Latin Language and Script — Resources for the Genealogist

This sample is part of a "reconnaissance" (as this type of document was later called in French), in other words a "recognition" by a vassal of his or her obligation to pay a "census" or tax on property held in fief subject to a feudal lord or institution, in this case the Abbey of Romainmôtier. The vassal or "censier" (the person who pays the "census" or tax) is Henrieta, daughter of Roletus Journal, late citizen of Morges, and of Agnes daughter of the late Mermetus de Cubana, and Henrieta is now the wife of Petrus Foresterii, blacksmith of Morges. With the approval of her husband, she "recognizes" or acknowledges that she holds various properties for which she owes an annual tax to the Prior of the convent.

Transcription

Henrieta filia Roleti dicti Journaul condam burgensis Morgie et Agnetis filie condam Mermeti de Cubana nunc uxor Petri Foresterii fabri Morgie, de laude auctoritate voluntate et expresso consensus dicti Petri Foresterii viri sui confitetur et in veritate recognoscit pro se et suis heredibus quibuscunque se tenere et possidere ad censum perpetuum a prefatis dominis priore et eius convent res et possessions infrascriptas sitas et jacentes in territorio de Jolens, et primo quartum unius pose vinee loco dicto es Croux sive en Marsellin juxta vineam Marguerete uxoris Mermeti du Four sororis dicte confitentis a parte boree vineam Johannis Richard a parte venti vineam dicte confitentis a jurani vineas Anthonii Buciquardi et Guillermi Clement a lacu. Item loco dicto en Pierobaz dimidiam posam vinee juxta vineam Jaquenodi Borrel de laz Pra a parte boree vineam Marguerete sororis dicte confitentis a parte venti vineam Nicodi Gardiam burgensis Morgie a jurani et viam publicam a parte lacus super qua pecia vinee precipiunt dimidiam decimam. Item tenet medietatem pro indiviso cum Marguareta sorore sua predicta unius morcelli vinee situm eodem territorio…

Notes: This scribe frequently uses the spelling condam instead of the more usual quondam, meaning "the late", "deceased". By following the word endings, we can see that Henrieta (nominative case) and not Agnes (genitive case) is the wife (uxor, nominative case) of Petrus Foresterii. The descriptions of the various properties that she holds in fief from the monastery are described first by reference to the "territory" of a particular village (Joulens), then by reference to a "lieu-dit" or local place name (such as "es Croux"), then by reference to the surrounding properties. In this area, on the north side of Lake Geneva, the cardinal directions are traditionally reckoned from the four winds, known locally as joux, bize, vent, and lac. There are relatively few abbreviations here — the scribe was exceptionally neat! Note the use of a stroke over all or part of a word to indicate that letters have been left out, in burgensis, nunc, perpetuum, jacentes, confitentis, and Anthonii. In several words, such as vineam, the m (this also can be done for an n) is omitted and replaced by a stroke over the preceding letter. Other words abbreviated with different symbols include primo, juxta, autoritate, Marguareta, parte, and others. The text in the "reconnaissances" from this region follows essentially the same pattern from the 14th Century right up to the end of the feudal era at the end of the 18th Century, although they are almost all in Latin before the Reformation and in French afterwards. This is a particularly nice example of the Gothic cursive script at its best.

Latin Language and Script:

Sample Documents.

A Sample from Morges, Switzerland, 1425.

Transcription