not merely for the family info they provide, but also insights into a person's character.
I've just finished deciphering a will from 1658 in very ornate Elizabethan writing (not a job for the faint-hearted). The chap didn't leave any sons, so isn't a direct ancestor, but has indicated which families I need to look at... he names his wife "Bethanie" [what a lovely name in the mid 17th Century] and he mentions a deceased brother "Larance" who had 2 sons. Larance/Lawrence/Laurence not being as common a name as the dozens of Williams and Johns that share his surname, I have a pretty good idea which family to concentrate on.
But the real pleasure came from reading some of the specific bequests. I've put a couple of extracts into modern spelling, and added punctuation to help readability but left the grammar as it was.
ITEM I give unto my servant Mary White the sum of Five pounds of lawful money of England to be paid unto her within six months after my decease.
ITEM I give unto the poor of the parish of Thorne the sum of Five pounds of lawful money of England to be paid and distributed unto the said poor at the discretion of my executrix and my brother Edward, in clothing or in moneys as they shall see most convenient, within one month after my decease.
ITEM I appoint my executrix to bestow for the benefit and entertaining of my friends at my funeral the sum of Four pounds.
He had an adult brother Robert, who is obviously married with a daughter of his own, as she got a separate bequest.
ITEM I give unto my brother Robert the sum of Ten pounds of lawful money of England, to be paid into the hands of my brother Edward within one month after my decease, to be employed by him (the said Edward) to the best advantage and benefit of him (the said Robert) and to be ordered and delivered to him (the said Robert) according to the necessity of him (the said Robert) and as the necessary occasions of (the said Robert) shall require at the discretion of the said Edward and not otherwise.
So I have a picture of a benevolent and generous gentleman, who loved to entertain his friends, but knew his brother was a bit of a spendthrift!
I've just finished deciphering a will from 1658 in very ornate Elizabethan writing (not a job for the faint-hearted). The chap didn't leave any sons, so isn't a direct ancestor, but has indicated which families I need to look at... he names his wife "Bethanie" [what a lovely name in the mid 17th Century] and he mentions a deceased brother "Larance" who had 2 sons. Larance/Lawrence/Laurence not being as common a name as the dozens of Williams and Johns that share his surname, I have a pretty good idea which family to concentrate on.
But the real pleasure came from reading some of the specific bequests. I've put a couple of extracts into modern spelling, and added punctuation to help readability but left the grammar as it was.
ITEM I give unto my servant Mary White the sum of Five pounds of lawful money of England to be paid unto her within six months after my decease.
ITEM I give unto the poor of the parish of Thorne the sum of Five pounds of lawful money of England to be paid and distributed unto the said poor at the discretion of my executrix and my brother Edward, in clothing or in moneys as they shall see most convenient, within one month after my decease.
ITEM I appoint my executrix to bestow for the benefit and entertaining of my friends at my funeral the sum of Four pounds.
He had an adult brother Robert, who is obviously married with a daughter of his own, as she got a separate bequest.
ITEM I give unto my brother Robert the sum of Ten pounds of lawful money of England, to be paid into the hands of my brother Edward within one month after my decease, to be employed by him (the said Edward) to the best advantage and benefit of him (the said Robert) and to be ordered and delivered to him (the said Robert) according to the necessity of him (the said Robert) and as the necessary occasions of (the said Robert) shall require at the discretion of the said Edward and not otherwise.
So I have a picture of a benevolent and generous gentleman, who loved to entertain his friends, but knew his brother was a bit of a spendthrift!
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