Legal Definitions - praemium pudicitiae

praemium pudicitiae is a historical legal term that refers to compensation paid by a man who had seduced a woman, particularly if she was considered chaste before the act. This payment was intended to acknowledge and mitigate the harm caused to her reputation, social standing, or marriage prospects due to the seduction.

Here are some examples illustrating this concept:

• Imagine a scenario in 18th-century England where a wealthy gentleman, Mr. Davies, seduces Miss Eleanor Vance, a young woman from a respectable but less affluent family. The affair becomes public, and Miss Vance's reputation is severely damaged, making it impossible for her to secure a suitable marriage, which was her primary means of financial security and social standing.

  In this situation, any compensation Mr. Davies might be compelled to pay Miss Vance or her family would be considered praemium pudicitiae. It acknowledges the harm to her "chastity" (in the societal sense of her reputation and marriageability) caused by his actions, which significantly diminished her future prospects.

• Consider a historical legal dispute in a rural community where a local merchant, Mr. Thompson, entices a young, unmarried woman named Sarah into a relationship under false promises of marriage. When he abandons her, and her subsequent pregnancy becomes known, her family sues him for damages, arguing that her honor and future marriage prospects have been irrevocably ruined.

  The financial settlement or judgment awarded to Sarah or her family in this scenario would function as praemium pudicitiae. It serves as a form of compensation for the loss of her perceived chastity and the resulting social and economic disadvantages she now faces due to Mr. Thompson's seduction.