Will help

[Asa]

I don't suppose anyone fancies having a go at transcribing a 1573 will for me? I'm struggling...

[kiterunner]

Is it in English or Latin, Asa?

[Asa]

English - I should be more used to it but finding this difficult.

[Asa]

It would help if I said which one it was in case anyone wants to have a look - FMP Oxfordshire wills, William Crutchfeild South Stoke 1573.

[kiterunner]

I'll have a go at it, Asa.

[Asa]

Thank you, Kate. I'd appreciate that.

[Phoenix]

Not volunteering a complete transcription, but the bits I can read are okay.

Are there any lines you are struggling with?

[Phoenix]

Whew, I see Kite got there first!

[Asa]

Thanks Phoenix, I could manage bits here and there but really wasn't making a good enough stab of it to ask someone to fill the blanks in. *Ashamed*

[Phoenix]

I find that it's the Victorian handwriting that I can't cope with.

I can read a Tudor hand, but the spelling sometimes defeats me. Words like "neve" (nephew) and "inioie" (enjoy) took me ages to puzzle out.

[Asa]

I've been looking at dozens of Stuart and a few Tudor ones of late (all those Crutchfield ones to start with) and am mostly managing ok but this is a different style than those I'm used to and there's no original to help.

[kiterunner]

Page 1:

In the name of God Amen the xiiiith daye of July in the xiiith yeare of the Rayine of our Soverayne Ladye Elizabh by the grace of god Queene of Englande France and Irelande Defender of the Faith I Willm Cruchefylde of the parishe of South Stoke w'hin the countye of Oxforde, beinge sicke in bodye, but parfytt in remembrance thanke be given unto allmightye god doeth ordaine make this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme followinge First I doe bequeath my soule unto allmightye god my maker and redemer and my bodye to be buried where yt shall please my executors ???? Itm I give unto my mother churche iiid Itm I give unto my parishe churche of Southe Stoke one busshell of wheate And I give unto Chakendon churche a busshell of barlye Itm I give unto my godson Willm Chouchfylde the sonne of Harrye Crouchefylde one lambe to be delivered the nexte yeare after my deathe Itm I give unto Willm Elyat my godson iiiid Itm I give unto Willm Wydmore mye godsonne iiiid Itm I give unto Jone clarcke my god daughter iiiid Itm I give unto Elizabethe Frewen my god daughter iiiid Itm I geve unto Harrye Crouchefylde my Eldest Sonne fyve Sheepe to be delivered when the executorshipe is owte by custome to be drawen by the discretyn of my overseers Itm I give unto the same Harrye my Sonne one Silver Spone a Maser wth Silver aboute the edge a broche and a lattyn bason wch came by his mother Itm I give more unto the same Harrie my Sonne two pewter platters neither of the best nor of the worsts one payre of Canvas Sheetts neither of the best nor of the worste Itm I give more unto the same Harrie one donge pott wth the wheles that belongethe unto him and one ploughe and ploughe yeare, and all that belongethe unto a ploughe to be delivered when the executorshippe is owte by custome ITm I geve more unto the same Harrie my Sonne wth(?) locke and keye And a bedsted and a bedsted ?????????? and the table in the halle Itm I geve unto Griffith Crouchefylde my Sonne thre pounds six shillings eight pence of good and lawfull monie of Englande to be delivered

[kiterunner]

Page 2:

unto the handes of my overseers to the use of the saide Griffithe when the executors yeare is uppe Itm I give unto Harrie Crouchefylde my yongest Sonne sixe poundes of good and lawfull monie of Englande to be delivered when the executors yeare is uppe as is aforesaide to my overseers Itm I give unto Willm Crouchefylde my Sonne sixe poundes thirtene shillings foure pence of good and lawfull monie of Englande and my best irne bounde Carte to be delivered unto my ovrseers as is aforesaide, Allso I will that all the legacies of monie and goodes wch I have geven unto Gryffyn my Sonne and Harrie my yongest Sonne and Willm my Sonne shall not be delivered unto them untyll they come to the full age of twentie one yeares apece, And yf yt happen that annye of the saide thre children happen to dye before Either of theme cume to his age of XXItie yeares then I will his parte to be devided to the other two lyvinge and yf they dye all three then I will that theire legacies of them shall be equally devided betwixte Jone my wyffe and Harrie Crouchefylde my eldest Sonne. The residewe of all my goodes moveable and unmoveable my dettes payed and my legacies fullfylled I give unto Jone my Wyffe whom I doo ordaine and make my wholle executrixe of this my last Will and Testament Allso I doo ordaine and appointt Harry Crouchefylde my brother and Willm Paslowe my overseers of this my last Will and I give unto everie one of them for theire paynes iis apece The Dettes wche I doo owe Itm unto Woodcote Chappell Xiiis iiiid These bearinge wytnes Willm Frewen Harrie Crouchefylde and Willm Paslowe wth others.

Then the probate stuff is in Latin *hurries away*

[kiterunner]

It looks to me as though he had two sons named Harry and a brother of the same name. Confusing!

[Asa]

Thank you SO much, Kate - didn't expect it so soon. I'm finding this family so difficult to sort out and sift through all the same named men with sporadic PRs. I think for example there are two Griffins with children named Matthew William Frances and Mary. This is a great help thanks

[Phoenix]

I think that this is an exaple of the "maser":

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=mazer&tbm=isch&imgil=5LBokzAU9pZLoM%253A%253BCLOM6rFEtD-AIM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.robin-wood.co.uk%25252Fshop%25252Flaburnum-mazer-5%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=5LBokzAU9pZLoM%253A%252CCLOM6rFEtD-AIM%252C_&usg=__80036O-O2MgASGKfKhSLxnjX23w%3D&biw=1280&bih=613&ved=0CD8Qyjc&ei=4ry2VKuaMefW7AaUlIGwCg#imgdii=_&imgrc=5LBokzAU9pZLoM%253A%3BCLOM6rFEtD-AIM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.robin-wood.co.uk%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F07%252Flaburnum-mazer.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.robin-wood.co.uk%252Fshop%252Flaburnum-mazer-5%252F%3B450%3B300

[kiterunner]

Thanks, Phoenix. I've edited my post to put the word in.

[Asa]

Thanks Phoenix. Be interesting to see if I can find that in any of the other wills.