Help reading document - dated 1708

[horselydown86]

Registered as quitclaim of legacies

Yes, that is the essence of it.

To extend a little on what goldie has written, Henry Duke gave the properties mentioned above to John Duke, upon condition that an annuity be paid to John's mother Sarah during her lifetime; and after her death one time payments be made to John's four sisters.

Now John wants to sell the three Roods of Meadow.

The other parties are satisfied that the remaining lands are sufficient to secure their legacies under Henry Duke's will, so for 5 shillings apiece they are quitting their interest in the three Roods of Meadow.

That will allow John to sell the Meadow land.

Francis Madell doesn't play any part in the document beyond being the husband of Henry Duke's daughter Sarah.

By the way, the word queried in line 6 of goldie's transcript is held.

[goldie61]

From: From: http://sophialambert.com/devon-documents-glossary

QUITCLAIM: to give up all claims to land or other asset. A quitclaim deed was one by which the owner of a piece of real estate transferred his rights in the property to another person, but without making any guarantee as to ownership (normal conveyances tended to contain a warranty that the person conveying the property had a freehold interst in it).

In my defence HD, in that word, the scribe's 'e' is exactly the same as his 'd'!   
Just to make it interesting!

[drhewitt]

Thank you!

Makes sense.

I'm going to attempt to transcribe parts 2 and 3.

[drhewitt]

Part 1 continuation...


#6 and copyhold and arable meadow and [_____] and ground to the said [_____] belongings or apportioning? or thou? or [_____] released and enjoyed as [_____] [_____] or ___ber? those of buying? altogether by

#7 on [_____] [_____] four acres [_____] or [_____] [_____] ___ing? and in [_____] **eezings aforesaid and also three roods of meadow more or [_____] going freehold ___ing in a [_____] [_____] [_____] [_____] [_____] [_____]

#8 in Sawbridgeworth aforesaid while the said Henry Duke of and [_____] Edward [_____] deceased unto his son John Duke his [_____] and asigned? the only [_____] [_____] and [_____]of the said John Duke his

#9 [_____] and assigning forever upon [_____] [_____] [_____] [_____][_____] his son John Duke his heir and assigned should yearly pay oz? to be paid unto the said Sarah and her assign? for and [_____]

#10 the [_____] [_____] of [_____] [_____]all the [_____] success? of [_____] pounds of lawful money of England quarterly that is to say at the birth? of our Lord God the aunnication of the blessed virgin

#11 [_____] Saint John the baptist and ..........equal portions the first payment to[_____] at the first of the said [_____] which should [_____] of [_____] [_____] [_____] [_____]



#12 summary - something about further conditions?

#13 summary - a sum of money to his said daughter Elizabeth (the wife of the said Edward Campe) twenty pounds of lawful money of England? and to said daughter Margaret Duke

#14 summary - of lawful money of England to his said daughter Elinor Duke five? pounds of lawful money of England and to his said daughter Sarah the wife of Francis Madell

#15 summary - five pounds of lawful money of England with a clause? (upon default of payment of the said yearly sum of five pounds of the said? [_____]



I cannot read this unfortunately. My untrained eye can see various words here and there but
nothing I can write down that makes a coherent sentence.

I thank both of you for your time spent in helping me get the general gist of what is being said here.


had another bash at it but I don't understand the old fashioned language and that's getting in the way of trying to figure this out


part 3

"Sealed delivered by the above named Edward Campe and Elizabeth his wife and Francis Madell and Sarah his wife in the presence of [signatures to the right of the document]"

Can anyone tell me what the seven wax seals are for?



It's a long document and I don't mind paying one of you to translate this for me if either one of you are up for it.

[drhewitt]

so this document has helped me to ascertain the following:

death of Henry Duke (I'd say going by the will a date of 1704)

I don't have a John Duke on my tree - now I do

Francis Madell's wife got five pounds (at least that's what it looks like)



It looks like everyone could read and write since they signed their name next to the wax seals. I don't see any x mark that would indicate anyone was illiterate.

[goldie61]

If you look back, I did lines 6,7, and 8 before. Because the lines on the document are so long, each one takes up 2 or 3 lines in this transcription.

