Question — Bontempi, Palladium Theologicum V · from Schola Thomistica
Question VIII: To what a woman is bound who has a son by adultery, or has passed off a child as her husband's
First indeed I say, that she is not bound to make known her crime at the peril of life or reputation. So Navarr. in man. cap. 16. num. 43. Covarr. reg. peccatum at the beginning. Cajetan 2. 2. question 62. art. 6. and others whom he adduces; and Fagundez follows lib. 4. cap. 5.
Ad quid teneatur Mulier, quae Filium ex adulterio habet, vel supposuit.
Primo quidem dico, non teneri suum crimen manifestare cum periculo vitae, vel famae. Ita Nauarr. in man. cap. 16. num. 43. Couarr. reg. peccatum initio. Caietanus 2. 2. quaest. 62. art. 6. et alii, quos adducit; et sequitur Fagundez lib. 4. cap. 5.
The reason is that this disclosure, if it is necessary, will certainly be for restitution; but one is not bound to make restitution with damage or loss of a good of a higher order.
Ratio est, quia haec manifestatio, si est necessaria, hoc erit sane ad restitutionem; at non tenetur quis cum damno, vel amissione boni superioris ordinis, restituere.
Add that this disclosure would be in vain; for the son is not bound to believe it.
Adde, hanc manifestationem esse frustra; nam filius non tenetur credere.
I say secondly, however, that she is bound, when she can repair the damage, by leaving her goods to her legitimate children, when she can do so without disclosure.
Dico tamen secundo, teneri, quando potest reficere damnum, ut relinquendo sua bona filiis legitimis, quando potest sine propalatione.
Next she is bound to persuade her son to enter Religion, in which he will not succeed to the goods. But if the mother has made herself known with so many circumstances that he without doubt believes himself illegitimate, he is bound to restore the inheritance to others. He is nevertheless foolish if he believes it, since he was born under the appearance of marriage and is legitimate according to public fame, which prevails over the private, as we have in Leg. filium, ff. Qui sunt sui iuris.
Deinde tenetur suadere filio, ut Religionem ingrediatur, in qua non succedat in bonis. Si vero mater se manifestaverit tot circumstantiis, ut ille indubitanter credat se esse illegitimum, tenetur haereditatem aliis restituere. Stultus est tamen, si credit, cum sit natus sub specie matrimonii, et sit legitimus iuxta famam publicam, quae privatae praevalet, ut habetur Leg. filium, ff. Qui sunt sui iuris.
I say further, that she is not bound to expose herself to the peril of reputation or life, even if the gravest damage befall the other children, as if a principality or kingdom were lost. The reason is that reputation and life are of a still higher order. For a good name is better than great riches. Proverbs 22. Hence Ecclesiasticus 41: Have care of a good name, for this will remain with you more than a thousand treasures precious and costly; And it is the common opinion, as Fagundez says cap. 5. num. 15.
Dico amplius, non teneri periculo famae, aut vitae se prodere, etiamsi gravissimum damnum aliis filiis eveniat, ut si sit Principatus, vel regni amisfio. Ratio est, quia fama, et vita sunt ordinis adhuc superioris. Melius est enim nomen bonum, quod divitiae multae. Proverb. 22. Unde Eccl. 41. Curam habe de bono nomine, hoc enim magis permanebit tibi quam mille thesauri pretiosi; Estque communis opinio, ut ait Fagundez cap. 5. num. 15.
In doubt, however, the adulteress is not bound to make good the damage to her legitimate children, nor to support, dower, or make heir her son, etc.
In dubio vero, adulter non tenetur filiis legitimis damnum refarcire, nec filium alere, dotare, haeredare, etc.
But if she certainly acknowledges her offspring to be hers, she is bound to restore support for three years and from the third part of her goods, and to make good the damages inflicted on the other children.
Si vero certo prolem suam esse agnoscat, tenetur restituere alimenta a triennio, et'ex bonorum suorum tertia parte, refarcire damna, aliis filiis illata.
On the mutual obligation of spouses I shall treat in part 3, Tract. de matrim. disp. 9.
De obligatione coniugum mutua agam 3. parte Tract. de matrim. disp. 9.