Old document help

[Little Nell]

found this in Archbishops of Canterbury Archives
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Highoe, Elizabeth, wife of William (q.v.), All Hallows, Lombard Street VH 99/4/31 1714
Contents: Caveat---------------------------------------------------------------------
Highoe, William, All Hallows, Lombard Street VH 99/4/31 1714
Contents: Caveat
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What is a caveat? What information would this contain?

[vikki brace]

This site might help, to do with probate

Publications - Guidance - Probate

[Night Owl]

This sounds a likely definition

Browse 1828 => Word CAVEAT :: Search the 1828 Noah Webster's Dictionary of the English Language (FREE) :: 1828.mshaffer.com

Jackie

[Little Nell]

Thanks, it seems to be a way of stopping a Will being proved, pending further inquiries. Most intriguing.

[Canadian Cousin]

Jackie -

I hadn't seen that Website before (Webster's 1828 Dictionary). It looks good - thanks!

Tim

[Christine in Herts]

A caveat is usually some kind of warning comment. You might "issue" a caveat if someone (including yourself) says something about which there's some doubt. It's a Latin-based word.

For those who like word-history/roots and don't already know...
It's in the same sort of bracket as caveat emptor = let the buyer beware
or boarding-school books which refer to keeping cave - keeping watch whilst others are doing something they probably shouldn't be doing (tuck-shop raiding, or midnight feasting).

Christine

[Little Nell]

I got the warning bit, just not sure what they might be warning about!

[Olde Crone Holden]

On a legal document, a caveat means a proviso. Example: I leave all my money to my dear wife, but only if she doesn't marry that bloke in the off licence.

The caveat bit says what will happen to the money if she DOES marry that bloke in the off licence.

In a court of law, a caveat is a halt in legal proceedings.

OC

[Little Nell]

Really OC! You do have the most lurid imagination!

I am wondering whether the proviso is to do with the wife or the husband. Only interested as I think they must be related to my husband's Highos but don't know how.

My great-great-grandmother didn't marry the bloke in the off licence, but she did marry the bloke next door after my great x 2 grandfather died. He died of cirrhosis of the liver and the bloke next door was a publican!

[Uncle John]

It seems that genealogy has many uses, including teaching you elementary Latin and how to spell diseases (useful for school sick-notes).

[Olde Crone Holden]

Yes, I hold up my hands to having a lurid imagination - but sometimes it's right (nearly, anyway).

UJ - yes, I think my old Latin teacher must be looking down and sniggering with satisfaction as I desperately try to unravel some bit of latin, for no other reason than I want to know what it means!

OC

[Little Nell]

the only Latin I remember from school is that "agris cultis" is an example of the ablative absolute. No idea what it means (something to do with fields being cultivated) or indeed what an ablative, absolute or otherwise, is/was.

And I have never needed this information.