Transcript Slide 1

Everyday Life in
Medieval Latin
Records
St Alban’s Psalter
(12th century)
Eadem Margarita, habens pullum dicto rectori nomine
decime debitum, venit ad ecclesiam sancti Michaelis cum
magna festinatione, et huiusmodi pullum ad caput rectoris in
medio Misse existentis ex magna malicia adjecit, dicens
anglice, ‘Take thy chicken, thou miserly old devil’, dictum
rectorem valde perturbando.
The same Margaret, having a chicken owed in the name of tithe to
the said rector, came to the church of St Michael with great haste,
and threw this chicken with great malice at the head of the rector
who was in the middle of Mass, saying in English, ‘Take thy
chicken, thou miserly old devil,’ seriously disturbing the said rector.
The Manor Court Room, Preston Patrick, Cumbria
Some of the main differences between Medieval and Classical
Latin in spelling and syntax
• e is usually (though not always) written for Classical Latin ae,
and also for oe
• Quod, quia or quoniam + indicative are frequently used for the
CL accusative and infinitive (as that in English, que in French).
However, the accusative and infinitive is also commonly used
• An infinitive (instead of ut or ne with subjunctive) is frequently
used to express purpose and indirect command (as in English)
• Perfect and pluperfect passive are normally formed with fui,
fueram instead of the CL sum, eram (which confusingly were
often used for the present and imperfect passive)
• Quod is frequently used for the CL ut
• Si (if) is usually followed by a subjunctive (the CL distinction
between indicative and subjunctive with si is lost)
• Nicholaus Bold et Robertus Byddel decennarii ibidem iurati presentant
Thomam (jd) Clerke Henricum Chatcall pro defectu apparantie ideo ipsi in
misericordia domini. Item presentant quod Johannes (viijd) Browne tenet
commune hospitium et vendit victualia ad pretium excessivum. Ideo ipse
in misericordia domini. Item presentant Edwardus (iiijd) Hill Franciscus
(iiijd) Bright et Elizabetha (iiijd) Assheton vidua sunt communes
brassiatores servisie et fregerunt assissam. Ideo quilibet eorum in
misericordia domini . Item presentant Jervsium (iiijd) Olyver pro venditio
carnis ad pretium excessivum . Ideo ipse in misericordia domini.
Iusticiarii presentant quod Hugo, serviens Johannis Milner, die dominica apud
Coventre vi et armis insultum fecit in Ricardum Newmann et ipsum verberavit
et vulneravit contra pacem domini Regis et alia enormia ei intulit.
The justices present that Hugo, the servant of John Milner, on a Sunday at Coventry made an
assault with force of arms on Richard Newman and beat him and wounded him against the
peace of the lord king, and committed other enormities upon him.
Item quod Margareta Hille vi et armis domum Rogeri Crowther fregit et bona et
catalla ad valenciam xxs cepit et asportavit et alia enormia ei intulit ad grave
dampnum ipsius Rogeri.
Likewise that Margaret Hill by force of arms broke into the house of Roger Crowther and took
and carried away goods and chattels to the value of 20s, and committed other enormities
upon him to the grave loss of the same Roger.
Sibilla Cole est in misericordia (iijd) quia est communis garilatrix et pacis
perturbatrix.
Sibil Cole is at mercy (3d) since she is a common scold and a disturber of the peace.
Medieval market; a draper’s stall
Ballivi ville presentant quod Willelmus Russell (iijd) Thomas Bury
(iijd) et Ricardus Higges (iijd) mercatores panni, vocati ‘drapers’,
stant extra communes stallas mercatorum diebus fororum, contra
antiquam consuetudinem ville, et in prejudicium jurum et
libertatum ville predicte.
The bailiffs of the vill present that William Russell (3d), Thomas Bury (3d)
and Richard Higgs (3d), cloth merchants, called ‘drapers’, stand outside
the common stalls of the traders on market days, against the ancient
custom of the vill, and to the prejudice of the laws and liberties of the
aforesaid vill.
Eadem Sibilla (vjd) et Hugo Saly (vjd) sunt in misericordia quia
sunt communes regratores piscium.
The same Sibil (6d) and Hugo Saly (6d) are in mercy since they are
common regraters of fish.
• A medieval
bakery
Prepositi burgi presentant quod Johannis Gerrard (ijd) Ricardus
Bakere (ijd) et Johanna Bakere (ijd) pistores fecerunt panem
album minus ponderis. Et quod Willelmus filius Henrici Davy (iiijd)
carnifex vendit carnes suas extra communes stallas diebus
mercatorum contra regulationem.
The rieves of the borough present that John Gerrard (2d), Richard Baker (2d)
and Joan Baker (2d), bakers, have made white bread of insufficient weight.
And that William son of Henry Davy (4d), butcher, is selling his meat outside
the common stalls on market days against the regulation.
Rogerus Lalleforde, tastator cervisie, presentat quod Sarra
Tubbinge (iiijd) braciavit cervisiam in messuagio suo sine licentia
et ita fregit assisam.
Roger Lalleford, beer taster, presents that Sarah Tubbing (4d) has brewed
beer in her messuage without a licence and has thus broken the regulation.
Nicholaus Bold et Robertus Byddell decennarii ibidem jurati
presentant quod Johannes (viijd) Browne tenet commune
hospitium et vendit victualia ad pretium excessivum, ideo ipse in
misericordia domini.
Nicholas Bold and Robert Byddell, tything men, sworn at the same place
present that John (8d) Brown runs a common lodging-house and is selling
victuals at an excessive price, and therefore he is in the mercy of the lord.
Ricardus et Christina uxor eius attachiati sunt in summa ij
solidorum quod inventi fuerunt in blado domini.
Richard and Christine his wife have been attached in a sum of 2 shillings
because they were found in the lord’s corn-field.
