help with translation of will

[karenf]

Hello all,
I have recently been asked, by a distant family member, to help decipher a will from the 1600's. I can follow some of it but am no expert on writings that are so old. I am hoping that some kind person out there could assist me in making the will understandable.
Thank you
Karen

[Geoffers]

Happy to give it a go, could you post the will on photobucket or somewhere similar and then link it through to the forums?

[Thomasin]

In January 2006 The National Archives put out an online palaeography interactive tutorial on their website, and it was immensely useful when I had some mediaeval manuscripts to decipher. As well as the forms of letters, it gave you all the abbreviations that were used in mediaeval and Tudor times. Unfortunately I can't email it to you because my scanner won't work with my new Vista (grrrrr), but the url was www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/doc6_popup/intro.htm. If it's still available it would enlighten you a lot. If it isn't, perhaps you could contact TNA and ask about it.

Thomasin

PS As Geoffers says, we would all have a go!

[Peter Goodey]

Please post it at as high a resolution as possible for the benefit of aged eyes :o

[Thomasin]

I have just been able to investigate, and the tutorial I was talking about is still available. You should try www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/default.htm?

Thomasin

[JAP1]

Hello Karen,

Here are some sites re Old Handwriting (including the National Archives site):

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/

http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/

http://www.scottishhandwriting.com/

and

http://www.jaydax.co.uk/genlinks/translatingsecretaryhand.htm

If you post the Will somewhere, it's a good idea also to post what you have already deciphered.

Unfortunately, there's no substitute for practice when it comes to deciphering old handwriting. But it can be great fun working through examples on the above sites.

Best of luck and I'm sure there'll be plenty of willing helpers (me included) trying to help with the parts you get stuck on.

Best regards,

JAP

[JAP1]

Sorry!

Should have checked the links in Preview.

The marlowe/collier2 one doesn't work.

I would have edited my post but got a message that there's a 5 minute limit.

Please excuse a newcomer to this site.|oopsredfa

JAP

[Ladkyis]

I edited for you. If you do find that you need to edit something after the time has expired a Private Message (PM) to any Moderator will get it done for you.

http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36583&highlight=moderators

A small minority of people were editing their messages and adding commercial links and other things that aren't allowed. The usual thing of the minority spoiling things for the majority.

Glad to be able to help

[karenf]

Thank you so much for the many offers of help. I have added the images to photobucket in as large a resolution as I was able(unless someone knows differently). Thank you, also, for the links to understanding old writings, I will definitely follow this up. I had considered attending a course at Dundee University which covered both English and Scottish writings amongst the credits, but, at a cost of £1100,( and with a daughter in 6th year and planning on university next) it may have to join my wish list for sometime yet.

Below are the links to my photobucket album.

http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq76/karenf_photo/abrahamwill_Page_2-1.jpg

http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq76/karenf_photo/abrahamwill_Page_3-1.jpg

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Karen

[karenf]

Oh dear
I posted the link but appear to have added the image here. Not that I mind but it is very small . Any ides what I have done wrong this time?

Karen

[karenf]

Oh Dear,
I thought it was just the link that would appear here. Not that I mind but the image here is very small. Any ideas where I have gone wrong this time and what I may do to rectify this?
Sorry, not a photobucket expert.

Karen

[karenf]

http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq76/karenf_photo/abrahamwill_Page_3.jpg
http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq76/karenf_photo/abrahamwill_Page_2.jpg

Here are the direct links to photobucket. This is what I originally intended to do put strayed from the path. Sorry.
Karen

[Peter Goodey]

I think this is a download from the National Archives. If so, can you please just make the original PDF available to us?

[Geoffers]

I'll give it a start, I'll see if i can make out the partially legible words afterwards.........

By the grace and helpe of Allmighty
God, I Abraham POULTER of Hartly Wintney in the county
of Southton Yeaman, being of reasonably good health, of good, and prfect memorie
thankes be given to God, yet considering the weake, and fraile estate of man, doe
therefore constitute, ordaine and make this my last Will and Testament in mannr
and forme following. First and principally I give and bequeath my soule into the
hands of Allmighty God my Maker and Jesus Christ my redemeer by whose
merits I have sure confidence to have eternall life; and the holy Ghost my
comforter who sanctrfyeth and cleanseth me. And my body to be buryed
in the earth whereof it was made. But concerning my temporall goods I give
and bequeath them in manner following. Imprimis; I give and bequeath all
that my freehold land als lands be it arable, pasture, meadow, or whatsoever
lyeing in Rumsey in the County aforesaid called, or known by the name of
De(....?)sh, or let it be by any other name, to my wellbeloved wife Mary POULTER

continued..........

[Geoffers]

Part 2......

dureing her naturall life. And after her decease to William POULTER my eldest
sonne, his heirs and assignes for ever. Provided nevertheless that the sd
William POULTER my sonne, his heirs or assigns shall and will well and
truely (..?)ntent, satisfy and pay or cause to be paid out of the above mentioned
land als lands and premises unto Thomas POULTER my youngest sonne.

end of first page

continued.......

