377g. Divorce ruling from the Weimar High Consistory to Caroline and Wilhelm Schlegel: Weimar, 17 May 1803 [*]
Certified copy
Persons present:
Dominus Cons: Reg: et Consist:
ab Wolfskeel,
— Consistory councilor Wahl
— Consistory councilor Günther
Actum [1]
Weimar, 17 May 1803
In response to the issuance of a written summons, the following persons are appearing at these proceedings: the court attorney extraordinarius of the Prince of Saxony Herr Hesse, [2] resident here, representing Court Rath and professor August Wilhelm Schlegel, authorized in that capacity in Berlin, fol. 10 seq., [3] and the court attorney extraordinarius of the Prince of Saxony Herr Hufeland, resident here, as authorized representative of the spouse of aforementioned Rath and professor Carolina Schlegel, née Michaelis, of Jena, [uncertain reading]:
The High Consistory
informs them first of all that, although the blanquets pertaining to the powers of attorney that they have already received did not mention them by name, they were still authorized to act. Therefore, inasmuch as they already have such in hand and have already properly completed such as well as the enclosed printed powers of attorney issued in their names, they are asked to proceed and consider this point as corrected.
The High Consistory then addresses the matter at hand, informing them propositis proponendis ex Actis, [4] that Serenissimus has most graciously resolved that in the matter of their marriage, both spouses shall be divorced; furthermore that, because this separation is being effected without any formal procedure having been engaged for this purpose, each party is to pay 25 Rthlr. to the school fund, whereby the consistory also inquires of those parties when to expect such payment to be made.
Both authorized representatives promise the payment of 50 Rht by both parties within a Saxon Grace Period [5] and request that they be granted this deferment of payment.
The High Consistory
grants them such, but then draws attention to the [uncertain reading] manifest highest rescript, and issues thereupon, in the certainty of its issuance, the previously composed
Ruling
namely, that, in accordance with the aforementioned circumstances, [6] the heretofore existing bond of marriage between the two spouses be herewith severed and dissolved, and that each of them henceforth be allowed to become affianced and married otherwise according to Christian custom; for the sake of which [uncertain reading] usually be published, and whereby it be further noted that hereafter the two spouses alone reserve the right to divide their assets.
The two authorized representatives have requested certified copies of the protocol of these proceedings and are excused with the assurance that such will be forthcoming.
Actum ut supra [7]
Notes
[*] Source: Digitale Edition der Korrespondenz August Wilhelm Schlegels.
The full High Consistory in Weimar at the time, not all of whose members were present for these proceedings, consisted of the following members (Hochfürstl. S. Weimar- und Eisenachischer Hof- und Adreß-Calender, auf das Jahr 1803 [Jena n.d. (1803?)], 60–61):
President: Johann Gottfried Herder
Secular section: Friedrich Heinrich Gotthelf Osann; Karl August Böttiger
Ecclesiastical section: Johann Georg Anton Wahl; Wilhelm Christoph Günther
Chancellery section: Heinrich Friedrich Wilhelm Seidler; Johann Heinrich Temler; Johann Heinrich Scharff; Johann Gottlob Samuel; Wilhelm Phillip Buhler (High Consistory servant)
Wilhelm’s attorney, Georg Friederich Ernst Hesse, had promised to include a certified copy of the divorce ruling with his letter to Wilhelm on 17 May 1803 itself (letter 377f) but had not yet been able to secure one. He sent this copy along to Wilhelm on 26 May 1803 with the following cover letter (Digitale Edition der Korrespondenz August Wilhelm Schlegels):
Esteemed Sir,
I am herewith sending along [to you] the certified copy promised in my previous letter, and abide in the utmost respect,
Your esteemed Sir’s
most devoted servant,
Georg Friederich Ernst Hesse.Weimar,
26 May 1803
The manuscript reads as follows; transcription by Hedwig T. Durnbaugh and the translator, not all readings certain, line breaks as in the original:
[p. 1]
Copia vidimata.
Praesentes:
Dominus Cons: Reg: et Consist:
Ab Wolfsskeel,
-— Cons: Cons: Wahl
-— Cons: Cons: GüntherActum
Weimar den 17. May. 1803.
