Dist. 36, Art. 2, Q. 2
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 36
Quaestio II. Utrum defectus aetatis impediat contractionem sponsalium.
Secundo quaeritur, utrum defectus aetatis impediat contractionem sponsalium. Et quod sic, videtur:
1. Quia sponsalia de necessitate obligant ad matrimonium; sed matrimonium non contrahitur nisi propria voluntate: ergo sponsalia non contrahuntur, nisi placeant sponso et sponsae. Sed non habent usum rationis nisi in determinata aetate: ergo etc.
2. Item, iura canonica dicunt, sicut patet Extra, de Desponsatione impuberum1, per totum, quod qui contrahunt sponsalia ante septennium nihil faciunt: ergo etc.
Contra: 1. In Sacramento baptismi obligatur parvulus per alium ad renuntiandum saeculo2 et ad contrahendum matrimonium cum Deo: ergo pari ratione possunt parvuli per alios ad matrimonium obligari.
2. Item, ubi deficit fides propria, succurrit fides parentum3: ergo pari ratione, ubi deficit discretio parvulorum, supplet discretio parentum, et sic etc.
Item, quaeritur: quare4 tempus septennii est determinatum ad sponsalia contrahenda? Et videtur, quod non sit conveniens: quia quod ante non possunt contrahi, aut hoc est propter defectum discretionis, aut locutionis. Si discretionis; sed etiam tunc discretio deficit. Si locutionis; sed ante sciunt parvuli loqui: ergo etc.
Conclusio
> Sponsalia de iure non possunt contrahi ante septimum annum.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod sponsalia de iure non possunt contrahi ante septimum annum; et si contrahantur de facto, nihil fit; permittitur tamen ipsum nihil in re5, quod est aliquid in spe, propter bonum pacis.
Ratio temporis haec est, quia, sicut non possunt aliqui matrimonium contrahere nisi proprio consensu et proprio signo exprimente consensum, sic non possunt ad matrimonium obligari, nisi placeat et complacentiam verbo vel signo exprimant; et quia6 ut frequenter ab illo tempore incipiunt intelligere quae dicunt, et loqui secundum proprium affectum: ideo ex tunc incipiunt valere.
1. Ex his patent obiecta, quia non est simile de obligatione matrimonii et Sacramento baptismi, quia illa est necessaria ad salutem; ideo merito per alium subvenitur aegroto.
Patet etiam ratio temporis, quia, quamvis non sit plena discretio ad discernendum bonum a malo in eis; tamen est discretio ad intelligendum quod dicitur, et respondendum, quod libeat, vel non libeat.
2. Ad illud ergo quod obiicitur de Sacramento baptismi, patet responsio, quod non est simile, sicut saepe dictum est7, propter hoc quod est contra originale, quod non est per voluntatem perpetratum; et ulterius, in baptismo non obligatur parvulus nisi ad ea, ad quae tenetur de iure naturali; unde non est ibi votum nisi valde large. Et si tu obiicias, quod parvulus potest obligari, ubi est bonum suum, dicendum, quod verum est in possessionibus; sed in matrimonio, ubi est servitus corporis, et debet esse mutuus amor, decrevit Deus, ut nullus possit nec debeat nisi propria voluntate obligari. — Est enim ibi quoddam mirabile, quia homo8 invenit in muliere aliquam complacentiam, quam nunquam posset in alia invenire, ut dicunt experti.
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Question II. Whether defect of age impedes the contracting of betrothal.
Secondly it is asked, whether defect of age impedes the contracting of betrothal. And that it does, it seems:
1. Because betrothal of necessity binds to matrimony; but matrimony is not contracted except by one's own will: therefore betrothal is not contracted unless it be pleasing to the betrothed man and the betrothed woman. But they do not have the use of reason except at a determinate age: therefore etc.
2. Likewise, the canon laws say, as is clear in the Decretals [Extra], On the Betrothal of Minors1, throughout, that those who contract betrothal before the seventh year do nothing: therefore etc.
