Genealogy Chat

Have just downloaded from NA online, a Will dated 1598 and although it it isn't in Latin it IS in Olde English which I am having trouble reading (plus the small writing doesn't help with my bad eyes!). I can make out a few odd words here and there but that's about it. I'm normally pretty good with old writing but this style is very different to any I've seen to-date. Does anyone out there know of any Will Reading services available to us researchers? Grateful for any advice!

I'll have a go. Will send a message Sheila

Thanks, Sheila!

Hi If you care to contact me with an email address and you have facilities to scan the will and send it as an attachment, I will run it through an enhancement program for you to see if I can improve the image and may be able to help out with the translation Regards Paul

That's very nice of you Paul - thanks. I have the Will saved onto my computer but I have just tried to send it to Sheila and it bounced back. I will gladly try emailing it to yourself to see if it manages to go through - do you want to PM me with your email addie? Many thanks!

Athena I see you have offers to look at the old will for you, but a really good magnifying glass can help with, shall we say eyes that do not see quite as they used to! I do find that I have to use my magnifying glass more and more these days, or is it just that the print is getting smaller!! Seriously, a magnifying glass and just try picking out the words you can read, getting the gist with a skim and scan of the document, whatever it might be, copying out the words you do understand and returning now and again to fill in odd words that you find fit in. Over a few days the document can take shape. I see that you understand olde English so if the words were much bigger, you may find that easier. I know that I have found that this does usually work. I wonder if this is just the docs from TNA that causes problems, as I have a will only from 1846 downloaded from TNA and found it almost impossible to read, but did eventually get to grips using the above method. But it did take me a week of looking and relooking. Other 1600/1700+ Wills and Docs that I have from CRO's have caused me no trouble whatsoever. Janet

Hi Janet Thanks for your input. Yes, that is the method I usually use for transcribing Wills - have had a few difficult ones - e.g.one from Scotland that was 4 pages long!! Took me a couple of weeks to work my way through that one and there are still gaps in every other sentence where the words were illegible. But the one I downloaded yesterday has a particularly unusual flowery style to it and the lines are all cramped together and very small writing. I did manage to decipher a few words here and there but it was making me cross-eyed in the end haha! Yes, I do need to get myself a decent page magnifier - will put that on my list as it might help, like you say. Sheila is having a look at it for me at the moment so I'll wait and see what bits she can read and add it to what I can read...and together we might be able to put some of the sentences together. Thanks again for your comments Regards Athena