Gaps in LWT of Henry Merrey 1595

[en2gen]

Haven't done this for a while but now have several early LWTs I need help transcribing. I have done what I could but still have several gaps. Trying to show you what I have and a snippet of the actual LWT where there are gaps. Hope this works. If not, will try another format. Thanks!

Louise Merry Larson
California

[Claire64]

I'm a bit tired to do this now but I think he's giving Richard his Arke (chest)

looks like Table a[nd] Meat [board?] ** Edit.  I keep looking at this and think it could be meal board as in cupboard though I have usually seen it spelt as "borde".  And as "meal ark", but just throwing this out for discussion.

...to enter upon it and have it for the ten? of the last years that I have to come [i.e. the remains of the lease]

[horselydown86]

...amongst them

my harled why...

I have a dim recollection that a why is a northern term for a cow?

Richard does get:  my Arcke

...to the same John my table

[a? / &?] meat [bo?rd]...


...my sword and dagger and baselerd...


...to my said sonn John my leace of my close that I have in Nircomb of xpofer [Will(ia)mson?] to enter uppon it and

have it for the ten of the last yeares...


That is, the close is leased with ten years of the lease unexpired.

[Claire64]

...amongst them

my harled why...

I have a dim recollection that a why is a northern term for a cow?

I get harled now I've looked closer, but then Why doesn't make sense.  Harled is a waterproof /weatherproof coating.  What about Whey [tub]? I haven't heard Why for cow before. 

[JenB]

I have a dim recollection that a why is a northern term for a cow?

Are you thinking of quey?  http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/quey

The Oxford Dictionary gives examples of the many northern variants of the word quey, amongst which are why, whye, whey, and whie.

OED definition of quey:
Now Sc., Eng. regional (north midlands and northern), and Irish English (northern).

 A young cow, esp. (formerly always) before it has had a calf; a heifer.

[Karen McDonald]

I get harled now I've looked closer, but then Why doesn't make sense.  Harled is a waterproof /weatherproof coating.  What about Whey [tub]? I haven't heard Why for cow before.

Hi,

OED & Cambridge Dictionary come up with zilch, but Merriam Webster says:

harl verb
variants: or harle \ ˈ(h)ärl , ˈ(h)ȧl \
or -ed/-ing/-s

Definition of harl (Entry 1 of 5)
transitive verb

1 dialectal, British : to drag, scrape, or pull (an object) usually along the ground
2 chiefly Scottish : to plaster (a surface) with roughcast
the harled walls with which for many generations the Scots had finished their houses
— Ian Finlay
intransitive verb

chiefly British : to troll for fish
harling for spring salmon
— Atlantic

harl noun (1)
variants: or harle \ ˈhȧl \
plural -s

Definition of harl (Entry 2 of 5)
British
: roughcast wall facing
harl transitive verb
\ ˈ(h)ärl, ˈ(h)ȧl\
-ed/-ing/-s

Definition of harl (Entry 3 of 5)
dialectal, England
1 : to snarl up : ENTANGLE
2 or harle : to thread one leg of (a dead rabbit) through the other for ease in carrying
harl noun (2)
\ "\
plural -s

Definition of harl (Entry 4 of 5)
dialectal, England
: a tangled mass : SNARL
harl noun (3)
\ ˈhärl\
plural -s

Definition of harl
(Entry 5 of 5)
1 or harle : a fiber in a stalk of flax or hemp
2 : HERL


No idea why the OED has nothing to say, but there you go.

Maybe he means a cow with a messy, matted coat? Just an idea...

Karen
 

[arthurk]

As is very often the case, Joseph Wright's English Dialect Dictionary supplies the answer.

It agrees with 'why' as a variant form of 'quey', and it defines 'harled' as 'mottled, speckled, as cattle'. Both are northern English words.

The 6 volumes of the dictionary can be found at http://www.rootschat.com/links/01j6q/

[Claire64]

As is very often the case, Joseph Wright's English Dialect Dictionary supplies the answer.

It agrees with 'why' as a variant form of 'quey', and it defines 'harled' as 'mottled, speckled, as cattle'. Both are northern English words.

The 6 volumes of the dictionary can be found at http://www.rootschat.com/links/01j6q/

Well, you learn something every day!  I was way out with my guess!  I'm northern...must not be northern enough!  Thanks for the link, I'll bookmark that for future reference.  I'm surprised I haven't come across these obscure words in the Mephisto crossword, they love words like that! 

[en2gen]

Very good, folks! You are right in that this is a "northern" LWT....North Yorkshire, Lockton (but I guess you likely figured that from the start of the will. I do wonder if anyone can put "Nircomb" on the map for me?

So here's what I have thus far from what you filled in:

…  Item I give to Elizabeth Merry my daughter other four ewes and lambs Item I give to the same Richard, John and Elizabeth my children amongst them
my harled why* Item I give to my said sonne Richard my Arke (chest) Item I give and bequeath to the same sonne my table and meat board Item I give to my said sonnes Richard and John my sword and dagger and baslerd Item I give to my said sonne John my leace of my close that I have in Nircomb of  Christopher Williamson to enter upon it and  have it for the ten of  the last yeares that I have to come in the said close.

* spotted or mottled cow (“why” is a northern term for “A young cow, esp. (formerly always) before it has had a calf; a heifer.”)

I will post another bit as soon as I get it snipped. Not sure if I should continue on this thread or start a new one.

Many thanks for your hard work. I was intrigued at how you could find the meaning oif those old words!

Louise