| abettor, abetter |
One who abets, or incites, aids, or encourages another to commit a crime. The legal form of the word is abettor. |
| adz, adze |
An ax-like tool with an arching blade at right angles to the handle ground from a base on its inside to an outer edge, used for dressing wood, etc. |
| alien |
To make over (as property). Alienee: one to whom property is transferred. |
| ancient |
In law: having twenty, thirty or more years continuous existence; used specifically in cases of defective proof; as, an ancient boundary. |
| Anne, Lady |
Queen of Great Britain 1702-1714, daughter of James II |
| Anno Domini |
A. D. |
| approbation |
To approve; sanction |
| archangel |
An angel of high rank |
| batting |
Cotton sheets prepared for use in making quilts |
| bbl |
An abbreviation used for barrel (1 barrel equals 31-1/2 gal) |
| behoof |
Advantage, profit |
| behoove |
To be necessary, proper, or advantageous; to be necessary, fit or proper |
| bolster |
A long pillow or cushion extending the full width of a bed |
| capite |
Tenant in capite or tenant in chief; formerly in England, one who held land immediately of the king. According to the feudal system, all lands in England were considered as held immediately or mediately of the king, but the tenants, however, were considered as having the fee of the lands and permanent possession. |
| capitation |
A direct uniform tax imposed on each head |
| card |
To comb or open as wool, flax, cotton, etc. with a card for purposes of cleansing it of extraneous matter; separating the coarse parts and making it fine and soft for spinning. |
| caske |
Casks of large sizes called tierces, pipes, butts, tuns, etc. do not hold any fixed quantity - quantity usually marked on them. |
| chain |
In general, a measuring instrument of 100 links used in surveying; a unit equal to 66 feet |
| clerk, Cl. |
A man who can read & write; a man of letters; a scholar (archaic) This would apply to the court person whose name appears at the end of Wills and other court documents. |
| cock |
The style or gnomon of a sundial (one inventory list showed 1 brass cock and sun dial) |
| consort |
Wife of the deceased |
| cooper |
One whose occupation is to make and repair barrels and casks of various kinds |
| coulter |
A knife in the form of an iron blade or sharp edged wheel, attached to the beam of a plow to make vertical cuts in the soil & facilitate the work of the plow share. |
| court of record |
A court whose acts and jusicial proceedings are written down for permanent keeping |
| coven |
Agreement |
| covenant |
To agree. A written agreement or promise - usually under seal between two or more parties |
| cruet |
A vial or small glass bottle; particularly one used on the table for holding vinegar oil, etc. |
| crupper |
The loop in a harness passing under the tail; also a similar strap attached to a saddle |
| cryer, crier |
A person who shouts out announcements of news, court orders,etc. |
| crying |
Calling for immediate notice or remedy |
| dedimus |
A writ to commission private persons to do some act in place of a judge, as to examine a witness |
| demise |
The conveyance of an estate; transfer of the sovereignty to a successor; a cessation of existence or activity; death |
| depute |
To appoint as a substitute or agent to act for another |
| devise |
A gift of real property by Will |
| devolve |
To pass (on) to another; said of duties |
| dimity |
A light weight cotton fabric with fine twills much used for dresses; also a stout cotton fabric used for upholstering |
| do |
Abbreviation for ditto |
| dog (dogg) |
Simple mechanical device for holding, gripping or fastening consisting of a spike, rod or bar; andiron. |
| dr |
An abbreviation for debtor; also for doctor |
| dsp |
Died without issue |
| ejecon (ejection) |
To throw out; cast out |
| ell |
A former measure of different lengths; used chiefly for measuring cloth; an English ell was 45 inches |
| emoluments |
Gain, profit, advantage |
| entayle (entail) |
To restrict (property) by limiting the inheritance to the owner's line descendants or to a particular class thereof; to impose, involve or imply as a necessary accompaniment or result |
