The Will of Nicholus Cornyssh

Bonnie HardmanHistory 420

This will appears to be from the Bristol, Bath, Wells, area of England, in 1485.

Somerset England

Wells Cathedral

Bath Cathedral

15th Century Wills

*Written in Latin until the statutes of 1529 and 1540 which regulated the making of wills

*Latin wills usually made by those of wealth or title

*Often proved in York and Canterbury courts

*Will usually accompanied by the probate act

*Executors were required to create an inventory of the testator’s goods, in English

(see Stuart, pp. 55-56)

Words/Phrases to Identify Wills

In dei nomine amen mentis et memoris commendo animam meum deo omnipotenti do et lego Testamentum Probatum meos verso executors Hiis presentibus Volo quod

Information Commonly Found in Wills:

Month, day, and year the will was written/spoken Name of the testator/atrix and their status/situation

(of good mind, etc.) Location/home Giving of soul to God and wish for burial of body Distribution of money/possessions to associations,

family members, and churches Names of executors and witnesses Date and location of probate

Hand

Abbreviations

corpus[que]

mens[is]

ux[or]i bono[rum] meo[rum]

iij (three) shillings

testib[us]

videbitur

no[m]i[n]e

v[ol]o

p[er]icl[u]m

p[ri]mis

Transcription

Testa[amentu]m Nich[ol]i CornysshIn dei no[m]i[n]e amen penultimo die mens[is] Novembre anno d[om]in[i]

mcccclxxxquinto Ego Nich[ol]us Cornyssh ville Bristoll Bathon et Wellen dio[e]c[esis] sane mente ac bone memoris videns michi morte p[er]icl[um] minimeis condo test[amentu]m meu in hunc modu[m] in p[ri]mis do et lego animam mea deo pri[mus] om[n]ipotenti corpusq[ue] meu sepeliendum in cimiterio s[an]c[t]e Cruce templi It[e]m lego eccl[es]ie matrici Wellen[is] iiij d. It[e]m do et lego eccl[es]ie p[a]roch[ie] s[an]c[t]e Cruce templi iij d. It[e]m do et lego vicario ejusdem eccl[es]ie p[ro] decimis meis oblite et oblate iij d. It[e]m do et lego fil. mee una[m] tega[m] de murzey Resid. V[ol]o om[n]i bonor[um] meor[um] do et lego Elene ux[or]i mee et ipsam fac[i]o ordino et conscitus mea vera et l[igi]timam executricis ut ipsa[m] ordinet et dispon[at] p[rius] saluti[s] me[is] mee p[ro]ut sibi mehus videbit[ur] expeduis huc testib[us] Rogus Hype Wen Ric[hardu]s Cornehull Toker et Will[iam]o Gornem eat die mens[is] et a[nn]o ut sup[er]sc[ri]ptum est.

Probatum sup[er]sc[ri]ptum test[amentu]m ap_d Lannehith xxv die Octobre anno d[omi]ni p[re]d[i]c[t]o ac.

Parsing *Note types of words in the Will

Testamentum Noun, 2nd declension, nominative, singular, neuterNich[ol]i Noun, 2nd declension, singular, genitive, masculine

Cornyssh ibidIn Prep. w/ ablative, showing locationdei Noun, 2nd declension, masculine, singular, genitivenomine Noun, 3rd declension, neuter, ablative w/ in, singularamen expression of agreementpenultimo Adj., distributive numeral, abl. w/die, expressing timedie Noun, 5th declension, fem., singular, abl., expressing timemensis Noun, 3rd declension, singular, masculine, genitiveNovembre Noun, 3rd declension, masculine, singular, genitiveanno Noun, 2nd declension, singular, masculine, ablativeDomini Noun, 2nd decl., masc., singular, genitiveMCCCCLXXXquinto roman numerals ending with quinto – 2nd decl. adj., abl.. Masc.Ego Pronoun, has antecedent Nicholus Cornyssh, masc., sing., nom.Nich[ol]us Noun, 2nd declension, singular, masculine, nominativeCornyssh ibidVille Noun, 1st decl., fem., sing., genitiveBristoll Noun, place name, sing., genitive w/ ville

Parsing (cont.)

