Thanks Judith. The problem is that the copy of the will supplied to me was not in grey scale either. I agree it would have been easier if it were. I've had another reply off list quoting an 1842 book about the Two Sicilies which says that officials used Neapolitan Ducats but merchants used the oncia (ounce) divided into 30 Taris, which in turn were divided into 20 grains. An Oncia was worth about 10shillings in English money - ie about half one English pound. That's in 1842 values. Christopher Judith Werner wrote: > Hi Chris. > > The sum is actually Thirteen rather than Fourteen. > > This would have been easier to read had it been scanned on photo or > grayscale setting instead of black and white. The latter turns every > pixel into either black or white -- no shades of gray -- so you lose a > *lot* of detail. > > Perhaps it's all you have but I thought I'd mention it so people know > to use grayscale/photo setting whenever possible. > > cheers, > > Judith Werner > Salt Lake City, Utah, USA > Administrator, OLD-ENGLISH-L > http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~oel/ > > > > | This is the will of Benjamin Ingham, made in Palermo in 1861 and > proved > | there but then proved again in London in 1871. This is from the > London > | copy. The extract reads: > | > | Article 6 > | > | I give and bequeath to Don Frederico Ascenso e Spadafora Duke of > Santa > | Rosalia another son of my said Wife by her first husband and to the > said > | Don Gar??olo and Don Domenico Ascenso e Spadafora the sun of Fourteen > | thousand and twenty eight o??nces ten tazi and ten grains (?) in the > | proportion between them as hereinafter stated and with right > f ------ > | ------ between them in case that any one cannot or will not accept > the > | present legacy and with the positive prohibition of not being > | susceptible of ?????? not assignment nor even of being ?????ed. to > wit > | ??? first ??? Duke of Santa Rosalia the sum of four thousand /Ounces/ > in > | usufruct only to be enjoyed for the whole term of his natural life > the > | Ownership in reversion I give and bequeath to his daughter Donna > | Francesca Ascenso Duchess of ______ wife of Don > | > | The extract is posted at: > | http://www.cmr1chards.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/transcription.htm > | > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > >