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Ādams Gaisma should not be married3 Names: Bubergs (Bubberg), Gaisma, Hērvāgens, Pjatņickis
| Here two letters concerning a seduction case are published.
The Pastor Heerwagen from Gaujiena [Adsel] addressed them
to the Orthodox Priest Pjatņickij in Palsmane [Palzmar].
Evidently Ā.Gaisma, who was guilty in seduction, belonged
to the Orthodox Church and wanted to be married in Palsmane church.
Apart from the family history information it contains, the documents are interesting as autographs of Ludvig Heerwagen (1817-1899), who is well known as the author of the school book Skolas maize (The bread for schools) that was widely used in schools at the end of the 19th century. So the texts could be used as samples of exemplary Latvian language of that time. By the way, the name Gaisma (it means light) does not exist more, at least in the vicinities of Gaujiena. There are living holders of the name Gaismiņš, which is the diminutive form of the name Gaisma. |
The text of the letter in Latvian:
| Zeenigs mahzitais, Ko nu pat no Ahdama Gaisma esmu isklausijis, to bes kaweschanahs Jums darru sinnamu. Prohti Ahdams tai meitai Marri Bubberg laulibu apsohlijis un meesigi ar wiņņu sajaucees. Ka wiņsch tai Marri laulibu apsohlijis, to wiņsch pats skaidri preeksch 5 klahtbuhdameem leezineekeem isteizis. Kad nu wiņsch taggad sawu sohlischanu negribb peepildiht, tad bruhtei par to jasuhds pee basnizas teesas. Ahdams tadehl, cittu meitu newarr prezzeht. pirms to leetu ar to Marri islihdsinajis. Heerwagen Gaujenes mahzitaja muischā |
My translation (the names transcribed according to the modern rules):
| Respected Priest,
I am informing you without delay on what I have just learned from Ādams Gaisma, and namely that he has promised to Marija Bubergs to marry her and has bodily merged with her. He clearly announced before 5 witnesses that he promised to marry Marija. If now he is not willing to keep the promise, the bride should sue him in the Church court. For this reason Ādams can not marry other maid before he has not solved his case with Marija. Hervagens In the manor of Pastor in Gaujiena |
| Evidently the Orthodox Priest answered this letter and politely expressed doubts that a Lutheran Pastor might be involved in the analysis of the moral behavior of Orthodox believers. The next letter should be the answer to this unknown letter of the Orthodox Priest. |
| Zeenigs mahzitais,
Juhsu vehleschanohs bes kaweschanahs peepildidams, Jums siņņu dohdu, kā stahw ta leeta ar Ahdamu Gaismu un ar Marri Bubberg, kurrai viņsch laulibu apsohlijis un zaur tahdu sohlischanu gohdigu meitu peewihlis, ka apsohlitajam us maukoschanu padewusehs, ta ka wiņā sawu jumprawibas krohni pasaudejuse. Kad lauliba apsohlita, tad pehz basnizas likkumeem mums basnizas teesai siņņa jalaisch. Paschi tur itt ne ko nedrikstam spreest. Tadehļ basnizas teesai par scho leetu esmu siņņu dewis d.d. 4 Merz c. sub No. 55. Pehz ilgaku laiku basnizas teesa manni prassijuse, kahdā laikā tas pahis sahzis kohpā dzihwot. Es esmu atbildejis un paggastateesas leezibu suhtijis d.d. 29 Mai sub. No. 110. No scha laika no basnizas teesas ne kahdu siņņu ne-esmu dabbujis. No schahs isstahstischanas Juhs redseseet, zeenigs mahzitais, ka stipri pee augsta Keisera likkumeem esmu turrejees. Es arri zittu negribbu, kā pehz likkumeem darriht. Weltigu strihdi muhscham ne-esmu meklejis, neds arri mekleschu. Tas neklahjahs ne weenas krisitigas tizzibas mahzitajam. Pee likkumeem jaturrahs un meerā jadsihwo. Un woi tad ta irr leela nelaime, ja basnizas teesa tahdu zilweku kahdu laiku leek gaidiht, tahdu zilweku, kas weenai meitai laulibu apsohlidams tai gohdu laupa un tuhliht zittu meitu gribb apprezzeht? Mehs tak weena Pestitaja kalpi essam. Tadehļ Juhs luhdsu, arri no sawas pusses tam Ahdamam kreetnu rihzibu doht, ka wiņsch tahdu blehdibu padarrijis un wiņņam isskaidroht, ka wiņsch par sawu beskaunibu dauds wairak pelnijis, ne kā scho ihso gaidischanu. Beidsoht wehl peeminnu, ka ar scho posti schahs leetas dehļ basnizas teesai rakstischu. Zerreju, ka basnizas teesa mannim sawu spreedumu jo drihsak peesuhtihs. Sawā laikā tad Jums siņņu dohschu.
Heerwagen Gaujenes mahzitaja muischā |
My translation (the names transcribed according to the modern rules):
| Respected Priest,
As you wished, I am informing You without delay what is the matter with Ādams Gaisma and Marija Buberg, to whom he promised to marry her and by this promise betrayed her trust so she inclined herself to whoredom with him and has lost the crown of her virginity. If marriage was promised, then, according to the Church Laws, we should inform the Church court. We ourselves have nothing to decide. This is why I informed the Church court on March 4 by the letter No.55. Longer time later the Church court inquired me when the couple began to live together. I have answered and have sent the testimony of the pagasts court on May 29 by the letter No.110. Till now I have received no messages from the Church court. From these explanations you see, respected Priest, that I have been sticking to the Laws of his Highness the King. I want nothing more than to do everything according to the Laws. I have never in my life searched for any vain quarrel and I am not going to. This is not good for the priests of any Christian Church. It is necessary to stick to the Laws and to live in peace. And whether it is a great misfortune if the Church court made a man to wait for a time, the man, who dishonored a maid by promising her marriage and right after that wanted to marry another one? We are the servants of the same Savior, after all. Therefore I am asking you from your part also to give good schooling to Adams who have committed such a disgrace, and to explain him that he for his shamelessness should have been punished much more than only this short waiting. At the end I am also informing you that I am going to send a message to the Church court with the current post. I hope that the Church court will deliver the decision sooner. I will inform you about the results. Hervagens In the manor of Pastor in Gaujiena |
© Comments, translation. Bruno Martuzāns. 1995-2002