Author Topic: Crook of Devon Witchcraft trials 1662 - help with Scotlandspeople records  (Read 622 times)

Offline Ronda231

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Re: Crook of Devon Witchcraft trials 1662 - help with Scotlandspeople records
« Reply #9 on: Monday 12 May 25 13:58 BST (UK) »
Thank you very much GR2 for clarifying the last line - "John Blackwood messenger in Culross" as cautioner.
So this was a different John Blackwood to the person whose will it was (it's difficult to be a cautioner for your own will if you are dead!)

Also for clarifying that the Banns would probably be read three times.

Some additional tidying up - in one of my previous posts I mentioned the "Parish of Fossoway & Tullibody" this should of course been 'Fossoway & Tullibole'.

Thanks again to goldie61 and best regards

Offline GR2

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Re: Crook of Devon Witchcraft trials 1662 - help with Scotlandspeople records
« Reply #10 on: Tuesday 13 May 25 00:30 BST (UK) »
The testament testamentar (= a testament made by the deceased when alive)
Letterwill (= latter will) and Inventar (= inventory) of the goods &
geir pertaining to umq[uhi]le (= the late/deceased) Jon black
wood po[rtione]r of wester Collindren w(i)t(h)in
the parish of [-left blank-] Comissariot
of dunblain The tyme of his deceas
which was in the moneth (= month) of [-left blanl-] 1668
yeares ffaithfullie maid (= made) & given up
be (= by) himself upon the Twentie sext (= twenty sixth) day
of de[cembe]r 1667 yeares Befoir thir (= these)
witness[es] Duncan martin servitor (= servant) to
thomas blackwood his sonne James
beverage po[rtione]r of tullilochie wester & Jon
Sanders in annacroick

Inventar

Inprimis (= firstly) the s[ai]d Jon blackwood gives up his goods & geir at
the availls (= values) and pryces following viz (= abbreviation of the Latin videlicet = namely) ane
                                                                                         (= an) old mear (= mare) with her
staig (= a colt under 3 years old) pryce therof x li xiij s iiij d (= £10 13/4d) Item tuo (= two)
                              kye (= cows) with ther stirks (= bullocks or heifers between 1 and 2 years old)
pryce of them in cumulo (Latin for "in total") xxiiij li (= £24) It[em] threttie (= thirty) Lambs pryce
of the peice orehead (= a head/per head) xx s (20/-) Inde (Latin for "hence") xiij li (= £13)* It[em]
                                                                                                               eight older sheip pryce
of the peice overhead (= a head/ per head) xxx s Inde xij li (= 30/- hence £12) It[em] standing in
                                                                                                                                 the barne
and barneyard of oatts four bolls pryce of the boll with the
fother (= straw) iiij li Inde xvj li (£4 hence £16) It[em] of bear ane (= one) boll pryce of the boll
5 li (= £5) It[em] standing in the barne of threshin (= threshed) corne sex (= six) firlots
estimat (= estimated) to iiij li (= £4) It[em] the outinsell (= utensils) & domicell (= household
                                                                   effects) [a meaningless filler] estimat to iiij li (= £4)

Summa Inventarij (Latin for "total of the inventory") - iiijxxiiijli xiij s iiij d (=
                                                                                                                                £84 13/4d)

(* The arithmetic is wrong here. 30 lambs at 20/- a piece should come to £30.)

Continued in following post..

Offline GR2

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Re: Crook of Devon Witchcraft trials 1662 - help with Scotlandspeople records
« Reply #11 on: Tuesday 13 May 25 09:24 BST (UK) »
              Debts awand (= owing) to him
Item be (= by) Edward Malcom xxj li (= £21)
               Summa patet (Latin for "the total is clearly")
               Inventar therwith    j c& vli xiij s iiij d (= £105 13/4d)
               Debts awand be (= owed by) him
Item to Robert blackwood his law[fu]ll sone of borrowed mo[ne]y
xxx li (= £30) It[em] to w[illia]m blackwood also his law[fu]ll sone xxiij li iiij s (= £23 4/-) It[em] to
andrew taylyeor (= Taylor) in Cassig[oiore?] vij li (= £7) It[em] to Ro[ber]t Stirk mer[chan]d (=
                                                                                                                             merchant)
xxx ss (= 30/-) It[em] to w[illia]m Glass xiij s  iiij d (= 13/4d) It[em] to Jon Sanders xiij s iiij d (=
                                                                                                                                     13/4d)
               Sum[m]a of the s[ai]ds debts       Lxiij li viij d (= £63 0/8d)
               Summa of frie geir (= free gear)   xxij li xiij s (= £22 13/-)
               Half Is                                         xj li vj s vj d (= £11 6/6d)