| enure (inure) |
Use, custom. To accustom; to accept something undesirable. |
| escuage |
In feudal law, a kind of tenure by Knight service, by which a tenant was bound to follow his lord to war. |
| evite |
To show; to avoid (archaic) |
| evitation |
The act of avoiding |
| everse |
To overthrow or subvert (obs) |
| extents |
Valuation (as of land) in Great Britain, esp. for taxation; a writ giving a creditor temporary possession of his debtor's property. |
| eye |
The hole in the upper millstone through which grain passes; also a loop of metal or thread |
| flax |
A plant; flax seeds are used to make linseed oil; fibers of the stem are spun to make linen thread. |
| fizgig |
Also called fishgig; an instrument for catching fish at sea consisting of a staff with barbed prongs |
| gaol (jail) |
British variant of jail |
| garret |
A room or unfinished part of the house; just under the roof (in one Will, that's where some slaves were housed) |
| gimlet, gimblet |
A small boring tool with a handle at right angles to a shaft having at the other end a spiral pointed cutting edge |
| hackle, hatchel |
To separate coarse part of flax or hemp from the fine by drawing through the teeth of a hackle or hatchel. |
| hereditament |
Hereditable property |
| hereditable |
Capable of being inhereited or of passing by inheritance. |
| hogshead (hhd) |
A large barrel or cask, especially one containing from 100 to 140 gallons; also a liquid measure, especially one equal to 63 gallons (52-1/2 imperial gallons) |
| hone |
A stone of very fine grit usually of a slaty composition; used to sharpen cutting tools; esp razors; also called a whetstone |
| howel |
A plane with a convex sole used by coopers for smoothing the insides of barrels and casks |
| quit-rent |
A fixed rent payable to a feudal superior in communication of services - a fixed rent due from a socage tenant |
| imprimis |
In the first place; among the first things |
| indefeazable (indefeasible) |
Not capable of being annuled or voided or undone |
| indemnified. |
Unharmed. To secure against loss or damage |
| indemnified letter |
One that rents or leases; such as a farm-letter |
| livery |
The act of delivering legal possession of property; the feeding stabling and care of horses for pay; ones retainers or retinue; the apportioning of previsions, esp. to servants |
| inter-alia |
Among other things |
| joynture (jointure) |
An estate settled on a wife to be taken by her in lieu of dower; a settlement on the wife of a freehold estate for her lifetime |
| kersey |
A kind of coarse light-weight woolen cloth, usually ribbed with a cotton warp |
| last |
A mold or form of the human foot made of wood on which shoes are built or repaired (later lasts were made of iron) |
| let |
A hindrance; obstacle; impediment; delay: used commonly only in the legal phrase, "without let or hindrance" |
| letter |
One that rents or leases |
| let out |
To lease or rent out |
| lett suit |
One document refers to "lett suit trouble" meaning trouble with the ownership of the property (not wishing to have any) |
| levy |
To arrange (a fine) in settlement of a suit to establish title to land |
| livery of seizin |
The putting of a person in corporal possession of a freehold by performing some ceremony before witnesses which clearly places the party in possession |
| manumit |
To set at liberty, free; to release from slavery |
| manumission |
Set free; being freed from slavery |
| moiety |
A half; one of 2 equal parts; as moiety of an estate |
| noggin |
A small mug or cup |
| nuncupative |
To declare orally; oral-not written: especially of Wills |
| outcry |
A public auction |
| pence |
Monetary unit of Great Britain; 12 pence equals 1 shilling, 240 pence equals 1 pound. |
| peremption |
A defeat; a quashing; non suit |
| peremptorilly |
Absolutely, positively; in a decisive manner |
| pestle |
A club-shaped implement for pounding or grinding, stamping or pressing. |
| piggin |
A small wooden dipper; also a small wooden pail with a long handle |
| pole |
A varying unit of length, esp. one measuring 16-1/2 feet |
| pone |
