Palaeography

Palaeography is the study of old handwriting. I have recently completed two 10-week courses learning to interpret documents in a style of handwriting known as Secretary Hand.

Secretary Hand was commonly used in the sixteenth and seventeenth century. At first sight the pen and ink squiggles look utterly confusing. However with practice and guess-work it becomes possible to read old parish registers, Wills, inventories, letters and other documents. This is then a very useful skill for local and family historians.

On the basis that practice is a good thing, we begin a new series in the Journal, starting with a Poor Law document from Stanford Rivers dated 1598.

The Care of the Poor in Elizabethan Essex

This is the title of an item written in ‘The Essex Review’ in 1953 by county archivist Frederick Emmison, and is further reading should you wish to follow up Martyn Lockwood’s talk to the High Country History Group last November. On one page is a form or template of a vagrants’ certificate from “Stanford-riuers” in 1598. It appears in ‘Examples of English Handwriting, 1150-1750’ written by Hilda Grieve, another one-time employee at the Essex Record Office, originally published in 1954 and still a standard text for students of palaeography.

The following is a transcription. Palaeographers will set out the document using a new line in the transcript for each new line in the original document. They will copy as faithfully as possible the spelling of the original putting in square brackets any added letters. It is also standard practice to provide footnote references explaining difficult or unusual words.

So here goes ….

1
The forme of the certificate
2
giuen to the vagrant poore taken
3
and punished at Stanford-riuers
4
To all xpian people vnto whome this present wrighting shall app[er]taine
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be it knowen that whereas T.M. borne as him selfe confesseth in L.
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in the county of D. was taken at Stanfordrivers in the county of
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Essex vagrantly wandring contrary to her Ma[ies]ties law in that behalfe
8
p[ro]vided and then and there suffered such punishment as in the sayd
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statute is appoytnted for such offenders. wee the minister and Constable
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of the towne aforesayd by those present[es] dismiss and direct the sayd
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T.M. to travell the neerest and readyest way to the place aboue
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named. Allowing and limitting him to the accomplishment of that his
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iourney the space of [blank] dayes next ensueing the date hereof.
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Yeoven &c.
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The names of such vagarant
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persons as haue received pu-
17
nishment and certificate at
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Stanford riuers.
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1598

Hilda Grieve provides a note that the document was intended to be used as a guide for officers in Stanford Rivers and was entered in the Parish Book.