Legacie

The s[ai]d Jon blackwood being sick in body yitt (= yet) of perfyte (= perfect)
memorie recomends his soule to God and Nominats (= nominates) agnes drysdal
his spous his only ex[ecut]rix and intromessatrix (= a woman entitled to deal with the estate of a
                                                       deceased person) w(i)th his heall (= whole) goods & geir &
debts secluding (= excluding) all others yrfrae (= therefrom) be (= by) thir (= these) p[rese]nts
                                                                                                              with power to her to
exerce (= exercise) the s[ai]d office frielie (= freely) in all respects as effeirs (= is suitable) It[em]
                                                                                                the s[ai]d Jon Leavs (= leaves)
and appoynts the heall (= whole) frie (= free) gear above[wri]tin for the espens[e]s of the
                                                                                                                 funeralls (= funeral)

funeralls ( repeated from the previous page) In witnes q[uhai]rof (= whereof) ([wri]tin be (= by)
                                                                                    John day notar (= notary) in [          ])
are sub[scribe]d be (= by) the s[ai]d Jon blackwood as follows day year & place
fors[ai]d (= foresaid) Befoir the witnesses above insert John blackwood fors[ai]d
with my hand at the notars (= notary's) pen led at my hand* Ita est Joannes
Day no[ta]rius pub[licu]s in premissis sub[scribe]re requisitus de mandato dicti
Joannis blackwood scribere ut nescie[n]s assueruit teste manu pro-
pria**

Confirmatioun

I Robert Bruce of Bordie Commisser (= commissary) of dunblain Ratifie (= ratify)
& approves this p[rese]nt testa[men]t [meaningless filler] Provyding [meaningless filler] Lykeas (=
                                                                                                  furthermore) the s[ai]d Agnes
drysdal exe[cut]rix fors[ai]d hes (= has) found Jon blackwood mess[enge]r in Culros
cau[tione]r Confirmed att dunblain the 6 Junij (Latin for "of June") 1668

* When you see "with my hand at the pen led by the notary", it means the person could not write and touched the pen as the notary signed for them.

** The Latin section means "It is so. John Day, notary public, required to sign by command of the said John Blackwood as he asserted that he does not know how to write, witness my own hand."



Offline Ronda231

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Re: Crook of Devon Witchcraft trials 1662 - help with Scotlandspeople records
« Reply #12 on: Tuesday 13 May 25 12:43 BST (UK) »
Thank you so much GR2!

When I posted the complete ScotlandsPeople image of the will above, 2 days ago, I was not expecting anybody to tackle this very big job - but of course I was secretly hoping that somebody would take a look at it!

I had suspected there were no children from this marriage, but now find that there were.

Moreover, I have just discovered that in 1802 the Blackwood family was still working the land in Coldrain (William Blackwood - 1802 Land Tax roll for Tullibole - see image below).

Thank you again GR2 for expending your valuable time on this work.

Best regards

   


Offline GR2

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Re: Crook of Devon Witchcraft trials 1662 - help with Scotlandspeople records
« Reply #13 on: Tuesday 13 May 25 18:52 BST (UK) »
I have now completed the final section of the will in my previous post.

Offline Ronda231

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Re: Crook of Devon Witchcraft trials 1662 - help with Scotlandspeople records
« Reply #14 on: Tuesday 13 May 25 19:27 BST (UK) »
Hi GR2

Perfect!!

I'll endeavour to write a fair text copy from your transcription and will post this here shortly.

