Legal Definitions - volumus

Volumus is a historical Latin term that translates to "We will" or "It is our will." It was traditionally used by monarchs in official documents, such as royal writs and letters patent, to formally declare their sovereign command, intention, or decision.

The use of "we" in this context refers to the "royal we," a grammatical convention where a single monarch speaks in the plural to signify their supreme authority and the collective will of the crown, rather than a personal opinion.

Here are some examples of how volumus would have been applied:

• Granting a Royal Charter: Imagine a monarch deciding to grant a new town the right to hold a weekly market and establish its own local court. The official royal charter outlining these privileges would begin with the phrase volumus. This signifies that the establishment of these rights and the town's new status are not merely suggestions or administrative decisions, but a direct and undeniable command stemming from the sovereign's personal and ultimate will.

• Issuing a Royal Proclamation: Consider a situation where a monarch wishes to declare a new national holiday or a specific legal decree across their realm. A royal proclamation announcing this would commence with volumus. This opening would emphasize that the holiday or decree is not a proposal from advisors or a legislative act passed by a parliament, but a direct and authoritative command from the crown, reflecting the monarch's ultimate decision-making power.

• Bestowing a Title or Land: Suppose a king decides to elevate a loyal subject to the peerage, granting them a dukedom and a significant estate in recognition of their service. The official letters patent confirming this bestowal would typically begin with volumus. This phrase would make it unequivocally clear that the title and land are being conferred directly by the monarch's personal and sovereign will, rather than through an administrative process or a recommendation from others.