N.B The above word (..?)ntent might possibly be 'content'

[Geoffers]

Part 3.........

his executors, administrators or assignes the inst and intire summe of fourty pounds
of lawfull money of England within one yeare after the decease of the said Mary
POULTER my wife to which said summe. I give and bequeath the said Thomas
POULTER my sonne his executors, administrators and assignes out of the above
mentioned prmises to be paid in such manner and forme as aforesaid. And if it
shall happen that the said summe of fourty pounds or any part thereof shall be
behinde and unpaid in part or in all within the space of one yeare after the
decease of the said Mary POULTER my wife (being lawfully demanded) that
then, and from thenceforth it shall and may be lawfull to and for the said
Thomas POULTER my sonne his Executors, Administrators and Assignes into the
abovementioned prmises and every part and parcell thereof to enter, and the
same as his, and their owne to his, and their owne uses to have, hold, occupy
possesse, and (inioy? = enjoy??) for, by, and dureing the full and, and terme of ten yeares
from thenceforth next ensueing fully to be compleat and (..ded?), and the said
William POULTER his heires, executors, administrators and assignes from


continued.........

[Geoffers]

Part 4.......

thence utterly to expell, put out, and (rmove?) dureing the said terme of tenn
yeares (anything in theise prsents mentioned to the contrary thereof in any
notwithstanding). Item, I give to all my other children not here mentioned one
shilling a peice. All the rest of my goods whether within doores, or without
unbequeathed (my debts first paid and funerall expenses discharged) I give and
bequeath to the sd Mary POULTER my wife, whom I doe intreat Richard
AYCLIFFE and Thomas STEFFE both of Bromley aforesaid and county aforesaid
yeamen to be the overseers of this my last Will and Testament pformed in
witnesse whereof I the said Abraham POULTER have hereunto sett mine hand
and seale this Seven and Twenty day of August in the yeare of our Lord
God, One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty and Five. Abraham POULTER. Read
Sealed and Signed in the prsence of Richard HESTER and Moses SONNE (ser?)
memorandum That whereas Mathew PREIST my sonne in Law hath in
his hands the summe of one Hundred Pounds of mine of lawfull money of
England, my will is that the said Mary my wife shall have the use there
of dureing her matruall life And after her decease the sd Mathew PREIST
shall immediately equally devide the said summe into equall parts and destribute
it to those my grandchildren which aer the sonnes and daughters (now borne
at the date hereof) of my six children, William POULTER, Thomas POULTER
Elizabeth HEANSSE deceased, Mary TRIMMER, Isbell ELLIS and Anne PREIST
where unto I subscribe my name this tenth day of October One Thousand Six
Hunded Fifty Six. Abraham POULTER. Witnesseth Moses (SONE?) Ser.

Continued.......

(I think Moses SONNE ser refers to Moses SONNE , senior)

[Geoffers]

Part the last............

A note that the will was proved at London on 8th April 1659, on the oath of Mary the relict and sole executrix.

I'll have another run through and try to clear up those parts which are uncertain.

(Edit - I've run through this and made a couple of corrections, the place name at the end of post no. 14 still eludes me).

[Thomasin]

Well done, Geoffers. That place name is a blighter. I've just looked through all the Ds in the GB atlas, and the only contestants are Dewlish and Dawlish, and they are in the wrong counties. Isn't there a Devonish or Devenish somewhere, or is it my imagination?

Thomasin

[Geoffers]

That place name is a blighter. I've just looked through all the Ds in the GB atlas, and the only contestants are Dewlish and Dawlish, and they are in the wrong counties. Isn't there a Devonish or Devenish somewhere, or is it my imagination?

It's something along those lines and may even be an abbreviation of Devonshire - although that doesn't fit in with the rest of the will. One of the best things to do in these cases is to leave the interpretation for a few hours and have another look later and that is precisely what I'll do.

If I come up with owt, I'll update the thread.

[Thomasin]

No, because it's supposed to be in the same county of Southton, which I suppose is Southampton = Hampshire. I suppose it is a D?

Thomasin

[Colin Moretti]

... lyeing in Rumsey in the County aforesaid called, or known by the name of De(....?)shI guess that this is the town is now known as Romsey; unfortunately the resolution of the image is not good enough for me to make out the word, is it a farm or plot of land/field I wonder? Can you post another image with higher resolution? Even if I don't know it myself I know someone who almost certainly will.

Perhaps it's relevant that there is a place known as Paulton's Park just outside the town although I don't know anything of its history.

Colin

[karenf]

Thank you all so very much.
I am sorry I cannot send the original National Archive item because this was how the will was forwarded to me.
Colin... Can you advise how I may increase the resolution?
I am absolutely thrilled with all of the help I have received and I have kept to my word re taking tutorials. It is very hard work (I think I may need new glasses too) but does start to make some form of sense after several attempts.
Thank you all very much.

Karen

[Colin Moretti]

Hello Karen

If the links that you posted are to the files as you received them then I'm afraid that I don't think that there is anything you can do about the resolution of the image, no doubt you have enlarged it and found that it did not improve the readability.

All I can suggest is that you ask the person who sent you the will to let you have a copy of the .pdf file received from TNA, that will have the best resolution. Unless someone else has a better idea.

Colin

[Colin Moretti]

I've now had a chance to show a printout of the will to some very knowledgeable members of our Romsey local history society (LTVAS), even they were defeated by the mystery place but they were intrigued by the problem; neither was the name POULTER familiar (they were able to discount any link with Paulton's Park).

Is anything more known about Abraham? Perhaps he inherited the property through his wife or from his mother's side of the family; is anything known about them?

Colin

[karenf]

Hello Colin,
My distant family member is currently researching the Poulter side of his family. He, has only, very recently found his connection to this line (Great grandfather was not the person presumed to have been gt grandfather). Although all of the early Poulter's in his family line appear to originate from or around Hartley Whitney. I will contact him asap to see what he has discovered about Abraham or his family. He was extremely thrilled with the unravelling of the will and asked me to pass on his thanks.