"Animadverte, quam recte charta hÊc 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 empf‰ngt 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.
As regards the Fairy Morgana, who was married to a mortal, I confess,
with your kind permission, I had rather not accept her as a satisfactory
reply. It is as though you would accept "once upon a time" as a
chronological date! She was _married_ to a mortal--true; but
_morganatically_, I doubt it. If morganatic came from this, it should
appear the _Fairy Morgana_ was the _first lady_ who so underwent the
ceremony. Do not forget Lurline, who married also a mortal, of whom the
poet so prettily sings:
"Lurline hung her head,
Turned pale, and then red;
And declared his abruptness in popping the question
So soon after dinner had spoilt her digestion."
This lady's marriage resembled the other in all respects, and I leave
you to decide, and no man is more competent, from your extensive
knowledge of the mythology of Medieval Europe, whether Morgana, beyond
the mere accident of her name, was more likely than Lurline to have
added a word with a puzzling etymology to the languages of Europe. The
word will, I think, be found of Eastern origin, clothed in a Teutonic
form.
After all, Jacob Grimm and Cancianus may interest your readers, and so I
send the Note.