Letter 7040: Eternal is the benefit granted with the favor of posterity, and nothing is more fitting for a king than to serve...

From: Cassiodorus (formula template) To: [Petitioner for legitimation of marriage and children] Date: ~522 AD Context: Template for legitimizing an informal union and the children born from it, granting them full inheritance rights. Eternal is the benefit granted with the favor of posterity, and nothing is more fitting for a king than to serve human origins. One who is about to come into the light of the world does not deserve to encounter adversity, lest he suffer the burden of harsh judgment before he finds the joys of heavenly light. In your petition, you state that the woman whom a willing embrace has bound to you should be joined to you in the honor of lawful marriage by our favor, so that the children born of her may obtain the legal status of heirs. Since a spontaneous union joins all living creatures, and what pleases each person seems right, it would be harsh to deny free will precisely where free people are created. Therefore, we decree that the woman who, as the law requires, was not proven to be of equal honorable status shall become your legitimate wife, and we will that the children of this union -- both those already born and those to be born -- shall enjoy the rights of heirs, so that you may love without any doubt those whom you know will be your undisputed successors. Nature gave you children, but we make them most dear to you with this security.

XL. FORMULA DE MATRIMONIO CONFIRMANDO ET LIBERIS LEGITIMIS FACIENDIS. [1] Aeternum est beneficium quod posteritatis fuerit favore collatum nec plus est conveniens regi quam si humanae praestet origini. in lucem quippe venturus casus suscipere non meretur adversos, ne ante gravamen districtionis incurrat quam gaudia supernae lucis inveniat. [2] Oblata itaque supplicatione depromis mulierem quam tibi placitus illigavit amplexus, beneficio nostro iugali honestate debere sociari, ut ex ea liberi nati nomen nanciscantur heredum. nam cum spontanea copula animantia cuncta consociet dignumque unicuique videatur esse quod placuit, durum est ibi libertatem liberam non haberi, unde liberi procreantur. [3] Et ideo illam quae, sicut iure praecipitur, honestate non fuisse probatur aequalis, legitimam tibi fieri censemus uxorem et filios ex eadem coniuge, sive qui suscepti sunt sive qui sunt suscipiendi, heredum volumus iura sortiri, ut sub nulla dubietate diligas quos tibi absolute successores futuros esse cognoscas. natura enim tibi praestitit filios, sed nos tali securitate facimus esse carissimos.