Author Topic: Stumped by handwriting in this 1535 Will...  (Read 257 times)

Offline aitch

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Stumped by handwriting in this 1535 Will...
« on: Wednesday 03 March 21 20:55 GMT (UK) »
I'm getting nowhere fast with this one!  Please is anyone willing to take a look and try to decipher this will of John Lees of Alton from 1535??  His wife may have been Agnes, but then again....
TIA
- aitch
RATCLIFFE, BARLOW, BERESFORD, BLOOR, BYATT, DAKIN, KENT, LEES, MORTON, NORCLIFFE, OAKS, OSBORNE, PARKS, RICHARDSON, ROBINSON, SORTON, WETTON, WARRINGTON, WATTS, WOOD, WOLVERSCROFT (all from the Staffordshire Moorlands) - and specific interest in anyone who at any time lived in or around the village of ALTON

Offline horselydown86

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Re: Stumped by handwriting in this 1535 Will...
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 04 March 21 03:48 GMT (UK) »
I have done down to line six.  Will do the rest later if no-one else has done so.

In dei no(m)i(n)e Amen  In the [?e(e)r - damaged] of o(ur) lorde god mlo Do xxxvte the laste dey of June I John lees sycke In body

bowt holle of mynde do make my testament In man(er) & forme fowloyng  FFurste I bequeythe my sowle unto

Almyghty god to ow(e)r lady & to all the saynct(es) In heyv(e)n  And my body to be buryed in ye chyrche

yerde of Alton  It(em) I bequeythe to sayncte maryes howse of Coventre __ iiijd  It(em) I bequeythe to saynte

Chadde of lichefelde __ iiijd  It(em) I bequeythe to Ric(hard) my sone halffe the Corne In the Abbey felde It(em) I

bequeythe to Raffe my sone on(e) [sco?/sto? ?ge
- damaged]...


The year is 1535 as expected.

So far he is using yogh as g so I am transcribing it the same way.

Offline goldie61

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Re: Stumped by handwriting in this 1535 Will...
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 04 March 21 07:15 GMT (UK) »
I've had a go at the rest. Perhaps someone can fill in the missing bits - and any corrections.

………. to Agnes my dor(t)hter on(e) herneste gurdell wyche was her

mothurs It(em) I bequeath on(e) ho (damaged) & on(e) lamb to sayncte Clemens & sayncte leonards ? The

Residewe of my goods not bequeythed to Remayne to my Chyldren ....aryed My debts payde & ^my^ be-

quests p(er)formyd & I bro(u)ghte home that is to wyt M(ar)gerye Raffe John Thomas Willi(a)m Jamyes &

Agnes wherupon(e) I make Raffe lees my brother my executor to p(er)forme my wyll & my bequestes

Wytnes Gereff & Thom(a)s Hoppe   John Ackyns Ric berbowe John lees the seiner(?) and Alex

Andr…. w(I)t(h) hother


Agnes is his daughter, and lots of sons!
Lane, Burgess: Cheshire. Finney, Rogers, Gilman:Derbys
Cochran, Nicol, Paton, Bruce:Scotland. Bertolle:London
Bainbridge, Christman, Jeffs: Staffs

Offline Bookbox

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Re: Stumped by handwriting in this 1535 Will...
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 04 March 21 09:57 GMT (UK) »
Suggestions ...

... sayncte leonard(es) lyght ...

... my Chyldren unmaryed ...

... I make S(ir) Raffe Lees my brother ...

... Wytnes heroff [= hereof] S(ir) Thom(a)s Horpe S(ir) John Atkyns/Ackyns ... the senior and Alex(-)
and(er) howe[?] [showe? shawe?] w(i)t(h) hother [= others]


=====
Notes - in pre-Reformation wills, bequests were commonly made for a light to be kept burning at a saint’s altar.
Sir was often used as a courtesy title for priests.


Offline aitch

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Re: Stumped by handwriting in this 1535 Will...
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 04 March 21 10:27 GMT (UK) »
horselydown86, goldie61 & Bookbox - I am totally in awe of your knowledge and skills.  Thank you so much for taking time to transcribe (and explain!) these.  I sincerely appreciate your work on them  - thank you!
- aitch
RATCLIFFE, BARLOW, BERESFORD, BLOOR, BYATT, DAKIN, KENT, LEES, MORTON, NORCLIFFE, OAKS, OSBORNE, PARKS, RICHARDSON, ROBINSON, SORTON, WETTON, WARRINGTON, WATTS, WOOD, WOLVERSCROFT (all from the Staffordshire Moorlands) - and specific interest in anyone who at any time lived in or around the village of ALTON