Anyone able to decipher this document?

[Roger in Sussex]

It seems to have been a nice little huntin', shootin', fishin' estate.

That would fit in well with Diana

[Roger in Sussex]

Thinking about it more, as it is a copy, perhaps it was thought improper (lèse majesté, and all that) to copy the seal. Or perhaps the original did not have a seal, and this one is a bit of artistic licence? Such a beautiful piece of calligraphy certainly deserved a seal!.

[Olde Crone Holden]

I wonder....the original document must surely be in the National Archives. It might be interesting to see when it was presented to them, and by whom.

The family must have had an original copy at the time. Wonder what they did with it and whether the family calligrapher copied THAT one?

I go along with your theory, Roger, that the seal was not a copy of the original, but was possibly a copy of the family seal.

OC

[Macbev]

Thinking about it more, as it is a copy, perhaps it was thought improper (lèse majesté, and all that) to copy the seal. Or perhaps the original did not have a seal, and this one is a bit of artistic licence? Such a beautiful piece of calligraphy certainly deserved a seal!.

Roger, I've been thinking about that seal too. At first glance, I thought it may have been taken from a Grecian frieze, or some such, but when you look more closely at it....could it possible be intended for a stylised knight in armour? The original John Gold/Gould was a crusader and rewarded for his efforts at the siege of Damietta in 1217 where he planted the Crusaders banner on the walls....the Gould crest subsequently looked like this



and much later, appeared on this seal of John Henry's (apologies for the rotten photo)







and his signet ring



I wonder if he may have been trying to depict a Crusader?

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Merry, I think your Crone is actually Scotie, in between Angela and Francis
Seriously, this is your local area - does Frome Bellett still exist - I can't find it on the map, so perhaps it is swallowed up in West Stafford?

lol re Crone!!

I've been to West Stafford which is just outside Dorchester. We bought our car-before-last from West Stafford Motors which is in Dorchester!

From an old book:

The Division of Dorchester includes five hundreds, Culliford Tree, George, Piddletown, Tollerford and Uggscombe.

Culliford Tree hundred includes West Stafford and George hundred includes Frome Bellet (which I've never heard of before!!)

Merry...the house I wanted the piccie of in Bournemouth belonged to the same family..they named it (wait for it) Frome Bellet

Yes, that was funny......I read this thread without really noticing who it was who owned the Latin document. When I read Roger's translation I thought, "Oh, what a coincidence - Frome Bellet again!" lol

But, of course, it's you again! lol

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I should be able to do the photo on Wed.

[Roger in Sussex]

I wonder....the original document must surely be in the National Archives. It might be interesting to see when it was presented to them, and by whom.

The family must have had an original copy at the time. Wonder what they did with it and whether the family calligrapher copied THAT one?

I go along with your theory, Roger, that the seal was not a copy of the original, but was possibly a copy of the family seal.

OC

I think from the form of words that the original of this copy would have been given to the Longes, and perhaps another copy to Meller, for production in court if need arose, but the original would probably be in some huge Roll in the National Archives.

Incidentally, I have been looking at images of the goddess Diana on google, and although she usually has a dog, she always seems to be on foot, so I am inclined to abandon that idea.