Shippe Amitie/Amity 1650-62
Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2012 2:44 pm
I have a question for you people who are knowledgeable about seafaring history. There is also an exercise in deciphering for anyone who wants to give it a shot.
I have posted in the gallery the will of William Menchim, made on the 16 of August 1652. I think this link will take you to it: http://talkingscot.com/gallery/albums/u ... l_1652.pdf
After much thought and googling of legal terms I have adjusted the transcription I got from another researcher to something I feel is closer to what it actually says. I'm fairly happy with everything except the word [now] in square brackets towards the end. Can't think what else it could be that both makes sense and works with the handwriting. Note that in this hand 'c' often looks like 'r' and 'e' often looks like 'o'. There are also a number of other letters that come across in an unexpected shape, but those are the main troublemakers.
Here is what I have:
The sixteenth day~
day of August one thousand six hundred fifty two
Wee whose names are here under
subscribed were present and heard ~~~~ William Menchim
seaman aboard the good Shipp called the Ametie declare his
last will and testament unto Richard Darte of the same Shippe
seaman (videlicet) that if it shall please God to take my life away
in this service that then I will give unto you the said Richard
Darte all my Estate and you to pay all my debts, only my wages
I desire you to see it paid unto my Aunt and that she shall
dispose of the same equally unto my brother and sisters and also
the said Richard Darte, did in our hearing and presence bequeath
all his estate unto the said William Menchim if it had bin his fortune
to have dyed In testimonie of the truth hereof we have hereunto
sett our hands the day and yeare first above written. The signe of
Robert Bennett John Dale
The first day of October in the
in the year of our Lord God One thousand six hundred fiftie
and two A commission issued forth to Richard Dart principall
Legatarie named in the above written nuncupative will of the
said William Menchim deceased to administer the goods chattles
and debts of the said deceased according to the tenor and effect
of the said will ffor that the said deceased therein named [now?]
Executor the said Administr being first legally sworne truly and
faythfully to administer the same.
Now here comes the question for the seafarers:
In the threedecks.org website, there is an entry for the ship 'Amity' purchased by the Royal Navy in 1650. The ship is listed as present at the Battle of Plymouth on 16 Aug 1652, the exact day that the will above was made.
http://threedecks.org/index.php?display ... ip&id=3036
According to various sites I have found, there were no ships lost at that battle, but many casualties, including Michael Packe, the captain of the Amity.
Is this the same ship to which William Menchim and Richard Darte belonged? The coincidence of the date of the battle and the date of the will is very compelling. I would assume that it might be normal for the seamen to write their wills just before engaging in a battle. Is this a correct assumption?
I know this was a long time ago but does anyone have any idea if/where one could find existing ships lists for this time period? I'm interested in any of the Amity's voyages between 1650 and 1662 (by the later date I know the man I am interested in was elsewhere.) The website lists:
1650 Part of the Winter Guard - Supporting the Army in Scotland
1651 Part of Sir George Ayscue's squadron sent to Barbados
1652/08/16 Present at the Battle of Plymouth
1653/02/18 Present at the Battle of Portland
1653/06/02 Present at the Battle of the Gabbard
1654/09 Part of Robert Blake's squadron for the Sea
1655/04/04 Present at the Battle of Porto Farina
1659 Part of British Baltic Fleet under Lord Edward Montagu
1665/06/03 Present at the Battle of Lowestoft
1666 Re-classed as a 38 gunner
1666/06/01 Present at the Four Days Battle
1666/07/25 Present at the St James Day Battle
All suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks!
Sarah
I have posted in the gallery the will of William Menchim, made on the 16 of August 1652. I think this link will take you to it: http://talkingscot.com/gallery/albums/u ... l_1652.pdf
After much thought and googling of legal terms I have adjusted the transcription I got from another researcher to something I feel is closer to what it actually says. I'm fairly happy with everything except the word [now] in square brackets towards the end. Can't think what else it could be that both makes sense and works with the handwriting. Note that in this hand 'c' often looks like 'r' and 'e' often looks like 'o'. There are also a number of other letters that come across in an unexpected shape, but those are the main troublemakers.
Here is what I have:
The sixteenth day~
day of August one thousand six hundred fifty two
Wee whose names are here under
subscribed were present and heard ~~~~ William Menchim
seaman aboard the good Shipp called the Ametie declare his
last will and testament unto Richard Darte of the same Shippe
seaman (videlicet) that if it shall please God to take my life away
in this service that then I will give unto you the said Richard
Darte all my Estate and you to pay all my debts, only my wages
I desire you to see it paid unto my Aunt and that she shall
dispose of the same equally unto my brother and sisters and also
the said Richard Darte, did in our hearing and presence bequeath
all his estate unto the said William Menchim if it had bin his fortune
to have dyed In testimonie of the truth hereof we have hereunto
sett our hands the day and yeare first above written. The signe of
Robert Bennett John Dale
The first day of October in the
in the year of our Lord God One thousand six hundred fiftie
and two A commission issued forth to Richard Dart principall
Legatarie named in the above written nuncupative will of the
said William Menchim deceased to administer the goods chattles
and debts of the said deceased according to the tenor and effect
of the said will ffor that the said deceased therein named [now?]
Executor the said Administr being first legally sworne truly and
faythfully to administer the same.
Now here comes the question for the seafarers:
In the threedecks.org website, there is an entry for the ship 'Amity' purchased by the Royal Navy in 1650. The ship is listed as present at the Battle of Plymouth on 16 Aug 1652, the exact day that the will above was made.
http://threedecks.org/index.php?display ... ip&id=3036
According to various sites I have found, there were no ships lost at that battle, but many casualties, including Michael Packe, the captain of the Amity.
Is this the same ship to which William Menchim and Richard Darte belonged? The coincidence of the date of the battle and the date of the will is very compelling. I would assume that it might be normal for the seamen to write their wills just before engaging in a battle. Is this a correct assumption?
I know this was a long time ago but does anyone have any idea if/where one could find existing ships lists for this time period? I'm interested in any of the Amity's voyages between 1650 and 1662 (by the later date I know the man I am interested in was elsewhere.) The website lists:
1650 Part of the Winter Guard - Supporting the Army in Scotland
1651 Part of Sir George Ayscue's squadron sent to Barbados
1652/08/16 Present at the Battle of Plymouth
1653/02/18 Present at the Battle of Portland
1653/06/02 Present at the Battle of the Gabbard
1654/09 Part of Robert Blake's squadron for the Sea
1655/04/04 Present at the Battle of Porto Farina
1659 Part of British Baltic Fleet under Lord Edward Montagu
1665/06/03 Present at the Battle of Lowestoft
1666 Re-classed as a 38 gunner
1666/06/01 Present at the Four Days Battle
1666/07/25 Present at the St James Day Battle
All suggestions gratefully received.
Thanks!
Sarah