Hello,
I've been away from the list for quite a while. I have been wrestling with a
puzzle and thought someone on the list might have the answer, or know
someone who might. I have been treating the 'Kessetes' in this consistory
court record as a name. It has been pointed out to me that that is
problematic because it is a very unusual name, besides, the woman in
question is referred to as 'cuiusdam mulieris' rather than by name earlier,
and the construction is awkward. It has been suggested to me that it might
be an epithet of some sort--'kess' being 'to kiss' in middle English. In the
original it is truncated with an ambiguous sort of mark: Kesset'. I've
checked the obvious sources, i.e. lists of names, and dictionaries, with no
luck.
Transcribed in Richard M. Wunderli, London Church Courts and Society on the
Eve of the Reformation (Cambridge, MA: Medieval Academy of America, 1981),
p. 151:
"Katerine Colman: Dominus Willielmus Flete extinxit candelam cuiusdam
mulieris venientis ad purificacionem et hoc fecit apud hostium ecclesie et
quando lavavit manus suas tempore misse dixit aperte Kessetes in anglice,
"Kessetes it is a fair joy that we most tend to you for a candel a peny and
a clowte" et publicat confessiones parochianorum suorum. capellanus
comparuit 5 die Januarii, negat articulum et continuatur ad diem veneris."
I would appreciate any suggestions. Please forgive the duplication; I've
also sent this to medfem-l.
Thanks,
Becky
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Becky R. Lee
Centre for the Study of Religion
University of Toronto
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