maria cristina cunha tury, wills began to include the typical notary forms, above all in the escathocol (which include several clauses such as the corroboration and the dating, as well as the announcement of witnesses and of the validation). As we have said, the beneficiaries of wills continued to be many and varied institutions and people; what seems to have changed is the place where these documents would be kept. As the establishment of public notaries became more and more a reality of everyday life, more and more people (and the institutions themselves that guaranteed legacies) realized that it was no longer enough to express a testator’s last wishes on parchment – a public official had to be present to guarantee the veracity and authenticity of the documents. In other words, the importance of the notary public gradually became evident at various moments in one’s life – when acquiring or selling assets, making commitments, arranging wedding dowries, etc. – moments that include, of course, the preparation for death. 553
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjYyNDk=