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Trouble with Transcribing old will!

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  • Trouble with Transcribing old will!

    Not sure quite where to put this one. It's a photo (I suppose) but it's also a will. A very old one in fact, from 1564.

    It's my the will of my 13xGreat Grandfather, Lawrence Morton of Mathorne in Kirkburton. Apart from being able to make out his childrens' names; Robert Morton, Thomas, Agnes, Grace and Alice morton about 3/4 of the way down, I've not been able to read much of the rest of it.

    Is anyone a specialist with mid 1500s handwriting, or can anyone suggest anywhere for me to post this...?



  • #2
    Think your post is more suitable for our Research Qs & As forum so have moved it across.
    Have taken the liberty of amending the title slightly as well.
    Elaine







    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks, Elaine.

      This is what I have so far....

      1c in the name of god amen the last day of feb. in the year of our lord god 1564 i lawrence
      2 morton of mathorne - parish? of burton – to be of - and good and
      3 - and - - -unto almightie god? – and make this for my last
      4 will and testament in – manner and – grant and bequeath my soul unto
      5almighty god
      6 - - portions? - - - - upon
      7 - to inherit into? - - and my - - - - - - - - in the - our?
      8- grant and bequeath unto ellen morton my wife
      9the first – of my good(s)? and land(s)? – to the – of – and the – of my
      10 - and i grant - of
      11 - and bequeath unto agnes morton my daughter
      12 - in full – and payment of – grant and bequeath unto grace
      13morton my daughter – i grant and bequeath unto
      14alice morton my daughter – i grant and bequeath unto
      15robert morton thomas agnes grace and alice morton my children all my
      16and - for to be equallyie amonge them from?
      17i grant and bequeath unto jennet - my
      18 now in the - of john - in full payment of
      19i grant and bequeath unto jennet moorhouse my daughter – in full payment of
      20 - i grant and bequeath unto – and common grounds
      21- equally(ie)? betwixt? them - from the rest of my good(s)? not granted nor bequeathed
      22and my funeral expense – i bequeath unto - robt? morton and thomas morton
      23 - and make? for to be my hand? and careful? – of all – of my good(s)?
      24and – to dispose them for the - of my soul - to god my last
      25will and testament
      26
      27 - pontefract?
      28

      Comment


      • #4
        This sort of thing is a matter of practice. There are some examples on the National Archives site with which you could compare your document.

        I have transcribed a Will of 1653 - almost 100 years more recent, but not enormously dissimilar. The opening phrases and some of the specific terminology are likely to be similar. Mine starts:
        In the name of God Amen I John Nuland of Slindon being sicke of bodie but of good and perfect remembrance I thanke my God Doe make this my last will & testament in forme and manner following Item I bequeathe my soule into the hands of my merciful God hopeing to be saved everlastinglie And my bodie to be buried in christian buriall
        One or two things you'll need to have in mind include...
        • ∫ = s ~ often as part of double-s, when it may appear as ∫s (which is the root of the German ß)
        • a letter that looks like a Greek theta is probably an e
        • r usually looks like a cross-section of a jug!
        • h looks like an x with a tail like a y (I think that's the one)

        I created myself an index of letter-shapes; by looking at letters in a context which made me confident (a name, say), I could work out what other words were, and learn some more shapes.

        Christine
        Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

        Comment


        • #5
          I have a little book called "A Secretary Hand ABC Book" by Alf Ison.
          It literally has the alphabet. One letter to a page with examples of how that letter would be written.
          There are also examples of wills and indentures etc.
          It is also very cheap.
          Have a look on Google.

          June

          Comment


          • #6
            If you are using the current version of Internet explorer it has the ability to blow up your pic by 400 percent or more. Makes it a bit easier to read. Unfortunately have
            not had the time to have a real go at it but will try later.
            David
            Whoever said Seek and Ye shall find was not a genealogist.

            David

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