On the contrary: 1. In the Sacrament of baptism an infant is bound through another to renounce the world2 and to contract matrimony with God: therefore by parity of reasoning infants can be bound to matrimony through others.
2. Likewise, where one's own faith is lacking, the faith of the parents comes to the aid3: therefore by parity of reasoning, where the discretion of infants is lacking, the discretion of the parents supplies it, and so on.
Likewise, it is asked: why4 is the term of seven years determined for contracting betrothal? And it seems that it is not fitting: because [as to the fact] that beforehand they cannot be contracted, this is either on account of a defect of discretion, or of speech. If of discretion; but even then discretion is lacking. If of speech; but even beforehand infants know how to speak: therefore etc.
Conclusion
> Betrothal by law cannot be contracted before the seventh year.
I respond: It must be said that betrothal by law cannot be contracted before the seventh year; and if they are contracted in fact, nothing is done; nevertheless the very "nothing" is permitted in reality5, which is something in hope, on account of the good of peace.
The reason for the term is this: because, just as some cannot contract matrimony except by their own consent and by their own sign expressing consent, so they cannot be bound to matrimony unless it be pleasing [to them] and they express their complacency by word or sign; and because6 as a rule from that time they begin to understand what they say, and to speak according to their own affection: therefore from then [betrothals] begin to have force.
1. From these things the objections are answered, because there is no likeness between the obligation of matrimony and the Sacrament of baptism, because the latter is necessary for salvation; therefore the sick person is deservedly aided through another.
The reason for the term is also clear, because, although there is not full discretion for discerning good from evil in them; nevertheless there is discretion for understanding what is said, and for responding [as to] what may please, or may not please.
2. To that, then, which is objected concerning the Sacrament of baptism, the response is clear, that there is no likeness, as has often been said7, on account of this: that [baptism] is against the original [sin], which is not perpetrated through the will; and furthermore, in baptism an infant is bound only to those things to which he is held by natural law; whence there is no vow there except very broadly [speaking]. And if you object that an infant can be bound where his own good is at stake, it must be said that this is true in the case of possessions; but in matrimony, where there is servitude of the body, and there ought to be mutual love, God decreed that no one can or ought to be bound except by his own will. — For there is something wonderful there, because a man8 finds in a woman a certain complacency which he could never find in another, as those who have experience say.
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- 1Libr. IV. tit. 2. Cfr. hic lit. Magistri, c. 4.Book IV, title 2 [of the Decretals, De desponsatione impuberum]. Cf. here the Master's text, ch. 4.
- 2Cod. K (I a secunda manu) mundo, codd. R X diabolo, codd. S aa satanae.Codex K (I, by a second hand) [reads] mundo [the world]; codices R X diabolo [the devil]; codices S aa satanae [Satan].
- 3Cfr. supra d. 4. p. II. a. 2. q. 1. et dub. 4.Cf. above, d. 4, p. II, a. 2, q. 1, and doubt 4.
- 4Cod. G addit magis.Codex G adds magis [rather].
- 5Nonnulli codd. omittunt ipsum et substituunt de iure pro in re.Several codices omit ipsum and substitute de iure [by law] for in re [in reality].
- 6Ita cod. G (E a secunda manu), cod. K (I a secunda manu) quia igitur, in aliis et edd. omittitur et.So codex G (E, by a second hand) and codex K (I, by a second hand) [read] quia igitur [because therefore]; in the other [codices] and the editions the et is omitted.
- 7Dist. 29. q. 1. ad 2. et d. 34. a. 3. q. 1. ad 4. — De secunda ratione cfr. supra d. 6. p. II. a. 3. q. 1. circa finem.Distinction 29, q. 1, ad 2, and d. 34, a. 3, q. 1, ad 4. — On the second reason cf. above, d. 6, p. II, a. 3, q. 1, near the end.
- 8Cod. K vir. — Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest.Codex K [reads] vir [husband]. — See the scholion to the preceding question. ---