Now! Then! The will of James Bean of Aldbrough (Holderness), proved today, frees and provides for his ‘mulatto’ daughter Nancie on Jamaica

Excerpt

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Whereas I am possessed of and entitled to one mulatto girl named — and known by the name of Nancie begotten on the body of a negro woman of mine named —- and known by the name of Euba residing upon my plantation estate in the parish of Hanover in the said island of Jamaica —- I do hereby give —– and discharge the said mulatto girl called Nancie of and from all duty slavery and service which she owes to me and of and from all —- and title power and authority whihc I have over or in her and all the —- and —- of her body begotten or to be begotten on the body of the said mulatto girl named Nancie and I will that the said Nancie all all the —– of her body shall forever hereafter be free and at her own will and disposal and further my will is that the said mulatto girl named Nancie shall have a very genteel maintenance with all —– whatsoever allowed her at the expense of my said Jamaica estate and my desire is that said Nancie shall have a good dwelling house built for her on my Jamaica Estate at the expense of the owner of my said Jamaica estate and the said Nancie to live peaceably and quietly in my said estate without any molestation whatsoever or —- for and during the — of her the said Nancie’s natural life in ——- to her and not otherwise provided that —-

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

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Comment

I’m struggling a bit with the transcription of the relevant passage, bounded by red squiggles.

What happened to Nancy? Was Euba (elsewhere: Cuba) dead, or did she not merit liberation?

Via the UCL Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery

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Original

Whereas I am possessed of and entitled to one mulatto girl named — and known by the name of Nancie begotten on the body of a negro woman of mine named —- and known by the name of Euba residing upon my plantation estate in the parish of Hanover in the said island of Jamaica —- I do hereby give —– and discharge the said mulatto girl called Nancie of and from all duty slavery and service which she owes to me and of and from all —- and title power and authority whihc I have over or in her and all the —- and —- of her body begotten or to be begotten on the body of the said mulatto girl named Nancie and I will that the said Nancie all all the —– of her body shall forever hereafter be free and at her own will and disposal and further my will is that the said mulatto girl named Nancie shall have a very genteel maintenance with all —– whatsoever allowed her at the expense of my said Jamaica estate and my desire is that said Nancie shall have a good dwelling house built for her on my Jamaica Estate at the expense of the owner of my said Jamaica estate and the said Nancie to live peaceably and quietly in my said estate without any molestation whatsoever or —- for and during the — of her the said Nancie’s natural life in ——- to her and not otherwise provided that —-

252 words.