Old Wills

[Kiwicol]

I have just received from the National Archives 2 old Wills, how the heck can i get them translated?
I have printed out the copy but it looks too small to be able to decipher

[jmp]

You could download Irfanview and open it in that. It will increase the size for you so that it can be read, but whether you can then translate it is another matter

[PrueM]

Hi Kiwicol

You translate it (or more accurately transcribe it) the way we've all done it - practise! 
The National Archives (UK) has paleography tutorials on its website which are really useful for learning about the different handwriting styles across the ages.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/

You can also post a small section of your will on this site and people will transcribe it for you.  Then you can use their transcription to work out what the rest of it says.
It really isn't difficult, it just takes a bit of practice and effort, and it's fun once you get the hang of it!

Cheers
Prue

[Greensleeves]

When I was fortunate enough to find one of my ancestor's Wills in the National Archives. it took me ages to transcribe, but it felt really rewarding 'work' as it seemed to be such a close link to my forebear who died in the mid 1600s.  I went through it and wrote down what I could and then sought help from all the knowledgeable people on this board to fill in the gaps.  It took a while, but now I have a complete transcriptioon - which incidentally explains why one side of the family was wealthy whilst my side became Ag Labs 

Best of luck with it!
Regards,
GS

[veeblevort]

Hi Kiwicol,

National Archives material is usually at a more readable resolution than this, and i'm guessing
that you have lost some in preparing your image for display. jmp's advice re Irfanview is good - this
program is just the job for cropping pieces out of an image and enlarging without losing too much in the
process.

I agree 100% with Prue and GS that it is fun and rewarding, nevertheless it is initially daunting.

I have made a start below, enough to include a good sample of capital letters. If you use this to identify the
different ways in which e r and s are written, and note that c looks more like a modern r, words will begin
to jump out at you. I have stopped just before a bequest to daughter Margaret, which contains some repeat
phrasing which you should be able to crib from my sample, but let us know if you are still having trouble.

vv.


 1 In The name of god Amen. the xxiiijth daye of marche in the yere of our Lorde a
 2 Thousande five hundreth thirtie and nine & in the xxxj yere of the Reigne of our Sovreyne Lorde king henrye
 3 the viijth I will[ia]m hertte of Selling nexte Hortone Monkyne in the county of ___ Kent yoman being
 4 in hole & p[er]ficte remembrance god be thanked make my Testament in manner & Forme Following First I
 5 give my sole unto Almyghtie god my Creator & to all the holy companye in heven to buried in the
 6 churche of Selling aforesaid And I bequeath to the high alter here for my Tithes & oblacons forgotten or
 7 withholding vj s viij d ** Item to the high Alter of the Churche of Burmarishe for like cause vjs viijd
 8 Item to the highe Alter of the Churche of Aldington for like cause vj s viij d vj s viij d Item to the p[ar]son of
 9 hasebrigge? for like cause vj s viij d Item I will be paid? for me at my burying to poor people preeste &
10 Clarke xxs And in likewise at my mor[n]ingth? daye xxs Item to the marriage of enye of my daughters
11 Alyce & Elizabeth xxvj li xiii s iiij d under the condicion[e] that they and enye of them be ordeynde & R__lid
12 by their mother in their marriages and she and theye that will not to have but xi li xiij s iiij d And
13 if it fortune either of them to die before she marie then her part so dying to Remayne to my sonne Willyam
14 Hert Item I will to William herte the sonne of Edwarde Herte x li to be paid to hym the thage of xxvj?
15 yeres and if yt Fortune the same Willyam to die before that age yet I will that he shall bestow and give it at his
16 pleasure

** Insert the following marginal item in line 7:
Item to the high alter of the churche of Lympn[e] for lyke wise vi s viij d

[Kiwicol]

Thanks for that it is a challenge and my eyesight isnt as good as it used to be.
Muchly appreciated

[dcissell]

Hi Kiwicol,

I have used some professional transcribers recently for a few old "Cecil" wills.  This does cost a little bit, but I have been pleased with the results obtained.