Browne Richard Latin 1674

[BronwenS]

Kia ora

If anyone has the time could they please give me the names and what people were left by Richard Browne any other details that may make it possible for me to connect with the family.

Sorry this is messy so it will be over a number of posts as I had trouble getting it under 500kb. And then under 900 kb per post

Nga mihi
Bronwen

[Bookbox]

It’s not a will. Wills at this date were generally in English.

The marginal heading, which has been cut off your image, shows that this is a Judicial Sentence issued by the probate court to confirm the validity of the nuncupative will of Richard Browne.

Nuncupative (verbal) wills were often delivered close to death and were frequently subject to challenge.

The dispute here is between Joanna/Joan Browne (Richard’s widow) and Edward Browne, a nephew on Richard’s brother’s side. The judge’s decision was in favour of Joan.

The will itself, which is in English and very brief, can be found here. Everything is left to Joan.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D706334

[DRH123]

Bookbox has got there first, so I'll just add that, if you have access to Ancestry, you can also find the will at

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/5111/images/40611_310561-00522

He apparently left everything to his wife, "And lett her doe therewith what she pleaseth"

David

[BronwenS]

Many thanks to you both and the link to the will which I see starts as 'memorandum that? on our about

I am surprised that this is then a will?  Any thoughts on this Bookbox?

Nga mihi
Bronwen
Aotearoa

[Bookbox]

As explained, it's a nuncupative will - dictated verbally, in this case to the Rector of the parish. Nuncupative wills are normally recorded as spoken and therefore do not have the formal structure of a written will.

[BronwenS]

Yes I did get the nuncupative part of it but thought they started off more formally than this.

many thanks
Bronwen
Aotearoa.