Here's the rest of clip A

Line 6. and Coppyhold arrable meadow and pasture ground to the said Messuage belonginge or apperteyning or then or lately held used and enjoyed as parte parcell or member
thereof conteyning altogether by

7. estimac(i)on twenty four Acres more or lesse Situate lyeing and being in Sheeringe aforesaid And Alsoe three Roods of Meadow more or lesse (being freehold) lyeing in a Common Meadow called Melfanns

8. in Sabridgworth aforesaid (which the said Henry Duke of and from Edward Waylett deceased) unto his Sonn John Duke his heires and Assignes To the onely use and behooffe of the said John Duke his

9. heires and Assignes for everupon condicion nevertheless That his said Sonn John Duke his heires and Assignes should yearly pay or casuse to be paid unto the said Sarah his wife and her assignes for and dureinge

10. the terme of her naturall Life the yearly Sum(m)e of tenn pounds of lawfull money of England quarterly (that is to say) Att the feast of the birth of our lord God, The Annunciaci()on  of the blessed Virgin

11. Mary, Saint John the Baptist and Saint Michaell the ArchAngell by even and equall porc(i)ons The first payment to comence att the first of the said feasts which should next happen after the

12. decease of the said Henry Duke And upon this further condic(i)on That his said sonn John Duke his heires and Assignes shall within two yeares next after the decease of the said Sarah his wife

13. pay or cause to be paid unto his said Daughter Elizabeth (the wife of the said Edward Camper) twenty pounds of lawfull money of England and to his said Daughter Margarett Duke

14. of like lawfull money of England to his said Daughter Ellianer Duke twenty pounds of like lawfull money of England and to his said duaghter Sarah (the wife of the said Francis Madell)

15. five pounds of like lawfull money of England with a Clause or power therein conteyned (upon default of payment of the said yearly Sum(m) of tenn pounds or the said other Sum(mes) of money) to

16. enter into and upon all and every the said Lands & p(re)misses and to hold and enjoy the same untill paid and satisfied with all costs and Damages susteyned by reason of the non payment thereof as in

17. and by the said recited will (relac(i)on being thereunto had) doth more fully appeare And Whereas the said John Duke is desirous to sell the said three Roods of Meadow more or less lyeing in

18. the said Common Mead called Melfanne and the said Sarah Duke his mother Edward Camper and Elizabeth his wife Margaret Duke Ellianor Duke and Francis Madell and Sarah his wife are all

[goldie61]

The last line of Clip 2 says all the parties have sett their hands and seals

This was the way to literally ‘seal the deal’.

It’s hard to tell after 300 years whether the seals are all different, or all the same.
Sometimes each person had their own individual seal, but I think sometimes if they didn’t have one, the seal of the whoever  wrote the document, or within whatever office they were signing it, was used.

What strikes me that above each signature it reads ‘signed’ (some of them ‘singed’!).
This would seem to indicate those are all the actual signatures of the people, otherwise it would say ‘the mark of’.
That’s pretty impressive for 1708 if they can all write their names - especially for all those women.

The clause about 'default' is a pretty common one - making sure his wife was provided for.

[horselydown86]

Goldie, while I take your point about the word signed written above each persons entry in the list at the bottom, I believe that only Edward Camp has actually signed in his own hand.

Their marks are:

Sarah Duke:  a reversed crescent moon
Francis Madell:  a large letter f  (He probably can write but hasn't done so here.)
Sarah Madell:  a reversed 3
Margaret Duke:  a letter m  (She also probably can write a bit.)
Ellianor Duke:  a curly mark somewhat like an E lying on its back
Elizabeth Camp:  a rough E

In my defence HD, in that word, the scribe's 'e' is exactly the same as his 'd'!

I can assure you I also have been caught out by that little d he throws in every now & then to keep us on our toes.

ADDED:

I will transcribe a few more lines when I have spare time time over Easter.

[horselydown86]

19. well Satisfyed that the other Lands and p(re)misses charged by the said will with the paym(en)^t of the said yearly Sum(m)e of tenn pounds and the other Sumes aforesaid are a Sufficient and ample

20. Security for the due payment of the Same (without the said three Roods of Meadow ground) Now therefore Know yee That the said Sarah Duke Edward Campe and Elizabeth his wife Margarett Duke

21. Ellian(or) Duke and ffrancis Madell and Sarah his wife for and in considerac(i)on of five Shillings apeice of lawfull money of great Brittaine to them respectively in hand paid by the said John

22. Duke att or before the ensealinge and Deliv(er)y of these p(re)sents The receipt and paym(en)^t whereof is hereby accordingly acknowledged And as well for quietting & dischargeing of the said parcell of

23. Meadow of and from any demand in respect of any Sum(m)e or Sum(m)es of money charged thereon or payable thereout to them or either of them by vertue of the said recited will As alsoe

24. for diverse other good causes...