1653 preamble of the will of my 10x great grandfather John Butter

[Bookbox]

Is it normal to split words in these documents i.e. uncertain line 3 endeavours line 6?

Yes. These documents are copies made by clerks and entered into the will registers as formal records of the probate court. Because it was important to maintain their integrity as true copies, the text was written as far up to the right hand edge as possible to prevent anyone adding anything at the end of the line. That is why there are so many word-splits. If a word couldn’t easily be split, or fell short of the end of the line, a series of ‘line-fillers’ would be added to carry the text to the end of the line and prevent interference.

In line 4 Lords and line 6 having: L and h look the same, how do I tell them apart?

The H (in this case it’s a capital letter) has a curved descender on the right, going down below the line and curving upwards again. It’s not easy to see here because there is interference from the line below.

also on line 6: is that punctuation between bee noe more and having?

Yes. The first letter of the following word is a capital H (see above).

ok, I can see the "sicknesse"  but what is with the "iaus" at the end of it?

It is sicknesse and yett (the and was omitted from the transcription above).

[okkool]

Thankyou Bookbox and Darren,

just the answers I needed. I see I will have to apply a lot more creative interpretations to my transcriptions.

I have no doubt I will have to pick your brains in the future, but your help has been invaluable.

Brian

[Bookbox]

You're welcome. You might also want to have a look at the resources listed in the threads at the top of this board?

The alphabets shown on this link below are particularly useful for identifying individual letter-forms.
http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/alphabets.html

[pinefamily]

No problems, Brian. The first time you tackle one of these it is all gibberish; the second and third etc. become a lot easier. That is, until you strike "court hand", which is a different style of writing. I had one document in court hand, and in Latin!
Thanks for the more detailed explanation, Bookbox. And thank you for pointing out my omission of the word "and". A silly mistake. 

[okkool]

The alphabets shown on this link below are particularly useful for identifying individual letter-forms.
http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/alphabets.html
[/quote]

Thanks Bookbox I certainly will use this.

Brian

[okkool]

Darren
It is to easy to miss something when seeing gibberish and gobbledygook. I do it all the time.
Brian

[okkool]

Hello
I have been working on the transcription of the next section of the will. I have highlighted some sections I am not sure of or I know I got wrong. Can you check my work for me?

bequeath the tenure holding and possession of the house I nowe live in called ?
the Castle house with all the lande and commodies there unto belonging unto Ellen
my wife and Ffrancis my sonne and their assigned equally to bee devided between
them yealding and paying the your lie Rent forever live paired is asfor the tenure
holding and possession of the Lower house to Ellen my wife and Ffrancis my sonne
paying the rent formerly payd att the dereuse of Ellin my wife the whole possession of
bothe houses and Lands and Comodities thier unto belonging to Ffrancis my sonne; Item I
give and bequeath to John Preston my sonne in lawe our poor --- ground adjoyne
ing to Taynors side now in his possession and more lands to bee inclosed adjoin
ing to the said poores about the quantities of seaven -- which is my possession.
The said John Preston on his assignes prartably to hold during my my liafe paying
to Ellin my wife or Francis my sonne five shillings year life: Item I give and bequeath

Brian

[horselydown86]

On the first line called is correct.

...lands and com(m)odities thereunto...

...my sonne or their assignes equally to bee devided betwixt
them yealding and paying the yearlie Rent formerlie paied As Alsoe the Tenure...

...paying the Rent formerly payd And att the decease of Ellin...

...both houses Lands and Com(m)odities thereunto belonging...

...my sonne in lawe one peece of ground adioyne
=ing to [Tagmore?] side...and more land to bee inclosed...

...to the said peeces about the quantitie of Seaven Acres...

...or his assignes peaceably to hold during my lease...

...or ffrancis my sonne two shillings yearlie...

[okkool]

Well done HD86
-Betwixt : I had to go to the grammar books to find the definition and usage of that one.
adverb = between betwixt = preposition
-ah!!! thereunto is one word
- I wonder if adioyneing and adjoineing are the same word
-I hadn't come across Tagmore in the various Shropshire texts and families but I will now look for it "or similar" now
- I don't know what I was thinking "poor" peece and acres: of course!!!
-so two shillings and not five: I get generous around Cristemasse

Thankyou so much.

I am getting better as I along. I am now halfway down page 1 of 2.

Brian