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Editorial Conventions
Introduction
The language used by the Irish chancery was highly formulaic. This section explains how these formulae and standard phrases are translated in CIRCLE. It begins with the opening and closing protocols (the diplomatic formulae used to open and close chancery letters), attestation and dating clauses, and other formulae. The next section (‘Standard Phrases’) lists a range of standard translations used for frequently-occurring phrases. The final section (‘Other conventions’) gives the conventions for translating for offices, titles, family names, place-names (especially larger settlements), dioceses and monastic houses. These names have been standardized in CIRCLE because they occur so frequently in the letters.
Protocols and Formulae
Opening and closing protocols
The opening protocols of letters patent are formulaic and universal:
Edwardus, Dei gracia rex Anglie, dominus Hibernie et dux Aquitanie omnibus ad quos presentes littere pervenerint, salutem.
These are normally omitted from CIRCLE.
The opening protocols of letters close are rather extended. Most of our sources, including the best transcripts, abbreviate the formula, although it is found in full in the few engrossed letters that are extant. For the sake of brevity, CIRCLE follows the practice of other calendars of chancery rolls and condenses the clause as follows:
- Edwardus, dei gracia rex Anglie et Francie et dominus Hibernie venerabili in Christo patri M. eadem gracia archiepiscopo Ardmacano […], salutem.
= To M[ilo Sweteman], abp Armagh.
- Rex [etc.], superiori et ballivis ville de X, salutem.
= To the sovereign and bailiffs of the town of X.
- Rex [etc.], thesaurio et baronibus suis de scaccario Dublinie, salutem.
= To the T. and barons of the Ex.
- Rex [etc.], thesaurario et camerariis de scaccario suo Hibernie, salutem.
= To the T. and chamberlains of the Ex.
-
Rex [etc.], dilectis armigeris suis Thome filio Simonis Cruys […], comitatus Dublin, salutem.
= To the K.’s beloved esquires, Thomas s. of Simon Cruys […] of co. Dublin
Attestation clauses
- Teste X ,custode terre nostre Hibernie
= X, keeper of Ire[not ‘keeper of the K’s land of Ire’] - Teste X, justiciario nostro Hibernie
= X, Jcr [not, ‘the K’s Jcr of Ireland’] - Teste X, locum tenente nostri Hibernie
= X, Lt of Ire - Teste X, tenente locum justiciarii nostri Hibernie
= X, deputy of the Jcr
Letters issued by the king himself are normally witnessed, Teste me ipso, which CIRCLE renders simply as ‘The K.’. In the case of English chancery letters enrolled in the Irish chancery, CIRCLE uses the fullest text available (drawing, for instance, on CPR, CCR, Foedera, and where appropriate the original Mss), and will note the fact that the letter was issued under the great seal of England in the attestation clause, as follows: ‘[English g.s.]’.
Authorization clauses
- Per billam ipsius justiciarii
= By bill of the Jcr [omit ‘himself’] - Per billam ipsius locum tenentis
= By bill of the Lt - Per ipsum justiciarium et consilium
= By the Jcr and council - Per ipsum locum tenentem et consilium
= By the Lt and council - Per manus Y
= By the hands of Y. - Per peticionem de consilio
= By petition of council. - Per peticionem de parliamento
= By petition of parliament. - Per peticionem de consilio sigillo ipsius locum tenentis consignatam
= By petition of council sealed with the seal of the Lt
Other formulae
- Rex assignavit = APPOINTMENT of
- Rex commisit = COMMISSION to
- Rex concessit = GRANT to
- Rex concessit [to X & Y] … ut valeant = LICENCE to X and Y to
- Rex dedit [to X] potestatem = GRANT to X of power
- Rex ei in diversis summis de feodo suo tenetur = The K. owes him various sums of his fee
- Rex inspexit et confirmavit = INSPEXIMUS and CONFIRMATION
- Rex intellexit = The K. has learned
- Rex pardonavit X = PARDON to X
- Rex scire facit X = NOTIFICATION to X
- Rex statum X ratificat = RATIFICATION of the estate of X
- quis propinquus heres ipsius sit = who is his next heir
- se accepisse per inquisitionem = the K. has learned by inquisition
- se querelam X accepisse de eo quod = the K. has heard the complaint of X that because
- suggessisse sibi = the K. has been informed
- X habet litteras Regis de presentatione ad ecclesiam de Y = PRESENTATION of X to the church of Y
- X habet litteras de gen’ attorn’ sub nominibus Y et Z = X has letters nominating Y and Z as his general attorneys
- X, profecturus ad Angliam, habet protectionem = X, going to England, has protection
- X cognovit se debere Y = X acknowledges that he owes Y
Mentions of service
In addition to the authorization or warranty clause, engrossed letters patent often include a 'mention' of the clerk or clerks who oversaw the engrossment. These 'mentions of service' were not normally enrolled in the chancery rolls (although when letters issued under the g.s. of Eng. were transmitted to Ireland and transcribed onto the Irish chancery rolls, the 'mentions of service' was sometimes enrolled with the text of the letters). In CIRCLE the 'mention' of the clerk is recorded in the footnotes, signaled by the words 'Mention of service'.
