It was the custom to give money to the wife’s relations on the marriage-day.

It was not the custom with respect to unequal marriage (Misheirath):  this took place “ohne Brautgabe und Mitgift,” which was also of later origin.

The exception made by the Church for princes, restored the woman so far, that the marriage was legally and morally recognised by the Lombard law and the Church, with exceptions as regards issue, and that the left hand was given for the right.

With regard to this latter, it would be desirable {262} to trace whether giving of the land had any symbolic meaning.  I think the astrologists consider the right as the nobler part of the body; if so, giving of the left in this case is not without symbolic significance.  It must be remembered how much symbolism prevailed among the tribes which swept Europe on the fall of the Roman empire, and their Eastern origin.

The Morgengabe, according to Cancianus (Leges Barbarorum, tom. iv. p. 24.), was at first a free gift made by the husband after the first marriage night.  This was carried to such excess, that Liutprand ordained

    “Tamen ipsum Morgengabe volumus, ut non sit amplius nisi quarta
    pars ejus substantia, qui ipsum Morgengabe dedit.”

This became subsequently converted into a right termed justitia.

Upon this extract from a charter,—­

“Manifesta causa est mihi, quoniam die ilio quando te sposavi, promiseram tibi dare justitiam tuam secundum legem meam [qr. my Lombard law in opposition to the Roman, which he had a right to choose,] in Morgencap, id est, quartam portionem omnium rerum mobilium et immobilium,” &c.

Cancianus thus comments:—­

“Animadverte, quam recte charta haec cum supra alligatis formulis conveniat.  Sponsus promiserat Morgencap, quando feminam desponsaverat, inde vero ante conjugium chartam conscribit:  et quod et Liutprandi lege, et ex antiquis moribus Donum fuit mere gratuitum, hic appellatur Justitia secundum legem Langobardorum.”

The Morgencap here assumes, I apprehend, somewhat the form of dower.  That it was so, is very doubtful. (Grimm, vol. ii. p. 441.  “Morgengabe.”)

“An demselben Morgen empfaengt die JungFrau von ihrem Gemahl ein ansehnliches Geschenk, welches Morgengabe heisst.  Schon in der Pactio Guntherammi et Childeberti, werden Dos und Morganagiba unterschieden, ebenso Leg.  Rip. 37. 2. Alaman. 56. 1, 2.  Dos und Morgangeba; Lex Burgend. 42. 2.  Morgangeba und das ‘pretium nuptiale;’ bei den Langobarden, ‘Meta und Morgengab.’”

I do not say this answers the question of your correspondent G., which is, what is the derivation of the word?

Its actual signification, I think, means left-handed; but to think is not to resolve, and the question is open to the charitable contributions of your learned and able supporters.