Alternate Language Fealty Oaths

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This is a place the heralds are collecting alternate language (non-English) fealty oaths used in peerage ceremonies.

These are based on the following oath of fealty, which is standard for a new peer in the West Kingdom:

Here do I swear
by mouth and hand
fealty and service
to the Crown and Kingdom of the West
to speak and to be silent
to come and to go
to strike and to spare
to do and to let be
in matters as concern the Kingdom
on my honor
and the lawful commands of the Crown
in need or in plenty
in peace or in war
in living or in dying
from this hour henceforth
until the King depart from His Throne
or death take me
or the world end
so say I <name>.

Heraldic Suggestion For Ceremonial Purposes: When an oath is being performed in court in a language that is not English, since the populace is supposed to be witnessing this oath, it is a good idea if the herald give the English translation. Yes, this slows down the oath a bit, however the point is that everyone watching is a "legal witness", and if they don't understand what is being said, then they can't very well verify that the person stated the proper oath.

Translations Available for:
French
Irish Gaelic
Italian
Latin
German


French
Translation by Richard de la Croix(?)

Fealty Text
Literal Translation Back to English
Céans je jure At this moment before everybody (declaration) do I swear
De vive voix et en personne In living voice and in person
Fidelité et servilité Fidelity and (civil) service
à la Couronne et au Royaume de l'Ouest To the Crown and the Kingdom of the West
De parler et garder silence To speak and keep silent
De faire et laisser faire To do and let be
D'aller et venir To go and to come
De frapper et épargner To beat (or strike) and to save
Sur toute question qui concerne la Couronne In all that concerns the Crown
Sur mon honneur On my honour
Et dans le respect de la Couronne de l'ordre établi and respect of the Crown and the established order
Dans le besoin ou l'aise In need or in prosperity
En temps de paix comme en temps de guerre In times of peace as in times of war
Vivant ou mourant In living or dying
à compter de cette heure même Counting from this time forth
Jusqu'à ce que le Roi laisse son trône Until the King leaves his throne
Ou que la mort m'emporte Or death takes me away
Ou que la fin du monde arrive Or the end of the world comes
ainsi soit-il So be it.

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Irish Gaelic
This is the oath used by Siobhán ní hEodhusa for her Laurel Ceremony.
Translation by Siobhán ní hEodhusa(?)

Fealty Text
Literal Translation Back to English
Leabhraim anseo le béal is lamh
dílse agus garaíoct don choroín agus ríocht an Iarthir
ag canadh 's ag éisteacht,
ag deanmnh 's ag ligean,
ag teacht 's ag dul,
ag buailadh 's i dtrocaire,
sa rudaí uile i dtaobh na ríochta,
le m' oineach agus an aithne dhleatach an Rí,
i ndíth 'a i bhfluirse,
ag siochain 's ag cogadh,
ag beatha 's ag fáil bháis,
as an trath seo amach,
go dti an imeacht an rí de a chathaoire,
nó mo fháil bháis fein,
nó an deireadh an domhain.
Deirim amhlaidh mise, <name>

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Italian
Translation by Marcello Fontana
(Translation obtained by Aja du Jardin)

Fealty Text
(Pronunciation Guide)
Literal Translation Back to English
Qui giuro,
(Qwee joo'-ro,)
Here I swear,
con la bocca e con la mano,
(con la boc'-ca e con la ma'-no)
with the mouth and the hand,
fedeltà e servizio
(fe-del-ta' e ser-vee'-tsee-o)
fealty and service
alla Corona e al Regno dell'Occidente
(al'-la co-ro'-na e al re'-nyo dell oc-chee-den'-te)
to the Crown and the Kingdom of the West
(giuro) di parlare e tacere
((joo'-ro) dee par-la'-re e ta-che'-re)
(I swear) to speak and to be silent
di andare e venire
(dee an-da'-re e ve-nee'-re)
to go and to come
di colpire e risparmiare
(dee col-pee'-re e ree-spar-mee-a'-re)
to strike and to spare
di agire e non agire
(dee a-jee'-re e non a-jee'-re)
to act and not to act
con riguardo agli affari del Regno
(con ree-gwar'-do a'-lyee* af-far'-ree del re'-nyo)
with regards to all the affairs of the Kingdom
sul mio onore
(sool mee'-o ho-no'-re)
on my honor
e sulle leggi della Corona
(e sool'-le lej'-jee del-la co-ro'-na)
and on the laws of the Crown
nel tempo del bisogno o in quello della prosperità
(nel tem'-po del bee-so'-nyo o in qwel'-lo del'-la pro-sper-ee-ta')
in time of need or in that of prosperity
in pace o in guerra
(een pa'-che o in gwer'-ra)
in peace or in war
in vita o in punto di morte
(een vee'-ta o een poon'-to dee mor'-te)
in life or at the point of death
da questo momento innanzi
(da qwes'-to mo-men'-to een-nan'-zee)
from this moment henceforth
e fino a che il Re lascerà il trono
(e fee'-no ah ke eel re la-she-ra' eel tro'-no)
and until the King will leave the throne
o morte mi sorprenda
(o mor'-te mee sor-pren'-da)
or death surprises me
o il mondo giunga alla sua fine
(o eel mon'-do joon'-ga al'-la soo'-a feen'-ne)
or the world reaches its end
così io giuro, <nome>.
(co-see' ee'-o joo'-ro, <nome>.)
So I swear, <name>

