Eglītis' inquiry

2 Names: Eglītis (Egliht), Hērvāgens

This is a letter Jānis Eglītis wrote in 1871 to the Provost of Valka church district with some kind of complain on his Pastor of Gaujiena [Adsel] parish. The Pastor refused to join J.Eglītis with his cousin in matrimony. At that time in Gaujiena served Pastor L.Heerwagen. Additional information about him is available in another document.

From the legal point of view the Pastor was not right - the rules of the Ev.-Lutheran church allowed to marry cousins, so I think that the Provost should have given appropriate permission, but L.Heerwagen mentioned in the chronicle of Gaujiena parish /Jaunzemis/ that before 1869 the parish had decided that cousins could not be joined in matrimony. I do not think this decision had any legal force, but, of course, it gave Pastor some grounds not to marry J.Eglītis. By the way, the decision of the parish means - the decision of the Pastor, I think.

Es weens Gaujenes draudses lohzeklis ar scho sawu rakstu juhs gribbu luhgt, jo ta tahluma dehl newarru tikt pats schurp, tapehz ar neņemmeet par ļaunu kā eedroschinajohs jums rakstiht. Un pehz kahdas leetas to tuhlin jums gribbu ar pasemmibu padohma luhkt. Ko juhs par to leeti spreediseet war tā buht jeb ne. Es esmu eedohmaisees un stipri apņehmees, sawu mahtes brahļa meitu prezzeht, bet muhsu Zeenigs mahzitais to ne paļaun jo wiņsch teiz, kad to nedrihkstot, tapehz es zeenigu Prahwasta tehwu luhdsu scho leetu darriht man sinnamu war tas notikt jeb ne, jo es gan esmu redsejis kad zittās draudsēs tas noteek. Ja nu tas taggad wissur irr aisleekts tad es weens draudses behrns ar to gan newarru pawehleht kad manni lai laulā bet man gan irr gruhta atstahschanahs no wiņņas jo essam weens ohtra stipri eemihluischees un mihlestibu sohlijuschi lihds kappam.

Tad nu mihļais draudses Jehriņu gans raksteet man weenu skaidru atbildu kā ar to leetu war palikt un kā juhs man teikseet to es ar darrischu.

Kad raksteet tad manna adresse irr schi: Muzzeneek saimneekam Jahn Egliht apaksch Gaujenes.

I, being a member of Gaujiena parish, hereby wished to beg you, because of a long way I can not go to you, therefore do not get angry I have had the courage to write to you. And for what matter I will beg you straight away with humbleness for an advice. What you will decide could it be possible or not. I have an idea and have decided strongly to marry a daughter of my mother's brother, but our Honorable father Pastor does not allow, because he says we may not, therefore I ask Honorable father Provost to explain me if it is possible or not, because I have seen in other parishes it happened. If it is now prohibited everywhere, then I being a child of the parish could not order I would be wedded, but it really will be very hard to left her, because we love each other heartily and have sworn love up to the grave.

Therefore dear shepherd of parish Lambs write to me a clear answer how to deal with the matter and what you will say that I will do.

When writing, this is my address: Farmhost of Mucenieki farm Jānis Eglītis, under Gaujiena.