The spelling of the phrase "were duty to" may seem confusing, but it is simply a combination of two common words with a slightly different pronunciation. "Were" is pronounced as /wɜːr/ and means past tense of "to be." "Duty" is pronounced as /ˈdjuːti/ and refers to a responsibility or obligation. When used together, "were duty to" means something that was expected or required in the past. While the spelling may seem unusual, the pronunciation follows standard English phonetics.