Author Topic: Help With Latin  (Read 930 times)

Offline david64

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Help With Latin
« on: Thursday 19 August 10 15:28 BST (UK) »


Is anybody able to help with the above Latin?

The names mentioned are Margaret & Edward Rogers.

Thanks in advance.

Offline FosseWay

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Re: Help With Latin
« Reply #1 on: Friday 20 August 10 14:07 BST (UK) »
I can't decipher a lot of it, but the first section contains a date translating to 15 April 1661. The last word of the second line and the first of the third seem to be a name, Robert Green? Robto will be Robert and the next word ends in -en as far as I can see. I suspect this word is an undeclined name. Roberto is in the dative or ablative case (therefore it's to/for/by Robert) and you'd expect the next word to have a similar ending, but surnames ending in letters that aren't normal for Latin grammar tended not to be declined at all -- hence I don't think it's a Latin word.

After Green it says in legibus (in the laws) but I can't make sense of the rest of that line.

The fourth line reads Probat[um] fuit h...c test[ament]um Edw[ard]o Rogers and then goes illegible again -- this appears to mean 'This will was proved by Edward Rogers' -- does this make sense with the info you have already?

Apart from making out Margareta Rogers I can't make any sense in Latin or in translation of the rest, sorry. The reference to Margaret could be nominative (i.e. she's doing something) or ablative (something is being done by her).

Offline slam

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Re: Help With Latin
« Reply #2 on: Friday 20 August 10 19:03 BST (UK) »
I agree with the 15th April date.  I can't make out the Latin word by word, but from similar formulae I've seen at the bottom of other wills this is the official probate statement.  Basically it says that Robert Green is the lawyer ('in legibus barr.') presiding over the proving of the will of Edward Rogers deceased ('Test[amen]tum  Edw[ard]i Rogers def[uncti]'), and Margaret is the executrix ('Margarete Rogers/E[xecu]trx') who swears ('iurat') to administer the goods faithfully. 


Offline david64

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Re: Help With Latin
« Reply #3 on: Friday 20 August 10 22:55 BST (UK) »
Thanks slam and FosseWay for your help. Yes, your details match with what you would expect to be there from the rest of the will. I don't usually bother trying to figure these out unless there is an unrecognised name; that Mr. Green / Owen was lawyer helps.