Is there a way to post this document so that others can view it. I think it would be
interesting. Anita
-- GeneZub(a)aol.com wrote:
Bruce:
<< Where can I view an example of William's handwriting? I assume you have
an example from your statement. Could you JPEg me something? >>
I have a superb, lengthy example of William2's handwriting from the Rhode
Island Historical Society's manuscript collection--much clearer than his
entries in Rehoboth records. The page, however, is oversized, and to scan it all,
I'll first have to go to the copy shop and make a copy of reduced size. In
the meantime, I'll send you a partial copy that includes the statement that
the original document is "in the hand and Custodie of mee William Carpenter of
Rehoboth" and that he made the copy for William Carpenter of Pawtuxet (one of
four parties of the second part including William of Rehoboth) for his
"ashourance."
<< First you doubt that William could write at all and then you tell me
below that you have examples of his handwriting and he was Town Clerk. >>
No, I doubt that William1 ("ye elder," as he is described in Thomas
Wisemans's will) could write and am certain that Wiseman's inventory is in a hand
other than that of William2 (whom you had proposed as the one who wrote it).
<< Then you mention the third person in the inventory who appears to have
been Wiseman's "wife." She certainly didn't pen the document. >>
I have yet to see an inventory in which one of the appraisers is a woman,
let alone the decedent's widow. As executrix or administratrix, she would
swear to its accuracy, but that's all. It was a conflict of interest for anyone
who stood to receive a portion of the decedent's estate to participate in its
itemization/valuation. But more to the point, Wiseman's wife was named
Elizabeth (see his will). The reference to the third appraiser, which you read
as "wife," is a forename beginning "ruf-" or "rus-"
(lower-case "r"); the
surname, immediately below and slightly to the left of this, ends "-ptan,"
perhaps "-uptan."
<< If people like Pearson were perfectly capable of scripting a will, why
coult't they script an inventory? Why does there have to be someone else? >>
I never said there had to be someone else. I said it could just as easily
have been someone else as one of those who took the inventory.
<< However your implied point that the calligrapher might have been William
Carpenter Sr. is well taken. >>
I implied no such thing. I contended that the William Carpenter named with
vicar Rowland Hill in 1628 as Thomas Wiseman's overseer was also the church
warden of that name ("Crpener" or, more likely, "Crpentr") who had
signed by
mark the 1628 glebe terrier, and that this was William1. Implied (if I
didn't say it outright) was that inventory-taker William Carpenter was the same
man. I don't believe for a moment that either William1 (who couldn't write)
or William2 (whose handwriting is significantly different) penned the
inventory.
<< Thanks for your reference to "the elder." I had missed it entirely.
This
would indicate the the inventory "William Carpenter" could be William sr.
>>
It strongly suggests that the William Carpenter named as one of the three
appraisers was "the elder" (i.e., William1), named in the Wiseman will; it
indicates nothing as to who wrote the inventory.
<< The "Glebe Terriers" individual was probably not a William Carpenter.
>>
You were quite content to think so until now. If you've altered your
interpretation so as to argue that there's no evidence that William1 was
illiterate, it would help prop up your newly adopted notion that it was William1
Carpenter (rather than William2, your initial choice) who wrote the inventory.
More important, it would remove a major conflict with your Wikipedia pieces
claiming that William1 had been a scribe at Culham Manor Court before arriving at
Shalbourne. But you can't have it both ways: William1 could not have
written the inventory AND have been the Culham man: the inventory's handwriting is
hardly that of a scribe. And if William1 was illiterate, as the glebe
terrier indicates, you don't have it either way: he was neither the Culham scribe
nor the writer of the inventory.
Sorry, Bruce, but I'm going to bed. I'll send you the scan tomorrow.
Gene Z.
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