My new passion and frustration is reading pre-1600 English handwriting. I'm getting better at it. This the will of my 13th great-grandfather Edmund Lewkenor who died on 11 March 1545 at Tangmere, Sussex, England. The will reads: "In the name of God Amen, the ffirst day of March in the yere of our Lord God a Thousande fyve hundreth ffourtie ane four, and in the xxxvth yere of the reigne of our soveraigne Lord Henry the eight by the grace of God King of Englande Ffrance and Ireland Defender of the faith and in ?? of the Church of England and also of Ireland supreme head, I Edmund Lewkenor of the parishe of Tangmere in the Countie of Sussex, Esquire, being sick of body and perfecte of mynde and memory make this my last will and testatment. Ffirst I bequeath my soule unto almighty God Our Lady Saint Mary and to all the holy company of hevyn, my body to be buried in the parishe of Boxgrave nygh unto the place where my father and mother be buried. Item I bequethe to the mother churche of Chichester vi s. [shillings] xi p [pence]. Item I bequethe to the parishe Church of Boxgrave xi s. iii p. [etc.]
You'll note the spellings differences and when the numbers revert to roman numerals. Standard abbreviations for money are used as well. It takes me a while to get used to the script and then you can dig it depending on how sharp the image is from the microfilm.
It's fun to read these old wills and deeds. I think the ??? is "earth" as it would better read, "and in earth supreme head of the church of England and also of Ireland" instead of "and in earth, of the church of England and also of Ireland, supreme head"
Posted by: Pjnwy123 | 10/08/2012 at 03:41 PM