Genealogy Chat

see below:

Just found some fascinating old wills on the web - they are very long and very detailed - REALLY interesting - below is just a tiny bit from one which totals up the items left by one gentleman (husbandman) in 1602. - i.e. debts, Oats, Hay, Cattle, coins, gold, hens, cows etc... (I really LOVE the 'one littell silver spoone)!! The whole list was about 10 times as long - How much does it add up to ??? Itm in debts as appeareth by bylls ________________ ciiij£ xijS iijd Itm Otes at calshawe ___________ xlviijS Itm hey there ____________________xS Itm in cattell there _______________xv£ in all xj --- Itm one colt there _______________ xxS Itm in coyne ___________xvij£ viijS vjd Itm in gold ____________________ xxS Itm one littell silver spoone________iijS Itm in pullen as hennes &c____vijS viijd Itm two calve hydes_____________ xxS Itm in hemps[eede] ______ ____vjS viijd Itm one cowe and the hyre of her ___ xlS Sum tot --- cccxiij£ xviijS jd Dea x

you are only as old as you feel. But looking at that lot makes you wonder how much it all added up to . The kids of today don't know what the value of money is. Helen

I take it that you have missed a few lines out? Many years ago I transcribed some of the [amusingly named] Free and Voluntary Present. To check that I hadn't missed any names out, I would add the lists up. I found it slightly worrying that the originals often didn't add up, yet there were no nasty marginal comments. As an accountant, I can only be grateful that we moved away from roman numerals and adopted the decimal system. (Though once you get your brain engaged, it is easy to add up all those 3s 4d and 6s 8d)

Yes Phoenix, I have missed out more than a few lines - more like a few pages !! Go on then - can anyone translate the sum total at the bottom from roman numerals into £ s. d. for my ??? - I can work it out myself from there.!! Dea x

cccxiij£ xviijS jd 100 100 100 10 1 1 £312 17-/ j??

All I can say is that you got a hell of a lot of 'goods + chattels' to the £1 in 1602. Dea x

£1.6s & 2p............just a guess..LOL..MOE!

I think in 1602 cultlery was still not provided by your hosts and you had to bring your own! Therefore I'm betting a silver spoon was quite valuable!

I think it is: £313.18s.1d. My age is showing ;-)) Carol

Beat me to it Carol. Mick

I seem to remember reading about old wills in one of the magazines a few months ago. The confusing digit is the 'j'. Read this as an 'i' and it all makes sense. Apparently the final or only 'i' in a number was always written as a 'j'. Therefore £313-18s-1d would appear correct. Derek.

Thank you Derek - It was the 'j' which was really throwing me - I do not like unsolved mysteries!! - Now it is all clear. (Clever Carol also obviously also knew the secret ! ) Thanks all, Dea x