had left—even if the possibility of intercourse be restored to them, they cannot be reconciled4 ». — What is contained at the end of this chapter is to be understood as said rather from rigor than from canonical equity; or it is to be understood that they cannot be reconciled to the former [spouses] except by the judgment of the Church, by which the divorce had been made.
Chapter IV. On the insane.
Madmen also, while they are in insanity, are not able to contract matrimony. Whence Fabian5: « Neither a madman nor a madwoman can contract matrimony; but if it has been contracted, let them not be separated ». Likewise Nicholas: « Those who have contracted matrimony while sane, and to one of the two, or to both, insanity or madness or some infirmity has come; on account of this infirmity the marriages of such persons cannot be dissolved. Likewise it is to be known concerning those who are blinded by adversaries, or have their members mutilated, or have been castrated by barbarians ».
Chapter V. On those who sleep with two sisters.
Concerning those also who sleep with two sisters, or [the women] who sleep with two brothers, it is to be seen what the canons judge. « Whoever has slept with two sisters, and one of them was previously his wife, let him have neither of them; nor let the adulterers themselves ever be joined in wedlock6 ». Likewise: « Nor is it lawful for a man to render the debt to his own wife, whom he has made unlawful to himself by knowing her sister. Nor even after the death of the wife is it lawful for him to be joined in marriage either to her or to the adulteress ». Likewise Zacharias the Pope7: « You have lain with the sister of your wife; if you have done so, have neither of them, and let your wife, if she was not conscious of the crime and does not wish to continue [in continence], marry in the Lord, whomever she wishes. But you and the adulteress, remain without hope of wedlock, and while you live, do penance ». As to what he says: let her marry whom she wishes; it is to be understood after the death of the husband. Whence Gregory: « Those who catch their wives in adultery, let neither he nor she take another wife or another husband, so long as both are living. But if the adulteress has died, her husband, if he wishes, may marry; the adulteress, however, never, even if her husband has died, but let her pay the laments of penance all the days of her life ». — Here it treats of that adultery which is committed with a kinsman of the husband, or a kinswoman of the wife.
Chapter VI. That a wife is not to be dismissed on account of any bodily blemish.
This too is to be known, that on account of any infirmity or bodily blemish it is not lawful for a man to dismiss his wife, and vice versa, but each ought to provide supports for the other. Whence Augustine1: « If a man has a wife barren, or deformed in body, or weak in limbs, or blind, or lame, or deaf, or [afflicted with] anything else, or worn out by sicknesses or labors and pains, and whatever, fornication excepted, can be devised as exceedingly horrible, let him bear it for the sake of fellowship and fidelity ».
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- 1Can. Quod autem interrogasti (1.), C. 33. q. 1; cfr. C. Accepisti mulierem (1.), X. de Frigidis et maleficiatis (libr. IV. tit. 15.). Seq. locus est C. Requisisti de his (2.), C. 33. q. 1.Canon Quod autem interrogasti (1), C. 33, q. 1; cf. the canon Accepisti mulierem (1), X [Decretals of Gregory IX], On the Cold and the Bewitched (book IV, title 15). The following passage is the canon Requisisti de his (2), C. 33, q. 1.
- 2Rom. 6, 19.Romans 6:19.
- 3Gratian. super ult. canonem. Seq. locus est C. Si quis accepit (3.), ibid., ubi citatur Eph. 5, 23. Ultima deinde verba sunt Gratiani, ibid.Gratian, upon the last canon. The following passage is the canon Si quis accepit (3), in the same place, where Ephesians 5:23 is cited. The final words thereafter are Gratian's, in the same place.
- 4Can. Si per sortiarias (1.), ibid.Canon Si per sortiarias (1), in the same place.
- 5Can. Neque furiosus (26.), C. 32. q. 7; seq. locus est C. Hi qui matrimonium (25.), ibid.Canon Neque furiosus (26), C. 32, q. 7; the following passage is the canon Hi qui matrimonium (25), in the same place.
- 6Can. Qui dormierit (30), C. 27. q. 2; seq. locus est Gratian. super eund. can.Canon Qui dormierit (30), C. 27, q. 2; the following passage is Gratian upon the same canon.
- 7Can. Concubuisti cum (23.), C. 32. q. 7; deinde C. Hi vero qui (22.), ibid.Canon Concubuisti cum (23), C. 32, q. 7; then the canon Hi vero qui (22), in the same place.
- 1Libr. I. de Serm. Domini in monte, c. 18, n. 54; C. Si uxorem (18.), C. 32. q. 5.[Augustine,] Book I On the Lord's Sermon on the Mount, c. 18, n. 54; the canon Si uxorem (18), C. 32, q. 5. ---