[888] The nuptials of widows, according to Salic law, were an exception. These were, nominally, solemnized in the mallum, or open court; but in practice this requirement may not always have been observed. The exception seems to be an outgrowth of the original restriction on second marriage: Tacitus, Germania, c. 19; Lex salica, 44, de reipus: Behrend, 57, 58. Cf. Sohm, Eheschliessung, 62-64 nn. 16, 17, 18; Schroeder, Güterrecht, I, 56. Friedberg, op. cit., 21; "Zur Geschichte," ZKR., I, 366, led astray by the statement of Grimm, Rechtsalt., 433, that Gemahl, "husband," is derived from mallum, thinks the nuptials were usually celebrated in open court. On the derivation see Sohm, op. cit., 62. In general on the marriage of widows see also Habicht, Altd. Verlobung, 16-23; Weinhold, Deutsche Frauen, II, 40 ff.; Schroeder, Rechtsgeschichte, 293, 296; Rive, Vormundschaft, I, 241; Zoepfl, Deutsche Rechtsgeschichte, III, 3, 10, 11; Weinhold, "Reipus und Achasius," in Haupt's Zeitschrift, VII, 539 ff.; Müllenhoff, "Glossary," in Waitz, Das alte Recht.
[889] Sohm, op. cit., 59-74.
[890] Grimm, op. cit., 142, 155, 156; Weinhold, Deutsche Frauen, I, 372. On the gifta cf. Schmid, Gesetze, 630; Friedberg, Eheschliessung, 21; Weinhold, Altnordisches Leben, 243 ff.
[891] Pollock and Maitland, Hist. of Eng. Law, II, 363. Thus Friedberg, op. cit., 21, 22, regards "Verlobung, Trauung, und Beilager" as acts each of which is an element in the "joining in marriage"—all three "eheschliessende Vorgänge." Cf. Sohm, Eheschliessung, 88, 89; Zoepfl, Deutsche Rechtsgeschichte, III, 5; Siegel, Deutsche Rechtsgeschichte, 455-57; Klein, Das Eheverlöbniss, 130 ff., who reviews the whole subject, citing authorities; and Hanauer, Coutumes matrimoniales, 255 ff.
[892] The views as to the legal "content" of the betrothal are summarized by Habicht, Altdeutsche Verlobung, 30. Rive, Vormundschaft, I, 243, holds that betrothal was not essential to a legal marriage; while Pardessus, Loi salique (Paris, 1843), regards it as legally requisite for a marriage, which, however, actually began only with the tradition of the bride.
[893] Sohm, Trauung und Verlobung, 139-47, passim; idem, Eheschliessung, 75-106.
[894] This is illustrated by the survival of names originally connected with the betrothal, but now with marriage itself: the English wed, wedding, wedded wife, etc.; the German Gemahl and Gemählin; the French époux and épouse, etc. Sohm, Eheschliessung, 78 n. 6, 56 nn. 74 and 75; idem, Trauung und Verlobung, 82, 83. But Habicht, Altdeutsche Verlobung, 65-67, believes this argument not conclusive.
[895] Poen. Theod., XVI: Thorpe, II, 11: "reddatur ei pecunia quam pro ipsa dedit, et tertia pars addatur;" also in Haddan and Stubbs, Councils, III, 201; and Wasserschleben, Bussordnungen, 216. The reading in Conf. Ecgb. is, "reddatur ei pecunia, quam pro illa dederat, et praeteria tertia pars hereditatis."—Thorpe, II, 149; Wasserschleben, 309. Cf. Ælf., 18: Thorpe, I, 73; Young, in Essays, 169.
[896] Ine, 31: Thorpe, I, 123. Compare Young, loc. cit., 168, 169.
[897] Sohm, Eheschliessung, 75-106; idem, Trauung und Verlobung, 1-37, passim; Young, loc. cit., 167-69.