"Women, through whom death, suffering and toil came into the world, were creatures' dominated by their sex. So taught the Bible and patristic tradition. To control and punish women, particularly their bodies and their dangerous, disruptive sexuality was therefore man's work"(Klapische-Zuber 13). Sexual morality exemplified in the theological literature of the twelfth through fifteenthcenturies and the canon laws that predominated order in medieval life radically affected maritalbehaviour and the sexual relationship's women had with their spouses. Marital sexual conductbased on the patristic beliefs of Christianity during the High and Late Middle Ages subjugatedwomen to repress sexual desire other then for procreation and bequeath their chastity to theirhusbands. This essay will first focus on the basic philosophy of Christian Theology and the ethicallaws that were established by the Church to instruct and control sexual conduct in marriage.Secondly, this essay will concentrate on the specific virtue of conjugal chastity and it'simportance in the continuity of the medieval family and European culture. The oppressivediscipline that was required of medieval women who suffered as a

" Excessivelove was given the same penance as adultery and was said to encourage jealousy, passion andbring about madness in some men (Klaisch-Zuber 110). This parity in respect to the conjugal debt wasGratian's most emphatic venture in the direction of equality between the sexes" (Brundage 242). It was advised that the couple only haveintercourse once per time, try not to enjoy it and wash afterwards to "purify oneself from thepollution"(Brundage 162). Thesethree texts became exemplar works to follow in relation to sexual morality and codes of sexualconduct, and given such authority were notably applied by the Church (Payer, 6). Husbands were forbidden to love their wives unconditionally or excessively ( Duby 27). Marriage is substantially ordered to the service of nature . Often marriage was prearranged and the choice was already made forthe girl while she was still a child. The biblical storyof Adam and Eve supports male dominance, God created the male body first, and the femalebody created from the rib of the male body second. It was said that Augustine and his contemporaries among the Fathers considered sex a grave moral danger in part because they believed that sexual feelings and urges,particularly the reactions of the genital organs, were not fully under the control of human will" (Brundage 81). Sexual intercourse was acceptable only within legitimate marriage. The bible alludesto conjugal chastity in this Hebrew scripture, "Let marriage be honourable in all and the bedundefiled, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers" [Hebrew 13:4]. Medieval marriage was sanctified as a distinctiveunion which a husband and wife could legally and morally engage in sexual relations. HoweverChristian authorities warned married couples that intercourse should be an obligation for reasons of procreation(Brundage 92).

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