Standard phrases
- ad querelam = at the complaint
- annuatim =annually
- comperto per inquisitionem = It has been found by inquisition
- concedo = to grant (cf. commito = to commit)
- confirmatio super inspeximus = confirmation upon inspeximus
- consanguineus = kinsman
- coram = before [not ‘in the presence of’ or ‘in front of’]
- custos = keeper [not ‘custodian’]
- custodia [of lands] = custody [not ‘keeping’]
- de feudo suo aretro = arrears of his fee
- deforciantes = deforciants
- defunctus = deceased
- deguerro = to fight
- de habendo corpus ejus = to produce him [not to have his body]
- de precepto = by order of [not ‘by the order of’]
- devasto = to destroy
- diversis arduis negotiis = concerning various important matters
- donec Rex aliud inde preceperit = until the K. orders otherwise
- duas partes = two thirds
- durante bene placito= during pleasure
- ei commisit custodiendum = he has committed to him to keep
- exigere = to exact [not ‘to demand’]
- ex nunc = from now
- ex parte eius = on his behalf
- fideles = faithful people [not ‘the faithful’ or ‘lieges']
- finem fecit = he has made a fine
- firmiter iniungendo = firmly enjoining
- gurgitus = weir
- in crastino = on the morrow
- infra etate = a minor
- juxta = near
- legali homines = law-worthy men
- libero = to deliver [not ‘release’]
- liberate = pay [only in writs of liberate]
- licet in nullo dilinquerint = although they were guilty of nothing
- manucaptor = mainpernor
- maxime = especially
- minoris etatem = minor
- nuper = former / late
- occasione obsequii laudabilii sui = on account of his laudable service
- oneratus = charged
- ad partes Ulton’ = to Ulster [omit ‘the parts of’]
- participes hereditatis = sharers of the inheritance [not ‘parceners’]
- per annum = p.a.
- per breve de recto = by writ of right
- per manucaptionem = by mainprise of [not ‘by the mainprise of’]
- per servicium = by service of [not ‘by the service of’]
- per visum et testimonium = by view and testimony
- plegium, plegius = pledge [not ‘surety’]
- possessor = owner
- postea = afterwards
- precium = worth or value [not ‘price’]
- predictus = the said [not ‘the aforesaid’]
- prefatus = the said
- pretextu cuius mandati = by reason of this mandate
- pro conservatione pacis = for keeping the peace
- probi homines = worthy [not ‘trustworthy’] men
- pro omnimodum prodicionibus = for all manner of treasons
- pro reformacione pacis = for the restoration of the peace
- pro justiciando = for doing justice [against]
- quamdiu domino Regi placuerit = during pleasure
- quamdiu bene se gesserit = during good behaviour
- quantum in nobis est = so far as pertains to the K.
- que extenduntur ad = extended at
- quidam W. Burgh = one [not ‘a certain’] W. Burgh
- quondam [vir] = previous [husband]
- racione min’ et’ heredis eius = by reason of the minority of his heir
- recogno = to acknowledge
- reddo = to render [not ‘to hand over’]
- respondere ad scaccarium = to answer at the exchequer [not ‘to respond’]
- retorno = to return [not ‘to reply’]
- salvo custodias = he is to keep safely
- scire facias = he is to notify
- sede vacante = sede vacante
- sicut predictum est = as aforesaid
- simul et semel = at once and together
- sub colore = under colour
- supplico = to plead
- terra que fuerit ei = lands which belonged to him
- thesauri inventio [or thesaurus inventus] = treasure trove
- trado = to hand over [not ‘to surrender’]
- tradere morti = to put to death
- tuicio pacis = protection of the peace
- ulterius = further
- usque ad etatem heredis = until the heir comes of age
- ut de [castro de Trym] = as of [the castle of Trim]
- ut dicit = as he says
- ut dicitur = as is said
- vi et armis = by force and arms
- sic eciam = likewise for
- statim visis litteris = immediately after having viewed these letters
- vasto = to waste
- videlicet = viz. [not ‘i.e.’, ‘namely’, ‘that is’ or ‘to wit’]
- vigilia = eve [not ‘vigil’]
- villa = town [regardless of the size of the settlement and the reality of its urban function]
- vulgariter noncupatus = commonly called
Other Conventions
Titles and designations of status
- armiger = esquire
- capitaneus sue nationis = chieftain of his lineage
- comes = ‘earl’ in Britain and Ireland, but ‘count’ in France, so comes Mertonie becomes ‘count of Mortain’ [women are always ‘countess’]
- dominus = ‘Sir’ in reference to knighted individuals; otherwise ‘lord’
- dux = duke
- generosus = gentleman
- marchio = marquis [not ‘marquess’]
- vicecomes = sheriff
- senescallus = seneschal [not ‘steward’] of liberties in Ireland; but ‘steward of England’
- valettus = yeoman
Offices
- (capitalis) justiciarius ad placita = chief justice at pleas
- (capitalis) justiciarius de banco Dublin’ = (chief) justice of the Dublin bench
- custos magni sigilli domini regis in Hibernia = keeper of the great seal (g.s.) of Ire.
