Scottish Testaments

Before the early nineteenth century testaments registered in Scottish commissary courts concerned movable property only. Most testaments were either a testament testamentar (where the deceased made a will) or a testament dative (where the ceceased died intestate).

Typically testaments consisted of an introductory clause, and inventory and a confirmation clause. Testaments testamentar normally also contain a letter will or some other expression of the testator's intent regarding the disposal of movable goods.

If an addition or adjustment had to be made (usually where additional movable goods were discovered after the original testament had been confirmed), this was often done in the form of an eik.

For a fuller description of the testamentary process, see our tutorial on 18th century testaments.

Testaments
poser 338 - Dumfries register of testaments
poser 362 - Testament of George Anderson, 1667
poser 384 - selection of dates taken from testaments of Orkney and Shetland Commissary Court, 17th century
poser 320 - Testament dative, 1700
poser 323 - 17th century Orkney testaments
poser 363 - Testament of Christina Stewart of Glenmorvern, 1832

Inventories
poser 351 - Inventory of Jaques Matone, merchant in Amsterdam, 1652
poser 297 - Inventory of Kathren Murchie, 1663
poser 349 - Inventory of Elspet Clark, 1664
poser 395 - Account of the expenses at a funeral in Aberdeen, 1727
poser 298 - Inventory of William Robertson, 1802
poser 299 - Inventory of Adam Ferguson, 1816

Confirmations
poser 350 - Confirmation clause from the testament of Euon oig M[a]cTavis, 1676

Eiks
poser 289 - Eik, 1697
poser 290 - Eik, 1697

Help on other websites
For more information about wills and testaments see the guide to wills and testaments on the National Archives of Scotland website and the ScotlandsPeople website.

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