Bathon Noun, place name, singular, genitive w/ villeet Conjunction connecting Bathon and Wellen Wellen Noun, place name, singular, genitive w/ villedioecesis Noun, 3rd decl., fem., singular, genitiveSane Adj., 1st and 2nd decl., masc., genitive mente Noun, 3rd decl., fem., singular, genitive ac Conjunction connecting mente and bone memoris bone Adj., 2nd decl., genitive like sane memoris Noun, 1st declension, feminine, described by boneVidens Verb, 2nd conjugation, present active participleMichi Pronoun, antecedent for Nicholus, accusativemorte Noun, 3rd declension, Fem., genitive, singular Periclum Noun, 2nd decl., neuter, ablativeminimeis____ Adj.,1st and 2nd decl., ablative w/ periclumcondo Verb, 2nd conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st

pers.test[amentu]m Noun, 2nd declension, sing., neuter, accusativeMeu Adj., 1st and 2nd decl., showing personal possesion

Parsing (cont.)

in Presposition w/ abl. Showing directionhunc Adverb referring to modum modum Noun, 2nd decl., masculine, ablativein Preposition w/ abl. Referring to adv. primis primis Adj., 1st and 2nd decl., aided by in to describe do do Verb, 1st conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st personet Conjunction connecting do and legoLego Verb, 3rd conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st personAnimam Noun, 1st decl., feminine, singular, accusativeMea Adj., 1st and 2nd decl, showing personal possesion

w/animamDeo Noun, 2nd decl., masc., singular, dativePrimus Adj., distributive numeral, 1st and 2nd decl, dativeom[n]ipotenti Adjective, 3rd declension, masc, sing., dative w/ Deo

corpusq[ue] Noun, 3rd decl., neut., sing., accus., with a que attachedMeu Adj., 1st and 2nd decl, showing personal possesion

w/corpusSepeliendum Verb, 3rd conjugation, gerund, activeIn Preposition w/ abl. Referring to noun cimiterio

Parsing (cont.)

Cimiterio Noun, 2nd decl., neuter, singular, ablativesancte Adj., 1st and 2nd decl., genitiveCruce Noun, 3rd decl., fem., sing., genitivetempli Noun, 2nd decl., neut., genitive, singularItem Adverb showing connection to legoLego Verb, 3rd conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st personEcclesie Noun, 1st decl, singular, feminine, dativeMatrici Noun, 1st decl., singular, feminine, dativeWellenis Noun, proper place name, singular, genitiveIiij Roman numerals, accusative (being the direct object)d letter abbrevitaion for “shillings”, accusative (direct

object)Item Adverb showing connection to doDo Verb, 1st conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st personEt Conjunction connecting do and legoLego Verb, 3rd conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st personEcclesie Noun, 1st decl, singular, feminine, dativePerochie Noun, 1st decl., singular, fminine, dative

Parsing (cont.)Sancte Adj., 1st and 2nd decl., dativeCruce Noun, 3rd decl., fem., sing., genitiveTempli Noun, 2nd decl., neut., genitive, singularIij Roman numerals, accusative (being the direct object)D letter abbrevitaion for “shillings”, accusative (direct object)Item Adverb showing connection to doDo Verb, 1st conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st personEt Conjunction connecting do and legoLego Verb, 3rd conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st personVicario Noun, 2nd declension, singular, masculine, dativeEjusdem Adj. describing ecclesie, genitiveEcclesie Noun, 1st declension, singular, feminine, genitivePro Preposition, ablative w/ decimis meis oblite et oblateDecimis Noun, 1st declension, feminine, ablativeMeis Adj., 1st and 2nd declension, ablativeOblite Noun, plural, ablativeEt Conjunction connecting oblite and oblateOblate Noun, plural, ablativeIij Roman numerals, accusative (being the direct object)D letter abbrevitaion for “shillings”, accusative (direct object)Item Adverb showing connection to doDo Verb, 1st conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st personEt Conjunction connecting do and legoLego Verb, 3rd conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st person

