Latin dedication in 1790 French book

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Fred Karno

New Member

The text is on a piece of laid paper 95 x 140mm, pasted into the front of a 1790 copy of Atlas des Enfans {sic!]. I think it is a dedication as a class prize. The reference to "anno nono" would be to Year IX of the French revolutionary calendar which began in September of 1792.

I would be very grateful for an accurate translation as my Latin (which was never very strong to begin with) is now decidedly rusty.

Regards.
Fred


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Pacifica

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis
Location:
Belgium
There are a couple of things I'm unsure of but I'll give you what I've got and point out uncertainties.

This prize was deserved and won in a class of the Catholic College*, and in a solemn prize-giving, by a noble** young man,
in the ninth year of the Republic, to which fact I attest with my chirograph and the seal of the said college*,
The rector of studies***,
****

*Collegium Romanense = Catholic College? Catholic school? Something else?

**Could be literal or more figurative. I lean towards the figurative option, and so was tempted to translate it as "worthy", but I'm not 100% sure.

***"Rector of studies": I honestly don't know what this would actually be called in English, but you get the idea; he's a big boss of sorts.

****The signature and the last word under it are giving me trouble: Molesinus primarius?
 
F

Fred Karno

New Member

That was quick!

To me, the signature looks like "Molesini". The noun primarian is very dated but was formerly used to indicate a student in the most junior grade. In this case, could it be that the recipient of this prize was "primarius", i.e. in his first year at school?

Many thanks for your trouble.

Fred
 
E

Etaoin Shrdlu

Guest

Pacifica dixit:
to which fact I attest with my chirograph
Click to expand...
I assume that strictly this means the fact that the entire document was handwritten (not that there would have been much choice at the time) rather than only the signature, but I still think I'd avoid the word 'chirograph'. The meaning is clear, but I can't say it's terribly common in English.
 
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