DUPLEX VALOR MARITAGII
duplex valor maritagii (d[y]oo-pleks val-<<schwa>>r mar-<<schwa>>-tay-jee-I), n.[Law
Latin “double the value of a marriage”] Hist. A ward’s forfeiture of double the value of a marriage
made without the guardian’s consent. • In the quotation that follows, Blackstone uses the
accusative form (duplicem valorem maritagii) because the phrase follows the verb forfeited.
“For, while the infant was in ward, the guardian had the power of tendering him or her a
suitable match, without disparagement, or inequality: which if the infants refused, they forfeited
the value of the marriage … to their guardian; that is, so much as a jury would assess, or any one
would bona fide give to the guardian for such an alliance: … and, if the infants married themselves
without the guardian’s consent, they forfeited double the value, duplicem valorem maritagii. This
seems to have been one of the greatest hardships of our ancient tenures.” 2 William Blackstone,
Commentaries on the Laws of England 70 (1766). [Blacks Law 8th]