Parsing (cont.)Fil. Noun, could be singular or plural, 1st or 2nd dec., dativeMee Adj., 1st and 2nd decl., showing personal possessionUnam Adj., 1st and 2nd decl., distributive, accusativeTegam Noun, singular, accusativeDe Preposition, ablative w/ murzey Resid.Murzey Noun, proper, singular, accusativeResid ibid.Volo Verb, present, active, indicitive, singular, 1st personOmni Adj., 3rd declension, distributive, describing quantityBonorum Noun, 2nd decl., neuter, plural, accusativeMeorum Adj., 1st and 2nd decl., showing personal possessionDo Verb, 1st conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st personEt Conjunction connecting do and legoLego Verb, 3rd conjug., present, active, indic., sing., 1st personElene Noun, name, singular, feminine, dativeUxori Noun, 3rd declension, singular, feminine, dativeMee Adj., 1st and 2nd decl., showing personal possessionEt Conjunction connecting to next phraseIpsam Pronoun, antecedent of EleneFacio Verb, 3rd conjugation, present, active, indic., singular, 1st pers.Ordino Verb, 1st conjugation, present, active, indic., singular, 1st pers.

Parsing (cont.)Et Conjunction connecting ordino and facioConscitus Verb, 3rd conjugation, perfect passive participleMea Adj., 1st and 2nd declension, showing personal posessionVera Adj., 1st and 2nd declension, describing executricis,

accusativeEt Conjunction connecting vera and ligitimamLigitimam Adj., accusative, describing executricisExecutricis Noun, 3rd declension, masc., plural, accusativeUt Conjunction showing directionIpsam Pronoun, antecedent for EleneOrdinet Verb, subjunctive, 1st conjug., present, active, sing., 3rd

pers.Et Conjunction connecting ordinet and disponatDisponat Verb, subjunctive, 3rd conjug., present, active, sing., 3rd

pers.Prius Adverb, showing order w/ salutisSalutis Noun, plural, accusativeMeis Adj., 1st and 2nd declension, showing personal posessionMee ibid.Prout Adj., accusative, describing salutisSibi Pronoun, antecedent of EleneMehus Adj,. Meaning “to me”, meaning Nicholus, dative

Parsing (cont.)Videbitur Verb, 2nd conjug., future, passive, indicitiveExpeduis Adj., 1st and 2nd conjugationHuc Adverb, meaning “to this” w/ testibusTestibus Noun, plural, 3rd declension, nominativeRogus Noun, proper name, singular, masculine, nominativeHype ibid.Wen ibid.Richardus ibid.Cornehull ibid.Toker ibid.Et Conjunction connecting the witnessesWilliamo Noun, proper name, singular, masculine, nominativeGornem ibid.Eat Verb, 1st conjugation, present, active, indic., plural, 3rd

pers.Die Noun, 5th declension, fem., singular, abl., expressing timeMensis Noun, 3rd declension, singular, masculine, genitiveEt Conjunction connecting mensis and annoAnno Noun, 2nd declension, singular, masculine, ablativeUt Conjunction showing directionSuperscriptum Verb, 3rd conjugation, perfect passive participleEst ibid.

Translation

Will of Nicholus Cornyssh

In the name of God amen, on the final day of the month of November, in the year 1485, I, Nicholus Cornyssh of the villa Bristol, Bath, and Wells diocese, of sound mind and good memory, seeing myself in small risk of death, I make my will in this manner. Firstly, I give and bequeath my soul to God, principal almighty, and my body to be buried in the cemetery of the holy Church of the Cross. Also, I bequeath to the mother church of Wellen four shillings. Also, I give and bequeath to the holy parish church of the Church of the Cross three shillings. Also, I give and bequeath to the priest of the same church, for my tithes and offerings three shillings. Also, I give and bequeath to my children the sole house of Murzey Resid.

Translation (cont.)

I desire that all my goods I give and bequeath to Elene, my wife, and herself I make and ordain to the appointing of my true and lawful executors, in order that she herself may arrange and dispose of my previously paid debts exactly, herself seeming to me good. Witnesses to this, Roger Hype Wen Richard Cornehull Toker and William Gornem, passed the day of the month and the year according to that which was written above.

Approved above will (court?) Lannehith 25th day of October in the year of the Lord aforesaid also.

Interesting Things in this Will

Bibliography

Will of Nicholus Cornyssh (obtained from Thomas Edlund, History 420, Fall 2005)

Ordinance Survey Map http://www.bristol-link.co.uk/resources/map-bristol-3.htm, obtained November 2005.

Latin for Local and Family Historians, Denis Stuart (Phillimore & Co. Ltd., 1995) pp. 55-56.