In old English law, a writ whereby an action pending in an inferior court might be removed for trial to a superior one; a writ whereby a sheriff was ordered to take security of a man for his appearance at a specified time. |
| porringer |
A small metal vessel for porridge, etc., esp. one for child |
| pottle |
Formerly a liquid measure equal to a half gallon; a pot or tankard having this capacity |
| pound (£) |
Monetary unit of Great Britain; equal to 1 sovereign, 20 shillings |
| £.s.d. |
Librae solide denarii - stands for pounds/shillings/pence. (you will find these symbols at the top of all columns in estate inventories) |
| provender |
Dry food for livestock; to provide with food; to feed; to fodder |
| reap |
A small bundle of grain |
| refractory |
Stubborn, obstinate, hard to manage (used in reference to slaves) |
| relict |
Widow |
| riddle |
To separate or sift as grain from the chaff |
| remise |
To give, grant or release a claim to: deed |
| rod |
Equal to 16.5 feet |
| rundlet |
A small barrel or cask of varying capacities (archaic); the amount of liquor contained in this an old British liquid measure usually taken as equal to about 18 wine gallons (archaic) |
| scimitar |
A saber made of a curved blade with the edge on the convex side and used chiefly by Arabs and Turks (in one Will it was left to his son). |
| seize |
To vest ownership of a free hold estate; seizer: one that seizes; seizure: to take possession of person or property by legal process |
| seizin |
To seize. In law: possession, specifically possession of a freehold estate |
| shilling |
Monetary unit of Great Britain; one shilling equals 12 pence; 1/20th of a pound; written, i.e.: 15/ = 15 shillings. |
| shoat |
A young hog |
| shuck |
The covering shell or husk of corn; to shuck (corn) is to remove the outer covering. |
| sickle |
Cutting tool consisting of a crescent-shaped blade with a short handle used for cutting down tall grasses & weeds |
| skein |
A quanatity of thread, silk or yarn wound in a coil (in one inventory it was spelled scains) |
| socage |
A tenure of land by agricultural service fixed in amount and kind or by payment of money rent only and not burdened with any military service. |
| specie |
A form of payment in gold, silver or other coin as distinguished from paper money |
| spider |
A frying pan, originally one with attached legs for use over an open fire |
| steelyard |
A balance or scale consisting of a metal arm suspended off center from above: object to be weighed is hung from the shorter end, & a sliding weight is moved along the graduated longer end until whole arm balances. |
| subjoin |
To add at the end; to add after something has been said or written; to append (as an item subjoined to a Will) |
| suite (suit) |
Suite is archaic form of suit. Action to secure justice in a court of law; attempt to recover a right or claim through legal action |
| suithold |
In feudal law, a tenure granted for attendance and services rendered a superior lord |
| tallow |
The harder and less fusible fat in cows, sheep, etc; it is used to make candles, soap, etc. |
| tobo |
An abbreviation used for tobacco |
| traces |
Either of two straps, chains, etc. connecting a draft animal's harness to the vehicle drawn |
| truss |
A bundle of hay, especially one of a certain weight (usually 50-60 pounds) |
| truss hoop |
In nautical usage, a hoop round a yard or mast to which an iron truss is fixed (this is the only definition I could find for "trus hoops" which was listed in an inventory). |
| unfeignedly |
Sincere |
| viz or vizt |
An abbreviation for videlicet meaning: That is to say; namely |
| voc vin |
Voc stands for vocative (haven't figured out what vin is) |
| wafer |
An adhesive disk of dried paste with added coloring matter used as a seal. |
| William, III, King |
King William III, b. 1650; d. 1694 of small pox; addressed Parliament on 31 Dec 1701. King of Eng. 1689-1702 |
| &c. |
Latin for et cetera; meaning: and others; and so forth; (can be found at the end of all early Wills) |
| / |
Symbol used to indicate shillings, i.e. (15/) |
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