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I have largely transcribed the 1840 Will of my 4th great grandfather William Symons of Helston in Cornwall but there is one word which eludes me and it appears twice.

It looks to me like etus and I have included two images of it and some surrounding words for context below.

I think this says "benefit for ever etus I do appoint"

enter image description here

and I think this says "and forty now accounts annexed etus"

enter image description here

(the "and forty" bit is the end of the year 1840 being spelled out and the next line starts "this deponent further made oath")

Is there a word (like) etus that is likely to appear on an 1840 Will from Cornwall?

1 Answer 1

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It's "And" with a capital "A" !

Your "s" is clearly(?) the same as the "d" in "and"

Your "u" could just as easily be an "n" - these are notoriously easy to confuse.

Your "et" is one letter, "A" - the second "etus" is actually clearer that the "et" is one letter.

It doesn't help that they omit punctuation, does it?

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  • Many thanks - had not considered they might start a sentence with And (and no full stop preceding) - but that fits perfectly now that you have pointed it out.
    – PolyGeo
    Dec 10, 2013 at 10:59

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