ABSTRACT
In addition to the death of parents and guardians, their potential indebtedness threatened the child's portion. At upper social levels the wardship of orphan heirs and heiresses was fought over by adults interested in the use of their fortunes until their majority. Among ordinary people, although the amounts of money involved were much smaller, high mortality rates among both children and their guardians could cause problems in keeping track of minors' portions. The very fact that probate accounts were filed for the estates of minors suggests adherence to ecclesiastical court procedures, and that the sums were acknowledged by adults to belong to the child. Even more common than public investment was private investment of portions, and again of all sizes. The ultimate intended destination of any child's inherited portion was its use as a marriage portion. Most women, like most men, undoubtedly wanted to, or at least expected to, marry.
