Ösel-Wiek peasant law of the end of the 13th century or of the early 14th century stipulated:
‘If it so happens that a married woman does not get along with her husband and does not wish to stay together with him, and wants to be legally divorced, her husband must allow his wife to take along with her everything that she had brought from her home.
But if it is the husband’s own fault that he no longer wants his wife, the husband must in addition to that give his wife Handt-Trewe (ordinarily part of the household’s moveable property), which he has promised to his wife.’
Divorce was allowed in most other Northern European medieval laws as well, thereat under quite similar conditions. It is not known how often divorce actually occurred.
In any case, there are complaints in 16th and 17th-century sources regarding the habit of Estonians to divorce.
13. sajandi lõpu või 14. sajandi Saare–Lääne talupojaõigus sätestas:
„Kui juhtub nii, et abielunaine ei saa oma mehega läbi ja ei soovi kokku jääda, ja tahab seaduslikult lahutada, peab mees lubama naisel võtta kaasa, mille naine kodust kaasa oli toonud.
Kui see aga on mehe enda süü, et ta naist enam ei taha, peab mees andma naisele sellele lisaks Handt-Trewe (tavaliselt osa majapidamise vallasvarast), mille ta naisele lubanud on.“
Lahutus oli lubatud ka enamikus muudes Põhja-Euroopa keskaegsetes õigustes, sealjuures üsna sarnastel tingimustel. Kui tihti seda tegelikkuses ette tuli, pole teada. 16. ja 17. sajandi allikates igal juhul kurdetakse eestlaste kombe üle lahutada.