In the 1747 PCC will of Miriam WITTS, widow, of Aldbourne, Wilts., she made the following bequest: "Item I do give and bequeath unto my said daughter Joan Smith my alembick and my Riding Hood" In my Concise Oxford Dictionary I have found the following entry for "alembic" 1. hist., an apparatus formerly used in distilling 2. a means of refining of extracting The WITTS family lived next door to the George Inn on the Green in Aldbourne but I don't know if they were involved in the running of it. The family were fustian weavers and manufacturers and Miriam also bequeathed her callendar house. Would anyone have any idea what kind of apparatus an alembic was and how it was used? Was it used for distilling drink or for something used in the callendaring process? Julia Hunt --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.690 / Virus Database: 451 - Release Date: 22/05/2004

Hello Chris, I have again done a full transcription as it works better for me that way - especially as I am 2 screen working at the moment....... 1. I com[m]itte bodie to the ground and my 2. my soule into the handes of allmightie to my only 3. saviour in Jesus christ from all my sins secondlie 4. my wordlie estate I geve and bequeth as Followeth 5. I geve to my sonne Edward Busbye xxvli. Itm I geve 6. to Averie one of my godchildren a sheepe Itm I geve 7. {everie one of - struck through} to the parishe church of {Wescot - interlined} Barton xs 8. Itm I geve to my sonne Edward a pan w[hi]ch lieth at 9. Will[ia]m Busbeis, and also I geve unto the said my sonne 10. Edward my full land to wit the third part of the 11. Yard Land w[hi]ch I occupie when he shall come to 12. Lawfull Ye[a]res and in the meane time to be in the occu 13. pac[i]on of my weif xpian Bushbey, and if my sonne 14. Edward shalll dye w[it]hout yssue I will that my land 15. after my sonnes deceased and his mothers {remaine - interlined} to Walter Heiden 16. Itm I make my wife xpian Busbey my whole and 17. last will and testam[en]t {witne - struck through} witnesses whose names are 18. subscribed {May 1619 - interlined} (Richard Gregson . Phillipp Turn[e]r his 19. marke Sampson Offield his ma[r]ke . {Moreov[er] my - struck through} 20. {detters Richard one - struck through} Moreov[er] I will that if my sonne 21. Edward Busbey die before he come to lawfull ye[a]res 22. his porcon remaine to his mother my onelie ex[ecu]trix of this 23. my last will and testament May jo [primo] 1619 {? - illegible} 24. witnesses hereof Phillipp Turn[er] his m[ar]ke Joan Chadpelle 25. hir m[ar]ke my detters Richard Kinge oweth me xxs Thomas 26. {Tho - struck through} Pachett oweth me xxvs Richard Coleman oweth me 27. xls w[hi]ch I freelie forgive./ I hope that this is of use, Best regards, Martyn Chris Bartlett <woodcom@ihug.co.nz> wrote: Hello everyone Thanks to anyone I may have missed replying to for the help with Agnis Bartlett's will. The will of John Busby of Westcott Barton in Oxfordshire is quite short compared to hers but there are more queries here as the writing and some words seem to be beyond my present abilities despite a lot of looking. I have placed it at the following web address and would appreciate some help in sorting it out. http://www.angelfire.com/bc3/woodcom/page20.html I have not included transcriptions for pieces crossed out except for the possible word at the beginning of line 6 which seems to start with the name of the Godchild I cant read in line 5 regards Chris Bartlett ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== Going away for a while? Don't forget to UNSUBSCRIBE! OLD-ENGLISH-L-request@rootsweb.com

> >> Mr. or Master was considered a title and was not conferred >> on one and all as it is now, denoting in those days a member of the minor >> gentry or similar status.) or someone wealthy and important in his own community, by his employees or inferiors. > It could be expected at that date that the >> spelling of a name could vary within a document but not >> indicate any change >> in the relationship or the name of the person. > >It was my impression that "Master" was so styled of the heir apparent Only in Scotland. This is rather different. >. So the >eldest son of the Lord of Balfour would be called Master Balfour. No, the Master *OF* Balfour -- Eve McLaughlin Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society

I have forgotten quite what period we are talking about but Mr was the mark of a gentleman. In the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries you tend to see it only being used with reference to landed gentry (at least in the rural areas, not so sure about towns) but the post restoration period you get an increase in attorneys and surveyors and superior traders and the like using it as well. Lyn B

Hello everyone Thanks to anyone I may have missed replying to for the help with Agnis Bartlett's will. The will of John Busby of Westcott Barton in Oxfordshire is quite short compared to hers but there are more queries here as the writing and some words seem to be beyond my present abilities despite a lot of looking. I have placed it at the following web address and would appreciate some help in sorting it out. http://www.angelfire.com/bc3/woodcom/page20.html I have not included transcriptions for pieces crossed out except for the possible word at the beginning of line 6 which seems to start with the name of the Godchild I cant read in line 5 regards Chris Bartlett

