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Words used in a Welsh will - 1771

A. Muse

A. Muse

LostCousins Member
I have just purchased a digital copy of a will from the National Library of Wales, and as it is 7 pages long it is going to take some time to decipher. Although not important to my question the families involved are Gwynn, Rice and Matthias in Cardigan.

Most wills I have come across start with something like 'being of sound mind', however this will starts 'being of................mind memory and understanding'.

The missing word is a long one and looks as if it starts with a 'D' and ends 'ing', it could be Disf(long S) or a p and eving. Could it be deserving?

Any thoughts please?
 
A. Muse said:
The missing word is a long one and looks as if it starts with a 'D' and ends 'ing', it could be Disf(long S) or a p and eving. Could it be deserving?

Any thoughts please?
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The one that stand out from the Thesaurus consulted looking for a synonym for 'Sound' that meets most of your criteria is 'discerning'. Not sure how that plays out at the start of a Will - being of discerning mind (,) memory and understanding - but perhaps more deserving than deserving!
 
I've just looked through my little collection of Welsh wills and found two which have: 'being of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding'.
 
Sorry hadn't realised I could up load ...Doh! Helen I think your 'disposing is the right word.
 

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Started to battle with the will and I am wondering if anyone with a better knowledge of handwriting than me can assist with the words that I have ringed, Please. Many thanks, Barry.will extr.jpg have ringed
 
I read the text as follows (with your ringed words underlined):

I Give Devise and Bequeath unto my servant Maid Mary Mathias Widow as well in Justice as I think myself bound through Gratitude for all her Diligence and Trouble to enable her to live the better while I am no more All that the Bedstead Feather bed Blankets Sheets Curtains and all other the appurtenances that shall be upon or belonging to my bed at the time of my Decease together with the folding Table and Cane Chair thereunto belonging.
 
Helen7 said:
I read the text as follows (with your ringed words underlined):

I Give Devise and Bequeath unto my servant Maid Mary Mathias Widow as well in Justice as I think myself bound through Gratitude for all her Diligence and Trouble to enable her to live the better while I am no more All that the Bedstead Feather bed Blankets Sheets Curtains and all other the appurtenances that shall be upon or belonging to my bed at the time of my Decease together with the folding Table and Cane Chair thereunto belonging.
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Quite remarkable Helen, apart from deciphering 'servant' before Maid, the rest was totally unintelligible. The next time I am similarly challenged I shall not who to come to.
 
Bob Spiers said:
Quite remarkable Helen, apart from deciphering 'servant' before Maid, the rest was totally unintelligible. The next time I am similarly challenged I shall not who to come to.
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I seem to have had a lot of practice reading old wills. Happy to help if you (or anyone else) have trouble deciphering these in future.

EDIT: I did draw the line at one will written entirely in Welsh - though even then I could pick out the names, and googled some of the words to work out relationships like 'sister' and 'wife' and generally worked out the gist, as it were.
 
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Helen7 said:
I seem to have had a lot of practice reading old wills. Happy to help if you (or anyone else) have trouble deciphering these in future.
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That's very generous of you Helen.
I don't know how I came across this website about transcribing wills, possibly from another LC discussion! I'd forgotten about it until now, it's in my lengthy list of Genealogy bookmarks.
Even you may find it useful.:)
 
Thanks for posting that link, it should prove very helpful with the next 6 pages (thankfully only 2 more pages full of text).
 
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