Q: "by will and doom" (1672)

[Joel S. Berson]

I don't know whether it might mean "freely or by compulsion.".  What
I infer is that, if the owner or consignee of the goods cannot
produce evidence of its value, or the valuation appears false, then
the collector may assign a value that he determines (in order to
collect duties).  (Of course, the litigious New Englander then was
likely to sue the collector if he thought the valuation was unreasonable!)

But my question is more -- is this something that ought to be in the
OED?  Can "we" find more than just the handful of cites that Google
turns up -- perhaps in legal works of the 17th-18th century?  Such as
Admiralty Court records, when the litigious New Englander did sue the
Collector?

Joel

At 1/26/2007 04:32 PM, you wrote:
>Seems to me the phrase would mean something like "freely or by
>compulsion."  Would that make sense?
>
>--Charlie
>_______________________________________________
>
>---- Original message ----
>
> >Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 16:08:36 -0500
> >From: "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> >Subject: Q:  "by will and doom" (1672)
> >
> >What about the phrase "by will and doom"?  It is not in OED3, but
> appears to have been used with some understood meaning (but
> mysterious to me!) in legal documents in Massachusetts.  (The
> phrase shows up, but only a small number of times, via Google.)
> >
> >If any Invoyce or Bill of Parcels shall be falsified, concealed,
> or not produced ... it shall be lawful for the Treasurer or
> Collector ... to Rate all such Goods, or the Owner, or other Agent
> for the same, by Will and Doom, according to their best discretion.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >Joel
>
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