Auf erlassene schriftliche
Ladung erscheinen acto,
Der Fürstliche S. Hof-
advocatus extraord:
Heße, von hier,
als Mandatorius
des Fürstl. Raths
und Professors,
August Wilhelm
Schlegel, darinn die
zu Berlin, fol. 10. seq:
legitimatus,
ingleichen,
der Fürstl. S. Hof Ad-[p. 2]
vocatus extraordina-
rius, Hufeland,
von hier, als
actor der Räthin
und Profeßorin,
Carolina Schlegel,
gebohrnen Michae-
lis, zu Jena,
[uncertain reading] legitimatus:Ober Consistorium
macht ihnen zuvörderst
bekannt, dass, obgleich
die Blanquets zu ihren
bereits übergebenen
Vollmachten, nicht
auf sie, die sie sich
noch als Bevollmäch-
tigte gewirten
namentlich gerich-
tet wären, so wolle
man doch, da sie solche[p.3]
in Händen gehabt und
graduirt hätten, auch
die beigelegten gedruck-
ten Vollmachten
auf sie lauteten,
hierüber hinausge-
hen und diesen
Punct als berichtiget
ansehen; gehet sodann
zur Sache selbst ǚber
und macht ihnen,
propositis proponen-
dis ex Actis, bekannt,
wie Serenissimus
gnädigst resolviret,
daß beide Eheleute
der Ehe halber gänz-
lich geschieden wer-
den sollten, ja auch,
da diese Trennung
ohne förmlichen[p.4]
Proceß deshalb ange-
stellt zu haben, geschehe,
ein jeder Theil Fünf
und Zwanzig Rthlr: zum
Schulfond zu bezahlen
habe, und befrägt
selbige zugleich, wann
diese Zahlung gescheh-
hen könne?Beide Bevollmäch-
tigte,
versprechen die Be-
Zahlung der 50. rht. von
beiden binnen
Sächßis[cher] Frist zu be-
wircken und bitten
ihnen diese Stundung
zu gewähren.Ober Consistorium
Verstattet ihnen
solche, erwähnet sodann
das Ew. [uncertain reading] dieser Qiten [uncertain reading)[p.5]
ersichtliche höchste Rescript
und ertheilt darauf,
in deßen Gewüsheit,
den vorher bereits
abgefaßtenBescheid:
Daß, benanndten Um-
ständen nach, das zwischen
beiden Eheleuten bisher
bestandene Band der
Ehe, wie hiermit geschie-
het, zu trennen und
aufzulösen, auch
jedem von ihnen,
sich anderweit
christlicher Ordnung
gemäß, zu verlo-
ben und zu verehe-
lichen nachgelaßen
bleibe;
welcher halb [uncertain reading][p.6]
gewöhlichermaßen
pu[b]liciret, und wobey
noch bemerckt wer-
de, daß sonnach, beiden
anjezt geschiedenen
Eheleuten, die Aus-
einandersetzung
in Ansehung ihres
Vermögens, lediglich
überlaßen bleibe.Beide Bevollmäch-
tigte,
bitten um beglaubte
Abschrift des heuti-
gen Protocolls und
werden mit
desselbiger Zusiche-
rung entlaßen.Actum ut supra.
H. W. Seidler. Back.
[1] Latin, “deed, transaction, proposition, decree, law.” Back.
[2] The attorney extraordinarius (also supernumerarius) was one of the professional stages for attorneys associated with the court in Weimar, and was positioned above the attorney ordinarius. Back.
[3] Latin, folium 10, sequentes, “page 10 and following.” Back.
[4] Latin, here: “concerning the resolutions to be proposed from the records.” Back.
[5] From medieval Saxon law, a term of six weeks and three days granted by a creditor to a debtor.
Although Caroline remitted her share in plenty of time, Wilhelm had to be admonished in writing by the attorney Friedrich Georg Ernst Hesse on 28 April 1803 (letter 380.1).
Friedrich Schlegel uses this expression jestingly in his letter to Wilhelm on 20 May 1795 (letter 150a), and Wilhelm himself uses it quite in jest in his Citatio edictalis, which was to inaugurate his “annihilation of Christoph Martin Wieland” in Athenaeum. Back.
[6] In the divorce petition (letter/document 371). Back.
[7] Latin, “date as before, on the date as mentioned at the top of the act.” Back.
Translation © 2017 Doug Stott
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