Audrey Now that you've mentioned Jane Austen, did you know that her childhood friends were the Digweeds of Steventon Manor, perhaps you did? Charles -----Original Message----- From: norman.lee1 [mailto:norman.lee1@virgin.net] Sent: 28 May 2004 08:49 To: OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [OEL] DIGWEED Hello All Remember your Jane Austen and other contemporary writers. Women tended to refer to their husbands by their surnames in and around the 18th century e.g. Mrs. Bennet referred to Mr. Bennet and addressed him while in their own home as Mr. Bennet. It was very common to leave out the christian name when referring to relatives and, if they did not have a title, just the surname would be used. (Mr. or Master was considered a title and was not conferred on one and all as it is now, denoting in those days a member of the minor gentry or similar status.) It could be expected at that date that the spelling of a name could vary within a document but not indicate any change in the relationship or the name of the person. Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Bartlett" <woodcom@ihug.co.nz> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 7:13 AM Subject: [OEL] DIGWEED > Hello All > > It was actually the surname. I don't know why a first name was not used > in the will but "Digwed" is the husband of "Alice Digweed" > > There were several in the area but if the IGI is anything to go by the > name was more prominent in Berkshire > > regards > Chris Bartlett > > > > > > "....by Digwed her husband twelve pence ....." (not two pence) > > Thank you, I did see this > > > > > What a lovely name for a husband! My guess is that the modern development > > of the name is David - following a g-y shift in some local dialect. Any > > other offers? > > > > Gordon Barlow > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > > To contact the list administrator: > > OLD-ENGLISH-admin@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > Going away for a while? > Don't forget to UNSUBSCRIBE! > OLD-ENGLISH-L-request@rootsweb.com > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== Going away for a while? Don't forget to UNSUBSCRIBE! OLD-ENGLISH-L-request@rootsweb.com

Hello All It was actually the surname. I don't know why a first name was not used in the will but "Digwed" is the husband of "Alice Digweed" There were several in the area but if the IGI is anything to go by the name was more prominent in Berkshire regards Chris Bartlett > > > "....by Digwed her husband twelve pence ....." (not two pence) Thank you, I did see this > > > What a lovely name for a husband! My guess is that the modern development > of the name is David - following a g-y shift in some local dialect. Any > other offers? > > Gordon Barlow > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > To contact the list administrator: > OLD-ENGLISH-admin@rootsweb.com > > >

In a message dated 5/28/2004 3:48:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time, norman.lee1@virgin.net writes: > Mr. or Master was considered a title and was not conferred > on one and all as it is now, denoting in those days a member of the minor > gentry or similar status.) It could be expected at that date that the > spelling of a name could vary within a document but not > indicate any change > in the relationship or the name of the person. It was my impression that "Master" was so styled of the heir apparent. So the eldest son of the Lord of Balfour would be called Master Balfour. Comments? Will Johnson

Well, maybe, Sandra - or at least Da'ood or something like it... In any case, you are assuming the pre-Christians of Britain had no name anything like "David". That's a rash assumption, I think. I am suggesting (not assuming) that there might have been such names, and that conceivably Digwed's predecessors (whatever they were) might have been among them. Gordon > NOT ! David is a biblical name, after all. (Sounds like a surname used as a > forenmae.) > > SANDRA LOVEGROVE > > > > "....by Digwed her husband twelve pence ....." (not two pence) > > > > > What a lovely name for a husband! My guess is that the modern development > > of the name is David - following a g-y shift in some local dialect. Any > > other offers? > > > > Gordon Barlow > > > > ______________________________ > >

Hello All Remember your Jane Austen and other contemporary writers. Women tended to refer to their husbands by their surnames in and around the 18th century e.g. Mrs. Bennet referred to Mr. Bennet and addressed him while in their own home as Mr. Bennet. It was very common to leave out the christian name when referring to relatives and, if they did not have a title, just the surname would be used. (Mr. or Master was considered a title and was not conferred on one and all as it is now, denoting in those days a member of the minor gentry or similar status.) It could be expected at that date that the spelling of a name could vary within a document but not indicate any change in the relationship or the name of the person. Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Bartlett" <woodcom@ihug.co.nz> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, May 28, 2004 7:13 AM Subject: [OEL] DIGWEED > Hello All > > It was actually the surname. I don't know why a first name was not used > in the will but "Digwed" is the husband of "Alice Digweed" > > There were several in the area but if the IGI is anything to go by the > name was more prominent in Berkshire > > regards > Chris Bartlett > > > > > > "....by Digwed her husband twelve pence ....." (not two pence) > > Thank you, I did see this > > > > > What a lovely name for a husband! My guess is that the modern development > > of the name is David - following a g-y shift in some local dialect. Any > > other offers? > > > > Gordon Barlow > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > > To contact the list administrator: > > OLD-ENGLISH-admin@rootsweb.com > > > > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > Going away for a while? > Don't forget to UNSUBSCRIBE! > OLD-ENGLISH-L-request@rootsweb.com > >

