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NOTE:- Letters of Administration: When a person died intestate [i.e. leaving no will] the next of kin or a close friend would often have to apply to the probate court for Letters of Administration to enable them to take possession of and distribute the estate. The term 'estate' refers to the chattels, cash, debts and leases of the deceased. The ecclesiastical courts had no jurisdiction over bequests of freehold property. The applicant had to swear that there was no will, that the applicant would pay all funeral expenses and debts, administer truly, and submit a true inventory and account of his/her stewardship. The inventory itemised the estate held by the deceased, including leases, chattels, debts owed and owing, cash, crops, stocks and slaves. No account of real estate (land) was normally taken in estimates and totals. The Court then granted Letters of Administration and might require the administrator to enter into a bond to administer the estate faithfully, in which case a copy of the act was endorsed on the document. A Bond is a binding agreement with a penalty for non performance. A bond deed is in two parts, the Obligation and the Condition. Before 1733 the Obligation, which records the penalty, was written in Latin. The Condition describes what the bonded person has undertaken to do, or otherwise committed himself or herself to (e.g. administer an estate), and was always in English. This is clearly what we have here. My Latin is not good enough to do a proper translation of the first paragraph so I have confined myself to a summary of key facts to help make sense of the document. |
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In Latin - Rough summary of Key facts: The Condition: The condition is that if the above bounden Jonathan EMES the naturall & lawful sonne of John EMES deceased late of ffordington in the County of Dorset deceased------ and peculiar jurisdiction of Mr. DEANE of Sarum doe well & truly administer the goods chattells and creditts of the said deceased that is to say in payinge his debts if any be due soe farr forth as his goodes chattells and creditts will thereunto extend and the law charge him. Also doe make or cause to be made a true and p'fect inventory of all and singular such goodes chattells and creditts as the said deceased died possessed of and exhibite the same into the Registry of this Court at or before the first day of December next ensuing the date hereof And alsoe make a true and p'fect accompt of and upon his said administration when he shalbe thereunto required And such part and portion of the residue of the said goodes upon such accompt left unadministered shall distribute and dispose in such manner as by the said Mr.DEANE his surrogate or any then competent judge in that behalfe shalbe submitted and appointed And lastly doe now and at all tymes hereafter save defend and keepe harmeles the said Mr DEANE and all others his officers and ministers for granting letters of Administration in this behalf and for all other causes ensuing by reason of the same then this obligation to be voide or els to abide in full force force and vertue Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of Jo: [John] JOHNSON Noti (i.e. latin abbreviation for Notarius - notary) Pubri (Public) Jonathan EAMES signus Johis [i.e. John] WINSOR his mark W An Inventory of ye goods chattles and household stuff of John EAMES late of ffordington deceased taken and praised by Edward EAMES and Henry HOLMAN: ye 17th of November 1662: at ffordington Impremis: one tablebord, ffoure (four) Joyne stooles, one cubbord, and one chayre, praised att: xiijs (13 shillings) iiijd (4 pence) Itm: [i.e. Item] six pewter pottingers, one pewter bole (bowl), one salt, & one Brass Morter, praised att: vis (6 shillings) viijd (8 pence) Itm: [i.e. Item] one Standing Bedsteed, one halfehead Bedsteed, one copher, one fate, and one trendle praised att: viijs (8 shillings) vid (6 pence) Itm: [i.e. Item] one feather Bed, one flukebed, two bolsters, two pooles, one payre of Blankets one rugg, & one coverled praised att: jl(1 pound) vjs (6 shillings) viijd (8 pence) Itm: [i.e. Item] one Standing Bedstead, two Chests, one box, one tablebord, three barrels & one covell (i.e. cover) praised att: vj (6) shillings Viij (8) pence Itm: [i.e. Item] one flukebed,, one ffeather bolster, two feather pooles, one payre of blankets and one Coverled praised att: xiijs (13 shillings) iiijd (4 pence) Itm: [i.e. Item] two payre of sheetes one payre of pillowties and one table cloath praised att: viis (7 shillings) Itm: [i.e. Item] his Wearing Apparrel praised at jl (1 pound) xs(10 shillings) Itm: [i.e. Item] two Brasse pots three kittles and two skillets praised att: jl (1 pound) vis (6 shillings) viijd (8 pence) Itm: [i.e. Item] one Cart, one pull, two paire of wheales, one sull? & two harrows praised att: ijl (2 pounds) iijs (3 shillings) iiijd(4 pence) Itm: [i.e. Item] three horses wth harnis, three cows and one hypher praised att: xiijl (13 pounds) xs (10 shillings) Itm: [i.e. Item] In ye Common ffeild six acers of wheat, nine acers of barly, one halfe acer of ferhes (furze) : And one little stagg of wheate in ye Backside praised att: xxl (20 pounds) Itm: [i.e. Item] one old fate one fatehorse one old trendole wth sum (some) ferwell and other lumber praised att: vj (6)shillings viij (7) pence Genealogical notes:- (1). John Eames was the second of five known children of Thomas & Millicent Eames and baptised at St Georges church in Fordington on 12th January 1586/7. He was churchwarden there in 1635 when he completed the Bishops transcripts for that year. His wife Lucy is not mentioned in the Letters of Administration she died in 1665. (2). Jonathan Eames was his only son being preceeded by a sister Ruth. Jonathan was baptised in Fordington on 14th September 1628 and did not die until 1702. (3). Edward Eames who completed the inventory was his nephew being the son of his younger brother Richard Eames & his wife Alice Sprague - he was baptised in Fordington on Christmas day 1618 and died in 1685. (4). For more information about the family please refer to the biography of Anthony Eames his youngest brother . |