Help reading 17th century document?

Flicka

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I'm currently working on a project set in the second half of the 1620s and I'm using a real person as one of my MCs - James Wadsworth who I mentioned earlier in one thread on here. Thing is, I'm a little stuck in my research since I'm having trouble deciphering certain words in a handwritten document from around 1628. In some cases I just can't make out a certain word, and in some cases (names especially), I think it's the combo of the handwriting and creative 17th century spelling (for example, the writer gives "Gondomar" as "Gundymore" and "Dover" and "Calais" as "Dober" and "Callis" which is fine when he's talking about something you're familiar with). I've made out most of the 4 pages I have, but since I need to know exactly what the Duke of Buckingham did or did not do, and exactly who James was hanging out with in Paris, I get stuck when I can't make out those pesky single words.

So, is there anyone on here with mad old-handwriting-reading skillz who might consider helping me out? I'd be happy to put up select sections I'm particular confused about too if you all want to give it a go.
 

Chris P

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I read a facsimile of the original King James bible, and I was really confused who this Dauid guy was. All his cavorting with Bathsheba must have pissed of David.

Oh, wait. . .
 

Flicka

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I read a facsimile of the original King James bible, and I was really confused who this Dauid guy was. All his cavorting with Bathsheba must have pissed of David.

Oh, wait. . .

Ha. Not to mention that I keep reading the 's' in facsimiles as 'f' because that's what it looks like. :p

Randomly, the James Wadsworth that shines through in his writings reminds me eerily of Captain Jack Sparrow, personality-wise. I need to either temper him and turn him into liklier hero material or write this something like the Flashman books. Or a mix?
 

Flicka

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Also, just to give you a hint about what you'd be looking at, here's a snippet of the document:



Link to larger version.

As far as I have been able to make out, it says:

"_ for the same. and that Doctor Mayster _ some privately to the Duke of Buckingham _ about it, and one Mr Clarke of the Bedchamber was sent by the duke for the said Doctor to _ thereof _. But divs of the Captaines _ were intercepted by the said Clarke and others, who delivered them to the said Doctor Mayster..."

Supposedly Wadsworth was an agent of William Laud's (at least that's what he says and what Laud apparently believed) and in Paris in 1626 to spy on the exiled Catholics there and their dealings with Spain and France. Since he'd been brought up a Catholic in Spain, he had free access to the house of the Spanish ambassador where he met several people, among them a Doctor Master at Sorbonne (according to his printed autobiography), that I think is given as Doctor Mayster in the remonstrance. Someone snatched Wadsworth's reports to England and delivered them to Doctor Master, leading to Wadsworth's exposure and eight months of imprisonment. The Clarke mentioned in the remonstrance is probably an Edward Clarke (who was of the Bedchamber), who was Buckingham's go-between in his contacts with the French Huguenots.

But what does it say happened? I really want to figure out those few remaining words!
 
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benbenberi

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I'm out of practice, and I was always better with French hands than English, but if you want more eyes on your doc shoot one to me & I'll see what I can make of it.

The sample you posted reads to me:
And that Doctor Mayhew should come privately to the Duke of Buckingham to treate about it, and one Mr. Clarke of the Bedchamber ___ sent by the Duke for the said Doctor to treate thereupon [?]. But div’s of the Captaines letters were intercepted by the said Clarke and others, who delivered them to the said Doctor Mayhew
 

Flicka

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I'm out of practice, and I was always better with French hands than English, but if you want more eyes on your doc shoot one to me & I'll see what I can make of it.

The sample you posted reads to me:
And that Doctor Mayhew should come privately to the Duke of Buckingham to treate about it, and one Mr. Clarke of the Bedchamber ___ sent by the Duke for the said Doctor to treate thereupon [?]. But div’s of the Captaines letters were intercepted by the said Clarke and others, who delivered them to the said Doctor Mayhew

TREAT! Of course. Duh! But I really tried to make it "the Caiptaines letters" because it's what it should say, and I really couldn't see that. But then I'll roll with that. Thank you so much. And interesting with Mayhew, because he gives him as Master in the printed source so I never looked to cloesly at it in the handwritten source. I wonder if he decided to use an alias for print?

Would definitely appreciate your help (especially with the names).
 

benbenberi

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It's possible that the name is "Master" rather than "Mayhew" - it looks like "Mayhew" to me, but there's not that much difference between them in 17c script, & if he's called "Dr. Master" in other sources that's probably who he is.

If you want me to look at more, drop me a PM. Happy to help if I can.
 

SkyAzurePublishing

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As Wadsworth is a real historical character, there may be an academic Wadsworth expert out there who would probably be familiar with this text and be happy to discuss it. Historians love talking about history - find out who the world's top expert on Wadsworth is and drop them a cheeky email. You never know!

Have tried looking briefly for a transcribed collection of his correspondence but unfortunately there doesn't seem to be one. PhD project there for someone perhaps!
 

snafu1056

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All I know is that the S that looks like an F is called a medial S. It was used when an S was the first letter of a word or in the middle.
 

Raula

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I had the same issue when I went to view facsimiles in my local archive, for around the same period. It is very frustrating, especially when the ink has blurred and the handwriting is small. These pesky lords of Renaissance times really didn't think about us poor amateur historicans, did they?

Let me know if you find a way of deciphering the letters. I'd be interested in going back to the archive and having a second go.