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From: (Reedpcgen)
Subject: Re: Tomlinson, Elizabeth PART I
Date: 07 Apr 2001 00:21:51 GMT
References: <20010406200052.27177.00004331@ng-ch1.aol.com>


I again checked the administration of Elizabeth Tomlinson.

Edward Bagley's given name is clearly abbreviated as " E d r o ~ ". The "r" is
clearly written, the "ro" is definitely NOT a "w" and the final abbreviation
mark looks just like "~". Annie questioned this, but she was in error on this
point. I had Neil Thompson look at it too, and he agrees completely that the
handwriting is clear and distinct. It is an "r" not a "w".

Now, as to PCC administrations. Charles Hansen did not err, as has been
claimed. He stated in his article [p. 37] that the administration act read
"nepoti ex matre" and explained that it meant nephew through his mother.
"Edward Bagley, nephew ex sister" was taken from the printed abstract of PCC
administrations, which Charles clearly and directly cited to at that point.

Marc Fitch, who abstracted all the PCC administrations 1631-1648 [469 pages of
over 40 entries on each page], is extraordinarily experinced with probate
records. He abstracted it as "neph.ex sis." because that is the more common
Latin phrasing one encounters [nepoti ex sorore; and nepoti ex fre'] and he was
being editorially consistent. But he is thoroughly knowledgeable of the usage
in the PCC (though not this specific problem) and rendered it as nephew, not
grandson.

I looked at a large number of original administration acts in the PCC today to
be certain I was not in error. When "nepoti" is intended to mean "grandchild"
the term "ex filia" [etc.] is always used. For instance,

The administration of Margery Transome, widow, of Henley on Thames, was granted
to her granddaughter [neptis ex filia Margerie Transome] Rebecca Pratt, but
temporarily to Rebecca Pratt's mother Martha Pratt during her minority on 18
Jan. 1647 [f. 5].

The administration of John Blewet, IN FLEET PRISON, St. Bride, London, was
granted [adm. d.b.n.] to his grandson ex filia (son of Cassandra Blewett, who
was wife of Thomas Skipwith) on 29 Nov. 1647 [f. 159].

The usage in the PCC at this time is distinct. And Ken, note that an
administration was granted in the above case even though the deceased was a
prisoner at the Fleet.

Paul


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