NOT ! David is a biblical name, after all. (Sounds like a surname used as a forenmae.) SANDRA LOVEGROVE Researching LOVEGROVEs in all places and at all times. Please do visit the LOVEGROVE Information Centre on http://www.lovegrove.org.uk ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon Barlow" <barlow@candw.ky> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: 24 May 2004 16:41 Subject: Re: Will of Agnis Bartlett of Aston Oxon 1609 > > "....by Digwed her husband twelve pence ....." (not two pence) > > > What a lovely name for a husband! My guess is that the modern development > of the name is David - following a g-y shift in some local dialect. Any > other offers? > > Gordon Barlow > > ______________________________

In message <000601c442d4$76e585f0$5b00010a@pcpowerhrhqxek>, Gordon Barlow <barlow@candw.ky> writes >> "....by Digwed her husband twelve pence ....." (not two pence) >> >What a lovely name for a husband! My guess is that the modern development >of the name is David Digweed is a perfectly valid surname - I knew an Eric Digweed at University. -- Eve McLaughlin Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society

It seems likely that the Patriarch of the Stourton Family was a leader of the church or the church council, or a major benefactor, and that his coat of arms were included for that reason. The phrase seems to be an offer of services and advice to non-believers or to those who question the death and resurrection of Christ or to the belief of their own pending death and resurrection. I agree that the family coat of arms motto would not be the same as this motto of the Church. It could be true that Council or Counsel was intended and either would be appropiate as an offer of assistance or advice. It would be interesting to know if the Stourton coat of arms included any religious icons. Sincerely, James E. Hargraves In a message dated 5/26/2004 5:14:28 AM Pacific Standard Time, roy.cox@btinternet.com writes: Another thought from a list member: "Council (to those who) Question (the) Pass Over". I am very inclined to go along with this last offering because it seems to fit the occasion, even though the arms of Stourton, I am told, are not related, that motto being different anyway. This now begs the question, "Why are the arms in the same light as the motto in question"?

Good Afternoon again - We seem to have come up against the same problem that I did with this motto but at least there seems to be some concord. I originally had: "I shall stand firm lest [in order that (you) may not] you fall" One reply I had is very close to this and agrees with an earlier suggestion that the spelling of STATERAM may possibly be STATUERAM but STATERAM can be the accusative of STATERA which my adviser considers to be rare word, which being in the object case would need a verb to govern it - which is missing! These are the words of friend who is a classical scholar, but I thought the more opinions the merrier. Another thought from a list member: "Council (to those who) Question (the) Pass Over". I am very inclined to go along with this last offering because it seems to fit the occasion, even though the arms of Stourton, I am told, are not related, that motto being different anyway. This now begs the question, "Why are the arms in the same light as the motto in question"? I thought also that TRANSGREDIARIS may relate to transgression or sin as has also been suggested but my Latin got no further than the dictionary and a couple of verb endings! Kind Regards June & Roy (SANHS Member No 1066) http://www.btinternet.com/~roy.cox/index.htm Just looking at this without resorting to the Latin dictionaries etc, what about transgrediaris being close the English transgression or sin? Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roy" <roy.cox@btinternet.com> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 9:50 PM Subject: [OEL] Latin Translation > Good Evening All > > I have a problem with a Latin motto which appears in the light of a > church that I am writing up the history of. > I wonder if some kind soul can help please? > > "STATERAM NE TRANSGREDIARIS" > > I think the problem lies with the first word which may not be spelt > correctly? > > Included in the same light are the arms of a Stourton family but there > is nothing to suggest that the Arms relate to the motto. > > Kind Regards and thanking you advance > > June & Roy (SANHS Member No 1066) > > http://www.btinternet.com/~roy.cox/index.htm > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > Going away for a while? > Don't forget to UNSUBSCRIBE! > OLD-ENGLISH-L-request@rootsweb.com > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== OLD-ENGLISH Web Page http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/