Pronunciation Notes: "a" as in "art"; "e" as in "tell"; "i" like "ee"; "o" as in "dot"; "u" like "oo"
* agli/a-lyee "gli" sounds like "lli" in million. If this is too hard, "all-ye" is a pretty close approximation.

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Latin
This is the oath used by Juturna di Parma for her Pelican Ceremony.
Translation by Juturna di Parma (?)

Fealty Text
(Pronunciation Guide - Stressed
syllables are capitalized)
Literal Translation Back to English
Hic ego iuro
(Heek AY-go YOU-rho)
Here do I swear
per os et per manus
(per ohs eht per MAH-noos)
by mouth and by hand
fidelitatem et servitutem
(fee-day-lee-TAH-tem et sehr-vee-TOO-tem)
fealty and service to
Coronae et Regno Occidentali
(Co-ROH-nye eht RAYG-no Ok-si-den-TAH-lee)
the Western Crown and Kingdom
me loctura et tacitura
(may low-coo-TOO-rah eht tah-kee-TOO-rah)
that I will speak and be silent
actura et abstentura
(ahk-TOO-rah eht ahb-sten-TOO-rah)
will do and abstain
ventura et itura
(ven-TOO-rah eht ee-TOO-rah)
will come and go
latura et parsura
(lah-TOO-rah eht par-SOO-rah)
will strike and spare
in omnes res quod ad regnum perinent
(in OHM-nays race kwohd ahd RAYG-noom PER-ti-nent)
in all matters as regard the kingdom
honore meo et imperio legitimo regis
(oh-NOR-ay MAY-oh eht im-PEER-ee-oh lay-GHEE-tee-mo RAY-gis)
on my honor and the lawful command of the king
inopia vel copia
(in-OH-pee-ah vel COH-pee-ah)
in need or in plenty
pace vel bello
(PAH-chay vel BELL-oh)
in peace or in war
vivendo vel moriendo
(vee-VEN-doh vel mor-ee-EN-doh)
in living or in dying
ab ista ora inantea
(ahb IH-sta oh-rah in-AHN-tay-ah)
from this hour henceforth
dum Rex solium relinquit
(doom wrecks SOH-lee-uhm ray-LIN-kwit)
until the King depart from his throne
vel mors me tollit
(vel mors may TOH-lit)
or death take me
vel mundus exit
(vel MOON-doos EX-eet)
or the world end
sic dico <name>
(seek DEE-koh <name>)
so say I <name>

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German
Translation by Johann von Drachenfels and Alex the Scribe

Hier schwöre Ich mit Mund und Hand Here swear I with mouth and hand
Lehenstreue und Dienstbarkeit Fealty and Service
Zur Krone und dem Königreich des Westens To the Crown and Kingdom of the West
Zu reden und zu schweigen To advise and to be silent
Zu tun und zu lassen To do and to let be
Zu kommen und zu gehen To come and to go
Zu [rechtsetzen | streichen1] und zu verschonen To [set right | strike] and to spare
In alle Sachen, die des Königreich angehen In all matters, that concern the Kingdom
Auf meine Ehre On my honor
und dem gesetzlichen rechtfälligen Befehl der Krone and the lawful command of the Crown
In Not oder in Fülle In Need or in Plenty
im Frieden oder im Krieg In Peace or in War
im Leben oder im Sterben In Life or in Death
von diesem Tage fortan from this Day henceforth
bis den Konig seinen Thron verlässt until the King leaves his Throne
der Tod mich nimmt the Death me take
oder die Welt ended or the World end
So sage ich ... So say I ...


1 Rechtsetzen versus Streichen – you should use what seems appropriate to you. "To Strike" has a more martial feel to it than "To Set Right", while either could work in this sentence, you should use the wording that seems appropriate, but please do not use both!

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