Title — Decretals of Gregory IX
Title III: On Clandestine Betrothal
Chapter I
Latin source headnote: A clandestine marriage is not presumed; rather, the burden of proving it rests upon the one alleging it.
From the Council of Arles.
If anyone has secretly betrothed a woman and the woman or the man denies a betrothal of this kind, proof rests upon the man alone.
DE CLANDESTINA DESPONSATIONE.
Pro clandestino matrimonio non praesumitur, sed illud alleganti incumbit onus probandi.
Ex concilio Arelatensi.
Si quis clam desponsaverit aliquam, et mulier vel vir negat huiusmodi desponsationem, viro tantum incumbit probatio.
Chapter II
Latin source headnote: Those who contracted marriage clandestinely, if one or both deny it and lawful proof thereof does not appear, are not compelled by the Church to cohabit; and, if they make it public, it will be approved as though done in the sight of the Church, unless a reasonable cause exists which impedes it. This is what it says by adhering to the letter.
Alexander III, to the Bishop of Beauvais.
As to what was signified to us on your part, that we ought to dispense concerning clandestine marriages, we do not see what dispensation is to be applied concerning them. For if marriages are contracted so secretly that lawful proof thereof does not appear, those who contract them are not in any way to be compelled by the Church. But if the persons contracting wish to make this public, unless a reasonable and lawful cause hinders it, they are to be received and approved by the Church as though contracted from the beginning in the sight of the Church. But if any, etc. (cf. c. 9, Which Sons IV. 17.)
Qui matrimonium clandestine contraxerunt, altero negante vel utroque, non apparente legitima exinde probatione, simul cohabitare ab ecclesia non compelluntur; et, si illud publicaverint, tanquam in conspectu ecclesiae factum comprobabitur, nisi rationabilis causa subsit, quae impediat. H. d. literae inhaerendo.
Alexander III. Belvacensi Episcopo.
Quod nobis ex tua parte significatum est, ut de clandestinis matrimoniis dispensare deberemus, non videmus, quae dispensatio super his sit adhibenda. Si enim matrimonia ita occulte contrahuntur, quod exinde legitima probatio non appareat, ii, qui ea contrahunt, ab ecclesia non sunt aliquatenus compellendi. Verum si personae contrahentium hoc voluerint publicare, nisi rationabilis et legitima causa praepediat, ab ecclesia recipienda sunt et comprobanda, tanquam a principio in ecclesiae conspectu contracta. Si qui autem etc. (cf. c. 9. Qui filii IV. 17.)
Chapter III
Latin source headnote: When marriages are to be contracted, edicts ought to be proposed publicly in the church by priests, with a term assigned within which anyone who wishes to impede may oppose an impediment; and, if there is a probable conjecture of an impediment, the marriage is to be prohibited until cognizance is taken concerning this. This first, as far as § “But if anyone.” — (But if anyone, etc.:) If a marriage has been contracted in a prohibited degree clandestinely or contrary to the prohibition mentioned above, even by those ignorant of the impediment, those born of that marriage are illegitimate. The same applies if both parents know the impediment to the marriage, although they contract in the sight of the Church. This is what it says as far as § “Indeed.” Abbas. — (Indeed, etc.:) A priest who contemns prohibiting forbidden marriages, and any cleric, even a regular, who was present, are suspended from benefice for three years and, if the fault demands, are punished even more gravely; the contracting persons themselves acting contrary to this chapter are also otherwise lawfully to be punished, and the same applies to those denouncing calumniously. This is what it says as far as the end. Abbas.
Innocent III, in the General Council.
Since the prohibition of conjugal union has been revoked in the last three degrees, we wish it to be strictly observed in the others. Whence, adhering to the footsteps of our predecessors, we prohibit clandestine marriages altogether, prohibiting also that any priest presume to be present at such marriages. Therefore, extending generally to other places a special custom of certain places, we establish that, when marriages are to be contracted, they are to be publicly announced in the churches by priests, with a suitable term fixed in advance, so that within it whoever wishes and is able may oppose a lawful impediment; and the priests themselves are nonetheless to investigate whether any impediment stands in the way. But when a probable conjecture against the union to be contracted appears, the contract is to be expressly prohibited until it is established by manifest proofs what ought to be done concerning it.
