16th/17th century definition of cousin

[Andrew RM Hayes]

Can anyone please clarify for me the 16th/17th century use of the word "cousin"
In a 1601 Cheshire will (of Gabriel Wettenhall) I found my direct ancestor, William Wickstead, described as his cousin, left a small legacy. As was an Alexander Wickstead, which the probate records for the said will describes as William's brother, and a Richard Wickstead (of unknown affiliation). Unfortunately I do not know William and Alexander's parentage, so I was rather hoping that this reference might provide a clue.

[lizdb]

Cousin,as in first cousin, traditionally means that one or other of ones parents were a sibling to one or other of the other persons parents. But the phrase is also used for second cousins or for first cousins once removed.

If Gabriel Wettenhal was a first cousin to the Wickstead brothers then it means that one of Gabriel's parents, ie Mr Wettenhall or Miss X, was a sibling to one of the Wickstead's parents, either Mr Wickstead or Miss Y.  Meaning, either Miss X was a Wickstead, Or that Miss Y was a Wettenhall, OR that Miss X and Miss Y are sisters and X and Y are the same unknown name.

The combinations become more complex for second cousins or first cousin once removed, so I would be pursuing this lot first and moving on only if it proves inconclusive!

[stanmapstone]

Can anyone please clarify for me the 16th/17th century use of the word "cousin"

From the OED
Cousin
a. A collateral relative more distant than a brother or sister; a kinsman or kinswoman, a relative; formerly very frequently applied to a nephew or niece. Obs.
b. In legal language formerly often applied to the next of kin, or the person to whom one is next of kin, including direct ancestors and descendants more remote than parents and children.
The strict modern sense is the son or daughter of (one's) uncle or aunt.

Stan

[Andrew RM Hayes]

Thank you for your replies.
I simply wondered to what extent the modern and antique definitions coincided.
So far I think the connection must come from the family of Gabriel Wettenhall's mother,  Margery Maisterson, daughter of a significant gentry family of Nantwich. I have been able to establish, from wills and Herald's Visitations,  that Richard's wife Margaret Walthall was Gabriel's first cousin, daughter of Margaret Maisterson and Roger Walthall, but I can't seem to place William and Alexander. They can't be Richard's children. I had wondered whether they might be his brothers, or even nephews, but there is no proof. Richard's father, Henry, married a Mary Hassall, but her father is stated as Henry Hassell of Hankelow, not the Richard Hassall of Nantwich who married another of the Maisteron sisters (Ann). Could an error have crept into the pedigrees, confusing one of the many Richards for a Henry? In one of the visitations of Somerset I came across a case where a man's residence, Huish, was thought to be his Christian name, Hugh, instead of his actual name as confirmed by PRs and PCC will. A few leads remain for me to follow up, then I'll post on the Cheshire forum, as I'm a Somerset man and am not that familiar with Cheshire records.

[Vance Mead]

It was used much broadly than today. A synonym would be kinsman, any relation beyond the immediate family.

[stanmapstone]

It was used much broadly than today. A synonym would be kinsman, any relation beyond the immediate family.

As in reply #2

[Andrew RM Hayes]

Still haven't been able to connect William to Gabriel.
But I decided to investigate the other non-Wettenhall cousins mentioned in the will.
Well beloved cousin Richard Maisterson was Gabriel's maternal first cousin, son of his mother's brother Roger.
Well beloved cousin Richard Walthall was also Gabriel's maternal first cousin, son of his mother's sister Margaret Maisterson and Roger Walthall.
Well beloved cousin Thomas Stanley was Gabriel's maternal first cousin by marriage.
His wife was Ann Maisterson, daughter of his uncle John Maisterson.
There were a couple of others that I haven't yet sorted out, but at least the above examples show that Gabriel was using the term in a similar manner to us. The gentry families of Nantwich seem to have been a closely intermarried clique. Unfortunately there  is a big gap in the parish register from the mid 1540s to the early 1570s, just when my guys would have appeared! Does anyone familiar with the region have any ideas of further sources to try and search?