Pyttman or Pyffman?

[scuda-j]

In 1599 there were two marriages in Cirencester where the bride's surname looks like Pyffman, but I think Pyttman was intended, would you agree? They are both on this page, one in May 1599 and one in January 1599/1600: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01eso/

If they were Pyttman, what about the grooms' names? I make the first one Christopher Richards and the second one Richard Stirge – am I anywhere near?

Jane

[Alexander.]

Yes, Pyttman in both cases. Grooms are Xpofer (Christopher) Richards and Willm (William) Stiche.

Alexander

[arthurk]

I agree with Alexander, who types faster than me.

Looking at the second surname (Stiche): the curl below the line going in that direction is very characteristic of an "h"; compare it with George Morgan two lines lower down - a "g" tends to be like a modern "y" with a horizontal line drawn across the top.

Arthur

[scuda-j]

Thanks, both of you. I'll try to remember the shape of the 'h' – silly really, I managed it in Richards but not Stiche.

Jane

[arthurk]

Hey, don't be too hard on yourself - we all had to start somewhere with this, and you're doing pretty well from what I can see.

The important thing is to try not to compare it too closely with modern handwriting, but to see it on its own terms. Many letters do look the same, but with some (eg this "h"), although it may seem closest to a (badly-formed) modern "g", it's actually something else.

And then there are the interesting cases where the old letters look the same as each other. In "Januarij" in the extract above there is virtually no difference between the "n" and the "u", and in one that you posted earlier in a different thread, they were even more similar. Add to this the fact that many documents are in Latin, and you'll see why some of us find this... er, fun? 

Arthur

[Treetotal]

Nice work....I learnt something here too.
Carol

[scuda-j]

I'm pleased you can see some improvements in my efforts, Arthur. Thanks for both the encouragement and the advice.

Despite any progress I've made, I expect I'll be posting more questions here before long!

Jane