Latin help please - 1673 administration

[Alexander.]

I've been staring at this little line of Latin for ages now and I would really appreciate it if someone could put me out of my misery. I've got the gist of it, but I'm trying to make an accurate transcript and my basic Latin is just not up to it. Any help is much appreciated.

Alexander

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S... p[...] Educac... Radulphi et Margaretae Moreton liberor[um] nat[ura]liu[m](?) d[i]c[t]i
def... eor[um] minori aetate existen...

[Bookbox]

Sorry, I can't read (or guess at) the first word. My best stab at the rest ...

... p(ro) educac(i)o(n)e Radulphi et Margaretae Moreton libero(rum) nat(ura)liu(m) d(i)c(t)i
defun(ct)i eo(rum) minori aetate existent(ium)

... for the education of Ralph and Margaret Moreton, the natural children of the said deceased, they being under age

[Alexander.]

Thanks Bookbox, it's a big help.

I'm wondering if the first word might be "Tuico" ... meaning tuition?? My little Latin dictionary doesn't have anything like this in it though, and online dictionaries aren't being much help.

Cheers,
Alexander

[Bookbox]

I'm wondering if the first word might be "Tuico" ... meaning tuition??

It's a good thought, and tuitio/tuicio does exist, literally guardianship or protection (according to Lewis & Short). But it seems rare, which isn't encouraging in the context of an admon

I wonder if it could simply be a word meaning 'fund' or 'subsistence'? I'll come back later with any further ideas.

Meanwhile you might find Perseus useful ...
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/search

ADDED - how about Luic(i)o (payment) ?
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3Dluitio

[Alexander.]

Thanks Bookbox, you might be right. It looks like it starts with an L, but then there's that big cross on the top that makes me think it's a T.

[GR2]

In terms of Scots law of this period, if a boy under 14 or a girl under 12 lost their father, they were "pupils" and a "tutor" was appointed to take care of their legal and financial affairs. The word "tutela" is more commonly found for this tutorship, but tuitio/ tuicio are also found.

[jbml]

I would be minded to construe "minori aetate existen..." as "while they remain under age" or "during their minority".

I am not going to attempt to suggest an appropriate suffix for "existen..." as my Latin grammar is way too rusty for that; I am simply observing, as a lawyer with some little experience in testamentary matters, that these words are far more likely to be words of limitation for the duration of the purpose of the bequest than a recitation of the fact that the children are still minors.