Bodmin manumissions
Encyclopedia
The Bodmin manumissions or Bodmin Gospels is a manuscript supposed to be of the 9th century. The document is of interest to language scholars as it contains writing in Latin
, Saxon and Cornish
texts.
Recorded in the Old Cornish language are the names and details of slaves freed in Bodmin
(the then principal town of Cornwall, an important religious centre) between the mid tenth and mid eleventh centuries. There is also an Old Cornish Vocabulary, an English – Latin vocabulary of ca. AD 1000 to which was added about a century later a Cornish translation. Some 961 Cornish words are recorded, ranging from celestial bodies
, through church and craft occupation, to plants and animals.
This, it is believed, is the only original record relating to Cornwall
, or its Bishopric
, anterior to the Norman Conquest. The volume is in quarto, of rather an oblong form, and is very neatly written, though evidently by a scribe not well informed, or of great learning, even for those times. The entries seem to be contemporaneous with the manumissions which they record. The practice of manumitting slaves in the church, as recorded in the entries, appears to have existed from the early part of the fourth century.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Saxon and Cornish
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
texts.
Recorded in the Old Cornish language are the names and details of slaves freed in Bodmin
Bodmin
Bodmin is a civil parish and major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated in the centre of the county southwest of Bodmin Moor.The extent of the civil parish corresponds fairly closely to that of the town so is mostly urban in character...
(the then principal town of Cornwall, an important religious centre) between the mid tenth and mid eleventh centuries. There is also an Old Cornish Vocabulary, an English – Latin vocabulary of ca. AD 1000 to which was added about a century later a Cornish translation. Some 961 Cornish words are recorded, ranging from celestial bodies
Astronomical object
Astronomical objects or celestial objects are naturally occurring physical entities, associations or structures that current science has demonstrated to exist in the observable universe. The term astronomical object is sometimes used interchangeably with astronomical body...
, through church and craft occupation, to plants and animals.
This, it is believed, is the only original record relating to Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, or its Bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
, anterior to the Norman Conquest. The volume is in quarto, of rather an oblong form, and is very neatly written, though evidently by a scribe not well informed, or of great learning, even for those times. The entries seem to be contemporaneous with the manumissions which they record. The practice of manumitting slaves in the church, as recorded in the entries, appears to have existed from the early part of the fourth century.
Further reading
- Ellis, P. BerresfordPeter Berresford EllisPeter Berresford Ellis is an English historian, literary biographer, and novelist who has published over 90 books to date either under his own name or his pseudonyms Peter Tremayne and Peter MacAlan. He has also published 95 short stories...
(1974) The Cornish Language and Its Literature. - Förster, Max (1930) "Die Freilassungsurkunden des Bodminevangeliars", in: A Grammatical Miscellany Offered to Otto JespersenOtto JespersenJens Otto Harry Jespersen or Otto Jespersen was a Danish linguist who specialized in the grammar of the English language.He was born in Randers in northern Jutland and attended Copenhagen University, earning degrees in English, French, and Latin...
. London: Allen & Unwin - Wakelin, Martyn F Wakelin (1975) Language and History in Cornwall. Leicester University Press.
External links
- Cornish (and Other) Personal Names from the 10th Century Bodmin Manumissions by Heather Rose Jones