STEPHEN FRY

sounds like a good guess

Either my mental health status has taken a sudden turn to the worse, or there is a gravely serious problem with my ears. I could swear that I have been hearing a cock crowing outside for at least ten minutes now. Outside - that is, in the yard behind the university building where my office is located, in Munich's inner city, with nothing even remotely resembling a farm, a hen or a dunghill anywhere near this place. There! Cock-a-doodle-doo (or rather: "kikeriki", since this is Bavaria) again! Can't be a cock. Must be a cock. Either that, or a very small dog with a very serious personality disorder. X-D

Either my mental health status has taken a sudden turn to the worse, or there is a gravely serious problem with my ears. I could swear that I have been hearing a cock crowing outside for at least ten minutes now. Outside - that is, in the yard behind the university building where my office is located, in Munich's inner city, with nothing even remotely resembling a farm, a hen or a dunghill anywhere near this place. There! Cock-a-doodle-doo (or rather: "kikeriki", since this is Bavaria) again! Can't be a cock. Must be a cock. Either that, or a very small dog with a very serious personality disorder. X-D

Hmm... I'd like to see that dog.

Me too.

Anyone able to read a very, very bad handwriting on a late 17th century receipt?

What language?

Do you have a scan?

I could try to scan it or take a photograph of it tomorrow. Here's what I have managed to decipher (or rather: encrypt ...) up to now. Names are tricky.

Daß mir Vnd[er]schribenen von lang der Lowensternisch[en] Herren
VorMündere H[errn] Hanß Jacob däning[en] mir vnderschribenen nach
volgenste vber den driten theil deß Zehentens Zu Jchtratzheim
besa__gente Documenta hent dato wohl Extradirt k__dt aus
gelüffert vr Kündt mit meines erheres Vnder
schrieft vndt für getruckten adelich[en] pitschafft
Strasßb den 19/7t[en] feb: 1678

1 Kaufbrief vber besageten Zehenten vnder der Rind[er] Elsäsischen
Ritter Jnsigel gefertigt 4t[en] Julj 1676 bey Löwensternischen

2 ein alter Copirter brief besagent vber 50 st gelts
vff vtri[us?] 1603

3 ein lehen brief Pfaltz Graff Joh: vff Moritz von
Vtten heim Schwester sohn Jacob von Borckheim 13t[en] Julij 1580

4 ein Pergamentine protestation Fraw Künigunta
von Dürenbach vber besagten Zehenten d[en] 10t[en] Marty 1562:

5[ten] ein lehen brief Pfaltz Graff Johannis,
vff Jacob[en] von Borckheim datirt 27[ten] feb: 1571

6[ten] Pfaltzgraff Joh: Entschlag brief der lehen schaftt
vber gedachten Zehenten gegen Egenolffen von
Borckheim, datirt d[en] 8t[en] April 1583.

7[ten] Neüen Stuckh papeyren Documenta

Daß mir obige Documenta d__ Jchtratzheim_ von H[errn] D[omin]o Weiland
Zehenten betreffent, gegl zu ___ckh gebung geg___ ruckh gebung
dises scheines von herrn Du. Weiland Com: Palat
Caes: meinen Resp: hochgeehreten H[errn] Schwag__ seines Revers mir zuget__lt worden
seint vber geben vnd wohlgeli_ffert word[en]
wird durch diß beschinen (?) geschehen
TGambs
den feb: 1678
Erid: Gambs.

There. Don't make me write it again.

Meeting former classmates is wonderful. Listening to their tales about family, travels, exciting experiences. Meeting former classmates is horrible. Seeing them all getting cosily settled in life, with permanent partners, permanent, well-paid jobs, and permanent perspectives. It reminds me of all the lost chances, the missed turn-offs, the opportunities untaken, the possibilities unused. It's both frustrating and fascinating to watch our paths of life parting from those of other ones, to witness lives that have been so closely tied by common surroundings and a common education gradually ramifying and splitting into different directions. All the knowledge one cannot have oneself. All the experiences. And oh, all that safety in life that one somehow has not found oneself yet, and might never find ...

I believe those feelings are pretty normal. And I bet a few of your well settled classmates now muse about lost chances as well. Maybe they regret that they didn´t have the courage to pursue an academic career and missed all the manyfold experiences and chances involved with it. Life is all about opening and walking through doors whilst leaving other doors shut. One can never say if the doors chosen by oneself are the "right" ones. There is never any certainty or security. I watched people settled in marriage or relationship and "permanent" jobs getting separated, divorced and sacked.
I thought about this a while after I rang my best and dearest friend today. Back in school I was quite interested in becoming a doctor. I´m still fascinated by medicine and more than once did I ask myself if it hadn´t been a mistake to choose a different career path. But today it struck me that I wouldn´t have met my best friend who is so utterly important to me. I wouldn´t have met other people who enriched my life. I consider my grammar school and university education a true privilege that unlocked and open doors which otherwise would have been beyond reach. I wouldn´t be the person I am today had I chosen a different way. So despite all job insecurities in the academic world, lack of money and all missed opportunities I`m still a lucky bastard, gifted with a lot of chances and possibilities and with the best of friends.