Next, the will of Leonard Scatchard of Otley, made in 1612. I was hoping that my ability to decipher secretary hand was improving, but clearly I still have quite some way to go
On this one I have so far:
In dei noie [In the name of god] Amen The second day of December in the year of our
Lord god 1612 I Leonard Scatchard of Otley [??] and sicklie of bodie but of
good and pefect minde and memorie god be praised do ordaine constitute and
make this my last will and testament in manner and fforme following ffirst
and foremost I comend my soule to Jesus Christ my redeemer and my bodie to
be buried and [intered?] at the discretion of my Executor hereafter named & fourth[??]
my goods I dispose thus ffirst I give & bequeath to Robert Scatchard my naturall
brother my bleu Cloake my best hatt two shirts my best britches then I give
and bequeath to Christopher Scatchard [??] [??] ffrancis West my brothers
sonne iiij [??] x [??] Item I give and bequeath to my man George Bettison my best
ffustian dublitt my best [??] a paire of shooes Item I give to my godsonne
Leonard Burton my workday dublitt a paire of britches and one paire of
shooes The rest of my goods and Chattells unbequeathed my ffuneral expences
defraid and discharged I give and bequeath to Katherine Scatchard my loving
wife and I make the said Katherine my wife sole Executor of this my last
will and testament [duly?] [??] I have putt into the hands of Richard Branson
of ffarneley xx [?pounds] four ye [behoofe?] of Elizabeth Scatchard and the said
Richard Branson hath made me an assignement forth of one [tenement?] [where she?]
doth now [dwell?] in for the differance thereof unto the said Elizabeth my sonnes daughter
my full minde meaning and will is that the said benefit shall come to the benefit of
Katherine my wife and Christopher Scatchard my brothers sonne or their assignes [??]
if she die before the aige of xvi yeares These being witnesses Marmaduke fflatherd [?Scatchard]
Thomas Manson Et [??] die Septembris Anno dui [?...?] fortis [??]
[??] fuit Adminnistrato [??]
[??] Katherine Scatchard vidue [?…?]
I have attached clips of the bits I can't quite make out - I hope I've covered all the relevent bits.
The latin part at the bottom I assume is stating that Leonard's wife Katherine was granted administration.
I suspect the
fflatherd is a mis-copying of Scatchard, and which makes me wonder if Marmaduke may be related to Leonard, possibly another brother? I am also assuming here that the image of the will I have is actually a copy of the original made when admistratioin was granted.
I recently came across A treatise of testaments and last wills, fifth edition, by Henry Swinburne, a Judge of the Prerogative Court at York, whilst researching a phrase from a previous will. This looks to be a very interesting book, and I will certainly be getting a copy when funds permit. Looking for the "
filial child portion" brings up a lengthy treatise on the custom within Yorkshire.