- custos brevium et rotulorum = keeper of the writs and rolls
- custos pacis = keeper of the peace
- gaugarius vinorum = gauger of wines
- justiciarius = justiciar (Jcr)
- locum tenens = lieutenant (Lt)
- narrator Regis = K’s pleader
- supervisores custodes pacis = supervisors of keepers of the peace
Family names
Spellings are regularized for the following names of families and individuals (especially royal ministers) who are prominent in the records:
Archbold Ashton Balscot Barry Barret Beauchamp Bellew Bermingham Bicknor Burgh Butler Caunt(e)ton Carew Charleton Cheyne Clinton Colton Darcy Desmond Despenser Dowdall Fleming Freigne Fulbourn Furnival |
Gaveston Geneville Gormanston Grandison Grey Hastings Holywood Howell Lacy Lawless Ludgate Mandeville March Morice Mortimer Nugent Ormond, earl of Outlaw Petit Plunket Poer, le Portlester Prendergast Preston |
Roche Rochefort Rokeby St Amand St Lawrence St Leger Sandford Savage Scrope Stanley Sutton Taaff Talbot Tyrell Ufford Ulster, earl of Vere de Verdun Walsh Welles Windsor White Wogan |
Place-names
Spellings are regularized for the following provinces, cities, large towns, castles, manors, counties and liberties, and other commonly occurring place-names, where identification is beyond doubt
Ardee Ards Arklow Athboy Baltinglass Bannow Bray Buttevant Carbury Carrickfergus Carlingford Carlow Carrick Cashel Castledermot Castle Kevin Chapelizod Clane Clondalkin Clonmel Coleraine Connacht Cork Crumlin Dalkey Dingle Down Drogheda |
Dublin Duleek Dunboyne Dunbrody Dundalk Dundrum Esker Fethard Galway Greencastle Gormanston Gowran Howth Jerpoint Kells Kildare Kilkenny Kilmainham Kilmallock Kinsale Knocktopher Leinster Leixlip Limerick Louth Maynooth Malahide Mullingar Munster |
Naas Navan Nenagh Newcastle Lyons Newcastle McKynegan New Ross Nobber Rathmore Rathwire Ratoath Rindown Roscommon Saggart Santry Skreen Swords Tallaght Termonfeckin Thomastown Thomond Tralee Trim Tullow Uriel Ulster Waterford Wexford Wicklow |
Dioceses
Spellings are standardized for dioceses and archdioceses, as follows:
Achonry Annaghdown Ardagh Ardfert Armagh Cashel Clogher Clonfert Clonmacnoise Cloyne Connor Cork |
Derry Down Dromore Dublin Elphin Emly Ferns Glendalough Kilfenora Kildare Killala Killaloe |
Kilmacduagh Kilmore [not ‘Tirbrunensis’/Triburnensis] Leighlin Limerick Lismore Meath Mayo Ossory Raphoe Ross Tuam Waterford |
Monastic houses
Spellings are standardized for monastic institutions, as follows:
All Saints near Dublin, priory Baltinglass Bective Connell Duiske Dunbrody Finbarr’s Cave (Cork)
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Holy Trinity (Dublin), priory Jerpoint, abbey Lismullin Llanthony Prima and Secunda [not italicized] Maigue [Monasteranenagh] St John of Jerusalem in Ireland, hospital
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St John the Baptist outside the New Gate of Dublin, hospital St Mary’s near Dublin, abbey St Thomas the Martyr near Dublin, abbey Tintern, abbey Tracton, abbe
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