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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: francoso on Monday 16 December 19 19:41 GMT (UK)
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Could I please stretch the goodwill of our resident experts for a transcription of the above Will. The writing is pretty clear and I can read quite a bit of it but rather than ask for transcriptions of various sentences or phrases, it seems better to post the whole Will instead. It is 5 Snippets including the last one for Probate. I will post in two sets: a 3 and a 2.
Needless to say, I will be very grateful for your assistance.
Regards
francoso
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The second set (of two Snippets):
Again with thanks in advance.
Regards
francoso
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Snippet 1 (I will leave rest to others, perhaps in a different time-zone)
In the name of god amen The tenth daye of
Maye in the foure and thirteth yeare of the Reigne of our Soveraigne Ladye Elizabeth by
the grace of god of England ffrannce and Ireland Queene defendo(ur) of the faithe &c Anno
1592. I Arcullas Deathe of Brantham in the county of Suff(olk) Timber master being
sick in bodye but of perfecte memorye praised be my Lorde god therefore fynding this worlde to
be transitory full of misery and vanity very Willing to departe out of the same yf it please god to
call me And nowe doe ordayne make and declare this my Last will and testament in manner and
forme following revoking all other former wills And nowe before my Worldly thing(es) rehersed I
wholly bequeathe my sowle unto Almighty god And my bodye to be buryed decently at the
discreac(i)on of
my executors Item I give to the poore needefull people of Brantham twenty shilling(es) to be paide
as followeth that is to saye Tenne shilling(es) at my ffunerall and tenne shilling(es) within one wholle
yeare next after my deathe Item I give unto Edmond Deathe my sonne Twenty pounds of ...
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Thanks once again, Bookbox; much appreciated.
Regards
francoso
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First half of Snippet #2. Others please note I will complete #2 after a short break but won't go beyond that this afternoon.
...Lawfull englishe money to be paide by Phebye my wyfe when he shall come to his full age of xxj
yeares Item I give to foure of my other sonnes that is to saye William Deathe Abell Deathe John
Deathe and Henry Deathe to every one of them Lykewise twenty poundes apeece to be paide by Pheby
my wyfe as they shall come to theire severall ages of one and twenty yeares Item I give to Pheby
my wyfe all my landes and tenementes Lying and being in Wevenhall in the county of Essex called or
knowne by the name of Belettes or by what other name soever it be called during her naturall lyfe...
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Remainder of Snippet #2:
...And after her decease I give the forenamed Landes and tenement to Arcullas Deathe my youngest
sonne and to his heires for ever uppon this condic(i)on following that is to saye that the saide
Arcullas shall paye or cause to be paide unto Thomas Deathe my sonne twenty poundes of
Lawfull money of England to be paide within one wholle yeare next after the deathe of Pheby...
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The writing is pretty clear and I can read quite a bit of it but rather than ask for transcriptions of various sentences or phrases, it seems better to post the whole Will instead.
Just saw this.
Francoso, you will only learn by doing it yourself. It is, as you say, mostly straightforward and if you "can read quite a bit" then in my view you should do so.
So, speaking only for myself, I won't do further full transcripts on this one. I will help you fill any gaps in your own transcript.
Just take it slowly, remember the long-s, and before you begin do a careful comparison of the c and the r using what has been done already.
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Thanks hd86. I'll give it a go and post the result so that you could perhaps fill in the blanks and make corrections.
Regards
francoso
PS: it may take a while !
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Below is my effort in transcribing Snippets 3 and 4. Comments, additions, corrections are all welcome.
Regards
francoso
Snippet 3
my wife provided --------- and my mind and will is that if the said Arcullas my son shall
refuse or does not pay the said twenty pounds within the time before ------- then I give the
one half of my forenamed lands and tenement to Thomas Deathe my son and to his heirs for
ever. And if it shall fortune the said Arcullas my son to depart this present ----- before the
death of Pheby his mother that then I give all the aforenamed lands and tenements to Thomas
my son and his heirs for ever provided also that if it does happen any of my aforenamed (five –)
sons to depart this (world) before they do accomplish their ages of one and twenty years then
their part or parts so departed shall be equally divided and parted between all my sons then
living. All the ----- of my goods as well moveable or unmoveable in what sort or ------- -------
they be, I give them wholly to Pheby my wife to this intent that she shall perform this my will
as my faithfull ------ is in her whom I ordain to be my sole executrix and for the better --------
Snippet 4
of the ----- performing of this my will and testament my mind and will is that the said Pheby
my wife shall enter into one bond of two hundred pounds within ten days after my death to Mr
Coleman ------ of b---s and ------- --- (offer my neighbour) whom I ordain to be overseer to see
this my will performed. And I give to either of them besides their charges ------ my will ten
shillings. Item I give to Anne Death my brother’s daughter ten shillings. Moreover I will
and my mind is that if the said Pheby my wife shall happen to contract herself to any man
after my death then he whom she dothe contract herself unto shall enter into a sufficient
bond before the day of marriage for the true performance of this my will to the overseer of this
my will and then to ------- the forenamed bond of two hundred pounds. Witnesses to this my will
is the said Arcullas Deathe’s hand ditto my hand in the presence of Richard Cooper John Harris
Bartholomew (Clerk) -- ------- -----
----- means I couldn't transcribe
( ) means I'm not sure
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Good work on Snippet #3 francoso. Here are the remaining words.
...Provided allwayes and my minde...
...before specified...
...present worlde before... (Note the extreme leftwards slant of the d.)
...my forenamed ffive...
...worlde...
...All the residue of my goodes aswell moveable as unmoveable in what sorte or degree so ever...
...to this entent... (Means intent.)
...my faithfull trust is in her.................the better assurannce...
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Good work also on Snippet #4. Here are the remaining words.
...the true performing...
...Coleman minister of Buers and will(ia)m Potter my neighbo(ur) whome I ordayne to be overseers...
...charges abowte my Will...
...my will and then to cancell the forenamed...
...Wittnesse to this my Will
I the said Arcullas Deathe have setto my hande...
...Bartholmewe Clerk Testators marke
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The probate is straightforward.
The will was proved on 10 June 1592. Administration was granted to Phebee Deathe as Relict and Executrix in the person of Phillip Peter Johnson, Notary Public, acting as her procurator/proctor.
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Thanks Bookbox, and especially hd86, for your assistance.
Yes I managed to transcribe much of Snippets 3 and 4 but I wish the writing in all other documents was as clear as this one. Most of what I read in docs such as this are beyond my comprehension. Still, I'll give them a go.
Again, thanks and regards
francoso
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Yes I managed to transcribe much of Snippets 3 and 4 but I wish the writing in all other documents was as clear as this one. Most of what I read in docs such as this are beyond my comprehension. Still, I'll give them a go.
If a particular document is difficult we will understand if you don't attempt it yourself. No-one would expect you to make headway with your recent Latin will from 1493.
Still, you should have confidence to do more of the "easier" docs, such as this one. With the transcribing there's a direct correlation between how much you attempt and how much you learn.
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Thanks for the understanding, hd86. I'm well past my best eyesight and brain activity but no harm in me trying.
Cheers
francoso
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I have been researching the Death family for many many years and have pages of notes on them.
Not sure whether you have any more info. on Hercules but I believe this is the Hercules Death who had Edmund 1575, John 1576, William 1578, Abell 1581 at Heybridge Essex.