Legal Definitions - advoutry

Advoutry refers to a historical legal term for adultery specifically committed when both individuals involved in the extramarital affair were married to other people.

This term emphasizes a particular severity in historical legal systems, distinguishing it from situations where only one party was married. It is important to note that "advoutry" is largely obsolete in modern legal contexts.

Here are some examples illustrating the historical application of advoutry:

• Example 1: The Merchant and the Baroness

  Imagine a scenario in 16th-century England where Sir Reginald, a wealthy merchant married to Lady Eleanor, engaged in a clandestine affair with Baroness Beatrice, who was herself married to Lord Alistair. In this situation, because both Sir Reginald and Baroness Beatrice were legally married to other individuals at the time of their affair, their actions would have been historically classified as advoutry.

• Example 2: The Royal Court Intrigue

  Consider a historical European royal court where a Duke, married to a Duchess, began a secret relationship with a Countess, who was also married to an Earl. If this affair were discovered and brought before a court or ecclesiastical authority, the specific legal charge or moral condemnation would likely refer to their conduct as advoutry, highlighting the double marital transgression.

• Example 3: Village Scandal in a Medieval Parish

  In a small medieval village, if John, a married farmer, were to have an affair with Mary, a married baker's wife, their actions would have constituted advoutry. The community and the church, which often held significant legal sway in such matters, would have viewed this as a particularly serious offense due to both parties violating their marital vows simultaneously.