Good Afternoon All - DIGWEED: Not referred to by PH Reaney in his Dictionary of British Surnames. Penguin's Dictionary of Surnames defines it as being occupational Olde English for "A digger of Weeds" - Oh yes it does! Bowman's "Story of Surnames" does not list it? Kind Regards June & Roy (SANHS Member No 1066) http://www.btinternet.com/~roy.cox/index.htm -----Original Message----- From: norman.lee1 [mailto:norman.lee1@virgin.net] Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2004 11:40 AM To: OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [OEL] Re: Will of Agnis Bartlett of Aston Oxon 1609 Think Digwed or Digweed is a surname which may, of course, have evolved from Davids or Davidson or the like. Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon Barlow" <barlow@candw.ky> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004 4:41 PM Subject: [OEL] Re: Will of Agnis Bartlett of Aston Oxon 1609 > > "....by Digwed her husband twelve pence ....." (not two pence) > > > What a lovely name for a husband! My guess is that the modern > development of the name is David - following a g-y shift in some local > dialect. Any other offers? > > Gordon Barlow > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > To contact the list administrator: > OLD-ENGLISH-admin@rootsweb.com > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== OLD-ENGLISH Web Page http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/

On the other hand, it sounds far more of an occupational surname. Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon Barlow" <barlow@candw.ky> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004 4:41 PM Subject: [OEL] Re: Will of Agnis Bartlett of Aston Oxon 1609 > > "....by Digwed her husband twelve pence ....." (not two pence) > > > What a lovely name for a husband! My guess is that the modern development > of the name is David - following a g-y shift in some local dialect. Any > other offers? > > Gordon Barlow > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > To contact the list administrator: > OLD-ENGLISH-admin@rootsweb.com > >

Think Digwed or Digweed is a surname which may, of course, have evolved from Davids or Davidson or the like. Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon Barlow" <barlow@candw.ky> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004 4:41 PM Subject: [OEL] Re: Will of Agnis Bartlett of Aston Oxon 1609 > > "....by Digwed her husband twelve pence ....." (not two pence) > > > What a lovely name for a husband! My guess is that the modern development > of the name is David - following a g-y shift in some local dialect. Any > other offers? > > Gordon Barlow > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > To contact the list administrator: > OLD-ENGLISH-admin@rootsweb.com > >

Same goes for my house in GB. As far as I can tell, there were many leasehold properties in the 20th century that were for 999 years. I think it may have been a way of massaging the law in order to render it obsolete. I don't think this happens with property recently for sale. As Eve said in another message, there is a difference between tenancy and leaseholding. Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon Barlow" <barlow@candw.ky> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, May 23, 2004 11:50 PM Subject: [OEL] 999 years > > copyhold is normally a perpetual tenancy in a manor, which can be passed > > from father to son or sold too. Leasehold is ownership for a finite > > number of years (often 9, 19, 99 etc, with the rare 250 or very rare > > 999) > > Eve McLaughlin > > > It may amuse Listers to know that the 999-years concept is not dead yet. > When we bought an apartment here in this British Caribbean colony in 1978, > there was no condominiums law or strata law. There was a 999-years' Head > Lease from the owners of the freehold land to a company that owned the 12 > apartments built on it, and a 999-years' Sub-Lease from the company to us. > Ground rent of one dollar Jamaican per year; the J$ was then worth five > local cents, so I gave the landowner a buck to keep him quiet for the next > 20 years. There was a long list of things in the leases telling the lessees > what we could and couldn't do during the last few years before the leases > expired. I hope somebody remembers... Later, when a strata law was > introduced, the landowners wanted us twelve sub-lessees to convert to > strata. But he didn't offer us any decent incentive, so we refused. To the > best of my knowledge the units are still subject to the leases. Only 976 > years to go! > > Gordon Barlow > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > To UNSUBSCRIBE from list mode -- > Send the one word UNSUBSCRIBE to > OLD-ENGLISH-L-request@rootsweb.com > >

Just looking at this without resorting to the Latin dictionaries etc, what about transgrediaris being close the English transgression or sin? Audrey ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roy" <roy.cox@btinternet.com> To: <OLD-ENGLISH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2004 9:50 PM Subject: [OEL] Latin Translation > Good Evening All > > I have a problem with a Latin motto which appears in the light of a church > that I am writing up the history of. > I wonder if some kind soul can help please? > > "STATERAM NE TRANSGREDIARIS" > > I think the problem lies with the first word which may not be spelt > correctly? > > Included in the same light are the arms of a Stourton family but there is > nothing to suggest that the Arms relate to the motto. > > Kind Regards and thanking you advance > > June & Roy (SANHS Member No 1066) > > http://www.btinternet.com/~roy.cox/index.htm > > > > > > > ==== OLD-ENGLISH Mailing List ==== > Going away for a while? > Don't forget to UNSUBSCRIBE! > OLD-ENGLISH-L-request@rootsweb.com > >

> >"STATERAM NE TRANSGREDIARIS" open to various interpretations, but could be a jokey version of don't upset the applecart lit. Do not cross over/tip over the scales/balance. I am kicking around the first word - if it was Stat (something else) ne transgrediaris, it could be Stand firm, don't give way. but I can't make anything else out of something similar to eram. And no, it isn't Stourton (loyal je serai durant ma vie) > -- Eve McLaughlin Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society