Post by Cornish Terrier on Jul 28, 2007 10:37:10 GMT -5
"Why is everybody always picking on me?" - (Charlie Brown - The Coasters, 1958(?))
The 1644 Will of JOHN BUSSE of Zennor is probably one that stuck out in my mind when I mentioned the 'handwriting' side of this conversation.
It was written in an almost precise type of handwriting which is much different to much I have seen in Wills.
I have seen a few, particularly early, Wills where the writing is almost obviously that of the Testator because it looks as if that particular person has just about 'run out of oxygen'.
But many of these Wills are, although still difficult to read, so neat that there is definitely, to me, a suggestion that it was not the Testator who wrote it, particularly if it was written within a few days of the Testator's demise.
Therefore I believe many were written by someone else and as dictated by said Testator.
(Should take into account 'cold, dark nights' I suppose )
Now - by 'copies' - I was not referring to the likes of your later 'Clerk's Copies'.
If he/she could write I was inferring that the Testator may have written down a 'list of bequests' from which was written the 'actual Will' (to be signed) by someone of trust.
Any Will where the Testator signed with a 'mark' must, obviously, have been written this way (but, in this case, by dictation).
As for the 'Preamble' - many Wills have extremely similar preambles. In fact, similar enough to point towards some sort of 'form'.
"I (Joe Bloggs) of the Parish of (Narnia) being sick in body but sound of mind etc."
It is this type of thing that suggests to me it was only the 'guts' of the Will that was provided by the Testator.
AS FOR NOWADAYS - I decided to write my Will prior to going overseas in 1994 and it was my intention to use something similar to 16th/17th Century 'preamble'.
In the end it did not happen because I was finalising separation with my wife and also finalising details and preparations for my eight-month trip to New Zealand, Cornwall and America.
When I revise that Will I may just do what I originally intended.
As for that DAVY WILL
I have been wondering about the inclusion of Philip Quick d/o Thomas Quick.
Be interesting to find someone else's transcription or abstract to see if there are any differences.
More to do.
The 1644 Will of JOHN BUSSE of Zennor is probably one that stuck out in my mind when I mentioned the 'handwriting' side of this conversation.
It was written in an almost precise type of handwriting which is much different to much I have seen in Wills.
I have seen a few, particularly early, Wills where the writing is almost obviously that of the Testator because it looks as if that particular person has just about 'run out of oxygen'.
But many of these Wills are, although still difficult to read, so neat that there is definitely, to me, a suggestion that it was not the Testator who wrote it, particularly if it was written within a few days of the Testator's demise.
Therefore I believe many were written by someone else and as dictated by said Testator.
(Should take into account 'cold, dark nights' I suppose )
Now - by 'copies' - I was not referring to the likes of your later 'Clerk's Copies'.
If he/she could write I was inferring that the Testator may have written down a 'list of bequests' from which was written the 'actual Will' (to be signed) by someone of trust.
Any Will where the Testator signed with a 'mark' must, obviously, have been written this way (but, in this case, by dictation).
As for the 'Preamble' - many Wills have extremely similar preambles. In fact, similar enough to point towards some sort of 'form'.
"I (Joe Bloggs) of the Parish of (Narnia) being sick in body but sound of mind etc."
It is this type of thing that suggests to me it was only the 'guts' of the Will that was provided by the Testator.
AS FOR NOWADAYS - I decided to write my Will prior to going overseas in 1994 and it was my intention to use something similar to 16th/17th Century 'preamble'.
In the end it did not happen because I was finalising separation with my wife and also finalising details and preparations for my eight-month trip to New Zealand, Cornwall and America.
When I revise that Will I may just do what I originally intended.
As for that DAVY WILL
I have been wondering about the inclusion of Philip Quick d/o Thomas Quick.
Be interesting to find someone else's transcription or abstract to see if there are any differences.
More to do.