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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Trevellian on Wednesday 18 June 25 18:43 BST (UK)
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Hi all, me again sorry, I think I have cracked most of this will, but there are a few words where I'm stumped (I have put a question mark where this is the case) and would be very grateful if anyone could help decipher them - thank you!
Link: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6FC9-3ZK?view=fullText&keywords=Sloggett%2Cwill%20and%20Testament%2Cand&lang=en&groupId=
The 20th Day of September 1705
In the name of God Amen I Dorothy Sloggett of the parish of Lanteglos by Camelford being sick of body but of good and perfect memory blessed be to god I do make and publish this my last will and testament in manor [manner] and form as following
first I begive? my soule [soul] into the hands of Christ Jesus my maker and Redeemer hoping by his merrits? to ? remission for all my sins and my body to Christian burial to the discretion of my executors hereafter menshond [mentioned]
Item I give to my son John Sloggett two shillings and six ? and a putor bason [pewter basin?]
Item I give to my son Edward Sloggett two shillings sixpence
Item I give to my son Hugh Sloggett two shillings and sixpence
Item I give to my son Justinian Sloggett two shillings & sixpence
Item I give to All my grandchildren that ar A life [alive] at my Demise one shilling to each of them
Item I give to Richard smyth my godson one shilling
Item I give to my Daughter grace sloggett a ? furnished from the chamber over the halls
Item I give to my Daughter Elizabeth sloggett a ? and the furnitor [furniture] belonging to the ?
Item I give and be…? All my goods given and bequest unto my Daughter grace sloggett and my Daughter Elizabeth sloggett and make and publish them grace & Elizabeth to be my hole [whole] and sole executors of this my last will and testament
signed sealed and published upon Duboll [double?] stamp paper According to A Late Act of parlament [parliament] in presents [presence] of us
William Porter
The sign of John Houder
The sign of Dorothy D Slogget
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first I beque my soule...
beque appears to be this writer's habitual way of writing bequeath.
...to Receve Remession...
...six penc and...
puter bason = pewter basin as you thought
Grace and Elizabeth both receive a bead [= a bed]
Note re Grace's bequest: ...in the Chamber over the halle
In the last item: ...beque All my goods not given and bequed...
There is a transcript on FamilySearch although it's not always accurate.
ADDED:
I'm not sure of the missing word from Elizabeth's bequest. It begins with Te and ends with ter.
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The missing word mentioned previously will be a form of the word tester; a canopy over a bed.
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Wow, thank you so much for your deciphering and knowledge! I never would have got that 'tester' bit especially - do you have a glossary or similar you refer to, or maybe you are just more creative with potential words. I don't know if you'll know anything about this either way, but the tester thing sounds a bit posh, and I had always thought this Sloggett family was quite poor. They certainly were by the 1800s, but maybe their forebears had been better off. Anyway, I'm rambling.
Also I am aware FamilySearch provides its own transcripts, but I have much more faith in people like yourself!
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...do you have a glossary or similar you refer to, or maybe you are just more creative with potential words...
In this case it was just a dim memory which swam into my head after I posted the addition to the first post.
However, an excellent reference for all archaic words and words used in dialects is here (includes links):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_English_Dialect_Dictionary
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I don't know if you'll know anything about this either way, but the tester thing sounds a bit posh, and I had always thought this Sloggett family was quite poor.
Having more time this morning I followed up an instinct regarding this recordset - there is a full inventory for Dorothy in the images following your will.
Her records run from image 377 to 380.
The total of the inventory is 22 pounds and 16 shillings, so she was comfortable for her place and time.
Can you please tell me where this Cornwall wills collection originates on the FS website?
ADDED:
The following will appears to be for a John Slogitte (various spellings are used) of Tintagel.
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That's brilliant to know, thank you! I got to it by using their new 'Full text search' feature which they state is an "Experimental" feature still being developed, but it led me to this will which I never would have found before!
https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/full-text
Thank you for spotting that about the following will too! Definitely still in the right area as well. That new full text search feature inspired me to pursue this new line of enquiry, as I have traced this Sloggett line with pretty much certainty back to Justinian Sloggett and had the Dorothy here down as his mother, but had no records to prove it. Hence this will has been a major discovery in pushing the line back further!
Evidently Dorothy died 1706 and her husband Edward had predeceased her in 1701, but seemingly left no will. Perhaps that's all the more reason why she made one, especially with how many children they had still alive.
I will have a look at that John Slogitte now, as I am trying to look at as many Sloggett wills from that time/place to try and establish relationships between people, as otherwise going that far back there are just lots of names and you don't know who's connected to who! Thank you again :)
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I got to it by using their new 'Full text search' feature which they state is an "Experimental" feature still being developed, but it led me to this will which I never would have found before!
Thanks Trevellian for the tip - it has uncovered a rich trove of documents for my Cornish ancestors, too.
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I'm so pleased! I think it can unlock so much for so many.
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The Cornwall OPC site has an index to Cornish Wills.
https://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/extra-searches/wills-index/
If the will is available of Familysearch they give the film number and image range to help you find it.
The master index for the FS Cornish wills is at
https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/catalog/329778
David