Many thanks & best regards

Offline Ronda231

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Re: Crook of Devon Witchcraft trials 1662 - help with Scotlandspeople records
« Reply #15 on: Wednesday 14 May 25 00:03 BST (UK) »
Hi again

I've made a fair copy from GR2's transcription ~ text below:

Jon Blackwood, portioner of Wester Coldrain, Testament, Will and Inventory dated 6th June 1668
The Testament Testamentar, latter Will and Inventory of the goods & gear pertaining to the deceased Jon Blackwood, portioner of Wester Collindren within the parish of ………. Comissariot of Dunblain.
The time of his decease, which was in the month of ……… in the year 1668, faithfully made & given up by himself upon the twenty sixth day of December in the year 1667, before these witnesses: Duncan Martin servant to Thomas Blackwood his son, James Beverage portioner of Tullilochie, Wester & Jon Sanders in Annacroich.
Inventory
Firstly, the said Jon Blackwood gives up his goods & gear at the values and prices following viz
One old mare with her colt under 3 years old, price thereof £10 13/4d
Item two cows with their bullocks or heifers (between 1 and 2 years old), price of them in total £24
Item thirty Lambs price per head 20/-, hence £13*
Item eight older sheep, price per head 30/-, hence £12
Item standing in the barn and barnyard of oats - four bolls, price of the boll with the straw £4, hence £16
Item of bear one boll, price of the boll £5
Item standing in the barn of threshed corn, six firlots, estimated £4
Item the utensils & household effects estimated to £4
Total of the inventory - £84 13/4d
* The arithmetic is wrong here. 30 lambs at 20/- a piece should come to £30.
Debts owing to him
Item by Edward Malcom £21
The total is clearly £105 13/4d)
Debts owed by him
Item to Robert Blackwood his lawful son of borrowed money £30
Item to William Blackwood also his lawful son £23 4/-
Item to Andrew Taylor in Cassigoiore? £7
Item to Robert Stirk merchant 30/-
Item to William Glass 13/4d
Item to Jon Sanders 13/4d
Sum of the said debts £63 0/8d
Sum of free gear £22 13/-
Half is £11 6/6d)
Legacy
The said Jon blackwood being sick in body yet of perfect memorie recomends his soul to God and nominates Agnes Drysdal, his spouse, his only executrix and intromessatrix (a woman entitled to deal with the estate of a deceased person) with his whole goods & gear & debts excluding all others therefrom by these presents with power to her to exercise the said office freely in all respects as is suitable.
Item - the said Jon leaves and appoints the whole free gear above written for the expenses of the funeral
In witness whereof written by John Day, Notary in [          ] are subscribed by the said Jon Blackwood as follows, day year & place foresaid. Before the witnesses above insert John Blackwood foresaid with my hand at the notary's pen led at my hand*
    Ita est Joannes Day notarius publicus in premissis subscribere requisitus de mandato dicti Joannis Blackwood scribere ut nesciens assueruit teste manu propria**
Confirmation
I, Robert Bruce of Bordie, Commissary of Dunblain ratify & approves this present testament, providing furthermore the said Agnes Drysdal executrix foresaid, has found Jon Blackwood messenger in Culross, cautioner
Confirmed at Dunblain the 6 of June 1668
* When you see "with my hand at the pen led by the notary", it means the person could not write and touched the pen as the notary signed for them.
** The Latin section means "It is so. John Day, notary public, required to sign by command of the said John Blackwood as he asserted that he does not know how to write, witness my own hand."


I've also attached a pdf which includes full transcription, ScotlandsPeople image and faircopy of the text.

Best regards

Offline Ronda231

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Re: Crook of Devon Witchcraft trials 1662 - help with Scotlandspeople records
« Reply #16 on: Friday 16 May 25 20:13 BST (UK) »
As a post script:

Agnes Drysdaill obviously managed to overcome the 'Witchcraft misunderstanding' that she had had with the church in 1662, as she was ultimately allowed to have a christian burial in 1683 - as the Mortcloth records for the Kinross Kirk sessions show:

The accounts show that in 1683, £2 was paid for the rental of a Mortcloth for Agnes Drysdaill in Coldrain

Note Mortcloth records in Scotland, also known as mortcloth accounts, are historical documents that record the rental of a mortcloth, a fabric draped over a coffin or body at a funeral.


Best regards