I choose to transcribe a page concerning the role of Judges in the court system. The page looked rather simple–having had experience with the Shelley-Godwin archives in Technoromanticism–but I found it far more of a challenge than I anticipated. Like Charity, I ran into some difficulties deciphering Bentham’s handwriting. There were a number of words which I struggled to make out and had to leave as questionable if not unclear. However, nothing bothered me quite so much as this particular word:
My boyfriend and I puzzled over it for a long time, but were unable to come up with a satisfactory transcription. I’m really hoping that someone can suggest something so that it I can stop obsessing about it. If it helps, it is used in the following contexts:
1. ”But [word here] who are designed by them Judges may be chosen by the People of their district”
2. ”No harm will come from the connection which the [word here] may have in the country.”
I’m really hoping someone can see something that makes sense that alluded me.
Assessors? He does that weird “F” thing when he means a double “S” sometimes.
I think Charity is right. I’ve seen a folio close to yours to see if the word was there and its transcription and it says “assessors”. http://www.transcribe-bentham.da.ulcc.ac.uk/td/JB/051/376/004
I tweeted TranscriBentham – they agree. And offered http://www.transcribe-bentham.da.ulcc.ac.uk/td/Help:Examples_of_Bentham%27s_handwriting