The Ferrar papers, 1590-1790, in Magdalene College ... - Microform

Where there is an element of doubt as to the date, the square
brackets also enclozir a question mark. If in addition there occurs
the abbreviation g.:+ t he editor i5 offering merely his best
estimate, and will tte gratefc:l fcw corrertisns.
L&en a document span^. a period of time, the document is given
in chrnnological order accarding ta the latest passible date. An
account submitted tc! the Virginia Campany, for example, will
normally be given under the latest date to be found in the account.
If there is no such dzte, the date of the warrant authorising
payment has been used, or, failing that, the date of the receipt af
the money.
Column 5 names the originator of the document, usually the
author but sometime.:. the person or institution in whose name the
document has been drafted. Surnames, last names, are given as in
the document, except. that variants of Ferrar have been 50
standardised, with one exception. Richard, the baby and black
sheep cif the second generation, made a paint of spelling his name
Farrar. His wife Eli.iabeth followed his example, and sa did his
stem Richard for mcick: of the time. Farrar ha5 thus been used always
for the mother and father, and whenever appropriate for the son.
Christian names, first names, are abbreviated in accordance with
the 1 ist given belcw. Ferrars, Colletts, and Virginia Company
employees who appear frequently are also abbreviated according kcs
the list which also appears below.
Calumn 6 indicates the scribe, m ost often the author(s> in
perscsn, identified as "SeL f" or "Selv~5". Scholars shnnld however
be warned that the "scribe" is cm occasion the true author of the
document. The indicator "?self" warns that, even though the body
of the letter and the signature appear to be in the same hand. the
editor ha5 no means af judging whether the document was indeed
written by the authc:tr rlr scme other person.
CcAumn 7 provides the cw iginat ing address of the docrtment.
Tnitials have been ttseii for the four mo5t frequently cited
locations: C = Cambridge, H = Huntingdon, L = Landon+ and LG =
Little Gidding. In London the variuus styles of the Ferrars' lark
home have been standardised as St sit he^. OT Sythes Lane, L; the
addre~.s af Arthnr Wiiodnuth at the sign of the Bunch of Grapes in
Fast*< Lane, .juz.t ncrth c-f Cheapside, has been given a5 Foster
Lane, L; and the address of his kinsman, apprentice, and succeCscwr
Nichcalas Collett, w b
rarely appended a full address to his
letters, has been atiridged from the sign of the White Hart in
Lombard Street, sometimes described as being in Pope's Head Alley,
simply to L far Lrzndan.
Cc.1umn 8 names the addressee or recipient, crr f the Ferrars, a5 noted above.
Cczlumn 9 gives the address to which the dcscument was sent.
See the nate crn Cc4umn 7 above for the abbreviations employed-