Will of 1659

[Alison McLaughlin]

I have a will of 1659, which although written in English, I have been unable to read.

Can anyone advise on how to find help with this?

[Peter Goodey]

Make a scan of the document available, post the URL here and hope that the right person reads your message. ;)

[Alison McLaughlin]

Make a scan of the document available, post the URL here and hope that the right person reads your message. ;)

Thank you for your message.

I have the will as a PDF file, and have been unable to post it. Have tried to find a method of saving it to a Jpeg so that it will post but to no avail.

I will try printing it, scanning it, then saving as a jpeg, but am worried that the quality will be poor.

Thanks for your help

[Geoffers]

As Peter says, put a scan online somewhere and I'll have a go. Otherwise, if written in Secretary Hand, you need to learn how to interpret the different style of writing. You might try TNA's online tutorials

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

Otherwise, there are some very good guides to this style of writing, if it is still available, one of my favourites is

'Examples of Handwriting 1550-1650' compiled by W.S.B BUCK, published by the Society of Genealogists, ISBN 0 901878 54 5

Geoffers

[Geoffers]

I have the will as a PDF file, and have been unable to post it.
Is this one you downloaded from TNA? If so, do you still have the URL that was sent to you to download it?

Geoffers

[Alison McLaughlin]

Sorry, I have tried to scan as jpeg, but still failed to attach it to this message, as the size of the file is too large.

If anyone could point me in another direction to get it transcribed it would be most helpful.

[Peter Goodey]

Put the PDF on a website and then tell us where to find it.

[Alison McLaughlin]

Dear Geoffers

Yes it does come from the TNA, but was forwarded to me by a relative.

I think the best thing I can do is go back to the relative and ask him to post it.

Thanks for your help.

[Peter Goodey]

Can you not do what was suggested?

If you can't, email the PDF to me and if it's not too big I'll try to find room on my website.

[Alison McLaughlin]

Dear Peter and Geoffers.

Thank you so much for your offer Peter. Have taken up you up and sent the Will to you.

I will also use your advice Geoffers and read the palaeography site.

It is the first Will that our family have come across like this, and several of us have had a go, but can only translate a few words...not enough for it to make sense.

Your help and guidance is much appreciated.

[Peter Goodey]

Here's the will...


http://www.inertia.demon.co.uk/pdf/thomas_clev_will_1659.pdf

enjoy...

[Geoffers]

Okedoke, here goes......

1. In the name of God Amen. I
2. Thomas CLEVERDON of (Morwinstow?) in the countie of Corn-
3. wall Yeoman, considering & knowing that All flesh is mortall
4. the time of our chainge uncertain, have in perfect memory (for the
5. disposing setling & ordering of my wordlie effects made & ordained this
6. my last will and testament in manner and form following. viz. First

continued.....

[Geoffers]

part 2...

7. I commit my soul unto the hands of Allmightie God my maker who
8. (.....?) gave it unto me. And to Jesus Christ my redeemer by whose
9. merits death and resurrection I firmelie hope to be saved. And my
10. bodie unto christian buriall whensoever it shall please God to (receive?)
11. them. - Itm I give unto John CLEVERDON my sonne
12. Twelve (pound?). Itm I five unto Robert CLEVERDON my sonne Tenne

continued......

[Geoffers]

part 3.....

13. Pound. Itm I give unto Thomas CLEVERDON my sonne twelve (pound?)
14. Itm I give unto (Will....?) SHERINE my daughter Twelve (pound?). Itm I
15. give unto Katherine SAUNDER my daughter fivepounds. Itm I give unto
16. my grandchildren one Lambe a peice. itm I give unto Antony GODWRIGHT
17. Joane SHERINE, Katherine HAMET one Lambe a peice. itm I give
18. unto John WEBB Twelve (pound?). All which legacies before given

continued......

[Geoffers]

part 4...

19. bequeathed are to be paid within the span of foure yeres next after
20. my decease. Itm I give unto (Iso..?) my now wife One Cowe and
21. pewter dish per (formed?) and the bed per formed whereon I lye. All the
22. rest of my godes and chattles moveable and immoveable quick* &
23. (de...?) of what sort qualitie or condition soever they be not before
24. given or bequeathed I give & absolutlie beqeauth unto Anthonie

*I think the original will may have read 'which'
continued...

[Geoffers]

part 5.....

25. CLEVERDON my sonne and him I doe make my whole and sole exec-
26.utor appointing and chargeing him withe name of God to perform this
27. my will to paie my debts and legacies and to discharge the expence of
28. my funeral when soever it shall please God to take me out of this present
29. life. In witness whereof and in further conformation of this my
30. last will and testament I the said Thomas CLEVERDON have hereunto

continued......

[Geoffers]

part 6....

31. set my hand and seale the fifteenth daie of September in the yere of
32. our lord one thousand six hundred fiftie seven. Signed
33. Thomas CLEVERDON. Signed sealed and ackowledged in the presence
34. of signed John (HILL?) Edw (CH...?)


The will was proved at London the 18th
daie of Februarie one thousand six hundred fiftie eight before
the judges for probate of wills.......etc

continued.....

[Geoffers]

part the last.....

That's a very rough first reading to give you an idea of what was written. I'm fairly confirdent that with a second reading in the morning, I can pick out some of the blank spaces. (I've now filled in some of the blank spaces - GL 7/1/07)

The trick with this is, as with all handwriting, getting used to it. Everyone has a slightly different style and once you have become used to it, you find it easier. Of course, documents which have survived in good condition are simpler; water damage, rats nibbling at corners, fire, mould and deliberate cutting of old papers all make things harder.

The amounts bequeathed which begin with 'p' seem odd, the sume is clearly pounds in one case, but the other entries look to read more like, 'pence'. I shall have a play with the image and see if I can get it clearer.

I hope this helps a little

Geoffers

[jeeb]

Hi,
Line 14 Willmet Sherine my daughter
Line 20 Iso-- my now wife (Probably abbreviated Isobel)
Line 34 signed John Hile and Edw: Ching

Cheers Jeremy

[Alison McLaughlin]

I can't thank you all enough for doing this.

With young children it is difficult to spend long on the computer, so if there is no reply from me for a while, it is not because I don't appreciate what you are doing. I have e-mailed the person who sent the will to me, who is also very grateful.

The majority of our Cleverdon's come from Portsmouth, although we know there are other Cleverdon's situated in the Cornwall area. It is very likely that at some point our line of the family moved to from Cornwall to Portsmouth , its just a case of trying to find the link.

Thomas is a name within our family as are John and Katherine, but unfortunately the other repeating names Charles and William do not appear.

Now you have helped to get us started, we will try to see if we can piece together more of the Will. Thank you so much.

[Mutley]

It may also be useful to know that according to:

http://www.mswth.com/ppoweruk/

12 pounds in 1659 would have been worth £1,176.15 in 2005 using the retail price index. Don't know about the lambs and cows though. ;)

Regards, Mutley