As decreed by our illustrious predecessor Justinian the Great on 30 October 529 and found in Book XIV of the Codex Jonathanus, “Every interpretation of laws by the Monarch, made in whatever manner, shall be considered valid and unquestioned.” Furthermore, it is plain that none can understand the intention of a law more than the author. Let all, therefore, learn and adhere to the interpretation of Our Imperial Majesty of Article XII, Section Q of the Austenasian Constitution of 2011, the author and ultimate interpreter of which we are.
Since the original promulgation of the Constitution over four years ago, Parliament has never specified the certain age mentioned upon which marriages may be entered into. We propose that no person under the age of sixteen years may be married. The confirmation of this decree by the House of Representatives shall show the decision of Parliament on this matter.
As stated in Section Q of Article XII of the Constitution, there shall be no limitation due to race, religion, gender or nationality for those wishing to marry. Therefore, a person of any race may propose to and marry a person of any other race; it is not forbidden by the secular law of the land for a person of any religion to propose to and marry a person of any other religion; a woman may propose to a man of her choosing just as a man may propose to a woman of his choosing; and a person of any nationality may propose to and marry a person of any other nationality. However, in no case shall a religious institution be compelled to marry two people if for some reason said marriage would violate the religious teachings of said institution.
The consent of both husband and wife must be express – consent cannot be assumed by silence or a lack of disagreement, but must be stated openly; consent must be full – apparent consent which is given in a not fully sincere manner or context (exempli gratia, as part of a game or joke, or while acting in or rehearsing for a performance) shall not be valid; and it must also be free and willing – id est, made without compulsion, duress, or coercion of any kind, but purely by the free will and agreement of both the husband and the wife.
Any man and woman married outside of Austenasia by one with authority to do so within the respective country shall have their marriage recognised within Austenasia. Within Austenasia itself, only the Monarch and those to whom they delegate the authority to do so may officiate at and solemnise marriages.
As decreed by our predecessors Valerian and Gallienus, “One who has two spouses will be visited with infamy.” We therefore decree that polygamy is outlawed, and bigamy – that is, going through a ceremony of marriage with a person while already married to another – is a misdemeanour, although, in accordance with the 8 December 396 decree of our predecessors Arcadius and Honorius found in Book XIV of the Codex Jonathanus, a bigamous marriage shall not be considered legally valid. An individual who – under a foreign jurisdiction – has been legally married to more than one person, shall only be recognised under Austenasian law as being married to the living spouse they married first.
Furthermore, as decreed by our illustrious predecessor Constantine the Great, “No one shall be permitted to have a concubine during marriage.” We therefore decree that adultery – that is, having sexual relations with a person while married to another – is a misdemeanour.
Decreed at Roehampton this twenty sixth day of October during the third year of our reign, in the year of the consulship of Carolina Principissa Coronae and Imogena Eastonii Thanasiae Domina, anno mundi 7524.