§ 1. But if anyone presumes to enter clandestine or prohibited marriages of this kind in a prohibited degree, even ignorantly, let the offspring received from such a union be considered altogether illegitimate, to have no assistance from the ignorance of the parents, since by contracting thus they appear not to be devoid of knowledge, or at least to be affecters of ignorance. In like manner let the offspring be considered illegitimate if both parents, knowing a lawful impediment, presume to contract despite every prohibition, even in the sight of the Church.
§ 2. Indeed, if a parochial priest contemns prohibiting such unions, or any person, even a regular, presumes to be present at them, let him be suspended from office for three years, to be punished more gravely if the quality of the fault demands it. But suitable penance is also to be enjoined upon those who have presumed to be joined in such manner even in a permitted degree. But if anyone maliciously objects an impediment in order to impede a lawful union, he will not escape canonical punishment.
Quum matrimonia sunt contrahenda, debent per presbyteros in ecclesia edicta proponi, assignato termino, infra quem qui voluerit impedire impedimentum opponat, et, si probabilis coniectura fuerit de impedimento, interdicatur testimonium, donec de hoc cognoscatur. Hoc primo usque ad §. Si quis. - (Si quis etc.:) Si in gradu prohibito matrimonium clandestine vel contra interdictum, de quo supra, contractum fuerit, etiam per ignorantes de impedimento, nati ex illo matrimonio sunt illegitimi. Idem est, si ambo parentes sciunt impedimentum matrimonii, licet in conspectu ecclesiae contrahant. H. d. usque ad §. Sane. Abbas. - (Sane etc.:) Sacerdos, qui contempserit prohibere matrimonia interdicta, et quilibet clericus etiam regularis, qui interfuit, per triennium a beneficio suspenduntur, et, si culpa exegerit, etiam gravius puniuntur; ipsi etiam contrahentes contra hoc cap. etiam alias licite puniendi sunt, et idem in calumniose denunciantibus. H. d. usque ad finem. Abbas.
Innocentius III. in concilio generali.
Quum inhibitio copulae coniugalis sit in ultimis tribus gradibus revocata, eam in aliis volumus districte servari. Unde praedecessorum nostrorum vestigiis inhaerendo, clandestina coniugia penitus inhibemus, prohibentes etiam, ne quis sacerdos talibus interesse praesumat. Quare specialem quorundam locorum consuetudinem ad alia generaliter prorogando statuimus, ut, quum matrimonia fuerint contrahenda, in ecclesiis per presbyteros publice proponantur, competenti termino praefinito, ut infra illum, qui voluerit et valuerit, legitimum impedimentum opponat, et ipsi presbyteri nihilominus investigent, utrum aliquod impedimentum obsistat. Quum autem apparuerit probabilis coniectura contra copulam contrahendam, contractus interdicatur expresse, donec, quid fieri debeat super eo, manifestis constiterit documentis. §. 1. Si quis vero huiusmodi clandestina vel interdicta coniugia inire praesumpserit in gradu prohibito, etiam ignoranter, soboles de tali coniunctione suscepta prorsus illegitima censeatur, de parentum ignorantia nullum habitura subsidium, quum illi taliter contrahendo non expertes scientiae, vel saltem affectatores ignorantiae videantur. Pari modo proles illegitima censeatur, si ambo parentes, impedimentum scientes legitimum, praeter omne interdictum, etiam in conspectu ecclesiae contrahere praesumpserunt. §. 2. Sane, si parochialis sacerdos tales coniunctiones prohibere contempserit, aut quilibet etiam regularis, qui eis praesumpserit interesse, per triennium ab officio suspendatur, gravius puniendus, si culpae qualitas postulaverit. Sed et his, qui taliter praesumpserint etiam in gradu concesso copulari, condigna poenitentia iniungatur. Si quis autem ad impediendam legitimam copulam malitiose impedimentum obiecerit, canonicam non effugiet ultionem.