Working for the lord on a medieval manor
Willelmus Cooke tenet unam virgatam terre cum pertinentiis et qualibet
septimana a festo Sancti Michaelis usque ad festum Sancti Petri ad Vincula
debet operari per tres dies qualecumque opus dominus voluerit . . . Et
quotiens aliud suum opus facit operabitur ad voluntatem domini usque ad
horam tertiam et hoc facere debet sine stipendio. Item et per unum diem in
yeme vel in xla quando summonitus fuerit arare debet unam acram domini . . .
William Cook holds one virgate of land with appurtenances, and each week from the feast of
St Michael until the feast of St Peter at Chains he must work for three days at whatever task
the lord wishes . . . And whenever he is doing other work of his own he will work at the wish
of the lord until 9.00 a.m., and he must do this without pay. Likewise also for one day in
winter or in Lent when he is summoned he must plough one acre of the lord . . .
Item equum non debet vendere sine licentia domini. Et si equum vendiderit
infra manerium vel extra dabit domino ijd. Idem debet solvere merchet pro filia
sua maritanda ad voluntatem domini.
Likewise he must not sell a horse without the permission of the lord. And if he sells a horse
within or outside the manor he will give the lord 2d. He must pay merchet to marry off his
daughter at the wish of the lord.
A Corrody
Necnon nos, abbas et monachi predicti monasterii, predicto
Johanni concessimus quacumque septimana durante vita
eiusdem Johannis tres galenas et dimidiam cervisie conventualis,
ac quolibet anno unam carecturam feni et quattuor carecturas
ligni, et ad Natale Domini unum habitum sicut honestiores
servientes ibidem habere usitati sunt . . .
Moreover we, the abbot and monks of the aforesaid monastery, have
granted to the aforesaid John each week during the life of the same John
three gallons and a half of monastic beer, and each year one cartload of
hay and four cartloads of wood, and at Christmas one habit just as the
more respectable servants there are accustomed to have . . .
Agnes Marsden de Bollande impregnata est ex illicito coitu per
quendam Jacobum Cutler, manentem extra jurisdictionem.
Comparuit mulier et fatetur articulum. Et jurata est de peragendo
penitentias sibi factas, et iniunctum est sibi quod circuit ecclesiam
parochialem de Chyppeyne uno die processionaliter et
penetensialiter cum candela ceria in manu sua unius d, et
similiter uno die circa capellam Sancti Michaelis infra castellum
de Clederoy citra festum Marie Magdalene.
Agnes Marsden of Bolland has been made pregnant through illicit intercourse with
a certain James Cutler, who lives outside the jurisdiction. The woman appeared
and confessed to the charge. And she has been sworn to carry out the penances
imposed upon her, and she is ordered to go round the parish church of Chipping
on one day in procession and in penitence with a wax candle in her hand worth 1d,
and similarly on one day round the chapel of St Michael within the castle of
Clitheroe before the feast of Mary Magdalene.
Inquisitio contra Johannem Cronkshay. Notatur quod carnaliter
cognovisset Emmotam, uxorem Ricardi Cronkshay, et ipse etiam
maritus et consanguineus dicto Ricardo Cronkshay in secundo et
secundo gradibus consanguinitatis et affinitatis. Comparuit vir, et
postea comparuit mulier, et moniti sunt ad interessendum die
Jovis proximo post festum Penticostes.
Inquiry against John Cronkshay. It is noted that he had carnal knowledge
of Emmota, the wife of Richard Cronkshay, and he is also married and
related to the said Richard Cronkshay in the second degree of
consanguinity and the second degree of affinity. The man appeared, and
afterwards the woman appeared, and they have been warned to appear
on the next Thursday after the feast of Pentecost.
A funeral from the early 15th century
A Will
In Dei nomine, Amen. Ultimo die mensis Octobris, Anno Domini mccccxxxiij°.
Ego Johannes Shakespere de Doncastre, chapman, condo testamentum
meum in hunc modum. In primis lego animam meam Deo Omnipotenti, Beatae
Mariae Virgini, et omnibus Sanctis celi; corpusque meum ad sepeliendum in
cimiterio Sancti Georgii de Doncastre. Item lego optimum animal meum
nomine mortuarii mei. Item lego iij lb. cerae ad comburendum circa corpus
meum die sepulturae meae. Item lego vicario meo iiijd . . . Item lego . . .
In the name of God, Amen. On the last day of the month of October, AD 1438. I
John Shakespeare of Doncaster, merchant, make my will in this manner. Firstly I
bequeath my soul to Almighty God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints of
heaven; and my body to be buried in the cemetery of St George in Doncaster.
Likewise I bequeath my best animal in the name of my mortuary fee. Likewise I
bequeath three pounds of wax (candles) to be burned around my body on the day
of my burial. Likewise I bequeath to my vicar 4d . . . Likewise I bequeath . . .
A will dated 10 December 1467
. . . Item Elize, ancille mee, unum coopertorium de rubio et
glauco, unum par linthiaminum, item j banker. Item eidem j
gowne furr^ cum nigro . . . Item Margarete Eglyston unum
coopertorium cum tapite pudrato cum vynys et grapys, j
canevas, j par lintheaminum, ij blankets, ij mappas, ij manutergia,
j capucium bene furratum, aliud capucium furratum cum
purydmenev.
Likewise to Eliza my maidservant one coverlet of red and grey, one pair of
sheets, likewise 1 bench cover. Likewise to the same 1 gown furred with
black . . . Likewise to Margaret Eggleston one coverlet with tapestry
decorated with vines and grapes, 1 canvas, 1 pair of sheets, 2 blankets, 2
cloths, 2 towels, 1 hood well furred, another hood furred with pearled
miniver.