Author Topic: what does this intriguing Latin inscription say?  (Read 469 times)

Offline isaglanzer

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what does this intriguing Latin inscription say?
« on: Sunday 03 July 22 08:56 BST (UK) »
Hi all,
It would be wonderful to have some help understanding this intriguing 17th century parish record from Buckland Newton in Dorset regarding my ancestor Theophila Allen. Did her father leave his wife in London while he wandered around?? What is the abbreviation after his name? I'd be delighted with any help
Many thanks! 

Offline GR2

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Re: what does this intriguing Latin inscription say?
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 03 July 22 13:25 BST (UK) »
His name is followed by the word defuncti (= deceased) which is split over the end of the first and beginning of the second line.

Theophila Allen daughter of John Allen deceased (whose wife, travelling [             ] from London and showing a licence granted under the [            ] seal, emptied her pregnant belly here) was baptised on the fourth day of the month of May.

Someone with better knowledge of London/Dorset will be able to fill in the blanks.

Offline isaglanzer

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Re: what does this intriguing Latin inscription say?
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 03 July 22 15:04 BST (UK) »
Wonderful, thanks v much and to anyone who can decipher even more of it. Theophila stayed in Buckland Newton and raised a large family, in fact.

Offline Watson

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Re: what does this intriguing Latin inscription say?
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 03 July 22 15:44 BST (UK) »
travelling from London to "Postill" and showing a licence granted under the seal of "Postill"

I assume that means a settlement certificate issued by "Postill", so it seems to be a parish.

My best guess - and only a guess - regarding "Postill" is that it is a local or corrupted version of Poxwell, a Dorset parish lying a few miles to the south of Buckland Newton.  Poxwell was originally called Pokes Well. 


Offline isaglanzer

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Re: what does this intriguing Latin inscription say?
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 03 July 22 16:57 BST (UK) »
Great thanks - so this was something that happened to people without means of supporting themselves who wanted to move?

Offline Bookbox

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Re: what does this intriguing Latin inscription say?
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 03 July 22 23:55 BST (UK) »
so this was something that happened to people without means of supporting themselves who wanted to move?

Anyone might carry with them a certificate stating that their own parish of settlement would support them if they fell on hard times and needed relief whilst in another parish.

As has been suggested, she was apparently on her way from London towards (versus) ‘Postill’ when she gave birth.

It’s possible that she was being removed under the poor law from a London parish to Dorset. Parishes were always keen to remove unsupported pregnant women (whether widowed or unmarried) to another parish, if they could lawfully do so, to prevent the ongoing costs of maintenance falling on their local rate-payers.

If that is what was happening here (speculation only), ‘Postill’ should have been her late husband’s parish of settlement.