Note 862 — Chapter VI · OLD ENGLISH WIFE-PURCHASE YIELDS TO FREE MARRIAGE

Latin arrha, arra, or arrhabo; Greek ἀρῥᾰβων; Lombard launichild, launegild, perhaps the same as the German Lohngeld. It means "earnest money," and was used by the Romans in connection with bargains; also in general with other real contracts. Cf. Smith, Dict. Greek and Roman Ant., I, 193; Bingham, Orig. Ecc., VII, 311; Schroeder, Rechtsgeschichte, 290, 295; idem, Güterrecht, I, 39, 55 ff.; Heusler, Institutionen, I, 80 ff.; Sohm, Eheschliessung, 28; Zoepfl, Deutsche Rechtsgeschichte, III, 8 ff., 12-14; Davoud-Oghlou, II, 59 n. 3; Ludlow, in Dict. Christ. Ant., I, 142-44. "Subarrare" is used in the ritual of the Greek church for disposing in marriage: see the ritual in Burn, Parish Registers, 141, 142.