Monday Moan: Sometimes I Can’t Read the Damn Thing

Sometimes I can’t read the damn thing, honestly.

I have never claimed to be an expert at reading Gothic handwriting.

But after spending quite a few years poking around Norwegian church books, census records, probate records, and other documents written by people who apparently believed vowels were optional, I’ve become better at it.

Usually, anyway.

Then a friend in the US asked me to help with a 1702 Norwegian court record.

Solør og Østerdalen sorenskriveri, Tingbok, 1702. s. 1b-2a  https://www.digitalarkivet.no/rg20090511310140

I opened the page.

And stared.

I stared a little longer.

Then I zoomed in.

That didn’t help.

I zoomed out again, which helped even less.

I have reached the point where I can confidently identify approximately three letters.

Possibly four.

This is not the sort of Gothic handwriting where you gradually get your eye in and suddenly the words begin to appear. This is the sort where the words appear to have formed a secret society and are refusing to talk to me.

And that is my Monday Moan.

Sometimes the source wins.