Decipher Ink | Company
Decipher Ink
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24.01.2022 William Norton of Sharpenhoe Bedfordshire made his will on the 13th October 1622. He was clearly expecting a little 'friction' after his death regarding the division of his assets... "I give and bequeath unto my daughters Elizabeth and Mary which I had by my former wife twelve pence apiece in full of all which they can or may claim of me in my goods and chattels"...and just to make sure of his wishes, at the end of his will..."[The] overseers thereof I make Matthew Harding and Thomas Brasier to whom I give three shillings four pence apiece entreating and charging my executors to deal faithfully and truly with my said children as they will answer at the dreadful day of judgment.." I think there is a bit of a story there...
23.01.2022 Sir Nicholas Crisp - a man ahead of his time. He left his body to science in 1666 and in doing so, left us a little glimpse at his life (apologies for the poor quality of picture) "I leave my body to the earth whence it was taken in full assurance of the resurrection of it from the grave att the last day; this resurrection I constantly believe my deare saviour Jesus Christ will make happy to me his poore servant. And for my buriall I would have my body opened, that the phisitions [physicans] may see the cause of my soe long shortness of breath to be helpfull to my posterity that are troubled with the same infirmity"
21.01.2022 Ann Feilding, wife of the late Colonel Feilding wrote her will in November 1751 and it was extraordinary. After the standard inclusions beginning with "In the name of God amen" and then her affirmation of a sound mind and her consideration of the transitory nature of life, she decided to include sentences that give a great insight into her personality. "I desire it [her body] may be opened by Mr Hawkins or by some other eminent surgeon and then to be buried in the same grave... with my husband the late Coll: Feilding and that the expense of my funeral shall not exceed the some [sic] of one hundred pounds and I further desire that before my interment my body may be put into a leaden coffin but not be wrapped up in lead and that my coffin may not be screwed or fastened down until the expiration of four days after my death." Unusual to say the least. Women's wills are often a great source of precious household items, from jewellery to furniture; mourning clothes to "rings in rememberance of me". In Ann Feildings case, among other items, she bequeathed the following: "...unto my grand daughter Isabella Willis my japan’d cabinet now standing in the dining room of my dwelling house and also one pair of my silver candlesticks. I give and bequeath unto my grand daughter Bridget Willis my small diamond ring that is in the yellow box above mentioned and also one pair of my silver candlesticks..." And in case anyone had forgotten, at the end of her will she reiterated: "I desire when I am dead to be opened and my bowells put in again" What to make of all this gothic morbidity? I can only surmise that Mrs Ann Feilding was terrified of being buried alive.
19.01.2022 In 1643 John Ridgeway signed his name as witness to a will. His tentative letters remind us that our ancestors didn't often sign their name. I hope he was rightly proud of his result.
18.01.2022 Thank you Liz for the opportunity to shed some light on the will of James Reid from 1806. A Scottish will, from a legal family, however James left poignant instructions regarding his wife and sister "...that they shall continue to live in family together, I being firmly persuaded that the assistance of my said sister in the care and management of my children will be conducive to their interest & my wife's comfort..." The scribe made this will difficult to read as he used an unusual symbol for '&' and many latin legal terms used only in Scotland. He also joined words together when they should have been separated! Nevertheless, Liz was pleased as she had been wanting to know what was in this will for 20 years!
14.01.2022 We can only assume he died happy.... [burial] "A man that died in the street by the beerehowses the same daye"
10.01.2022 You just can't make this up.... Throwley 3 Sept 1738 John, infant s[on] of Catherine Smith married woman, by the Brandy Running Miscreant called Kingston Jack, not her husband bap[tised].
10.01.2022 I thank the clergyman who left us this very specific burial place for one of his parishioners ... "Mr Sampson Cotton was buried in the south ile by the quire betweene the two pillers goeing into the chancell 21 July 1635"
06.01.2022 It seems appropriate to remind people of the benefits of social distancing.... plague...
04.01.2022 https://www.facebook.com/AncestryAUS/posts/10155997387076411
04.01.2022 400 years later, you really have to feel for Mrs Mary Lee, wife of Parson Simon Lee.... it's surprisingly rare for a testator to mention an unborn child in a will, especially when it is not his own. "I give to Elizabeth Lee the wife of Simon Lee parson of Beaconsfield thirty pounds of current English money. Item, I give to Henry Lee, to Francis Lee, to Mary Lee, to Anne Lee, to Elizabeth Lee, to Jane Lee, to Fardina Lee, to Walter Lee, to Edward Lee and to Margaret Lee the sons and daughters of Simon and Elizabeth Lee twenty pounds of lawful money of England to be equally divided among by forty shillings a piece, and to the child or children wherewith she now goeth and is very great [with child], forty shillings a piece".
