1624- Will

Dear Anne,

I do understand the confusion, as several members of this family carry the same names. I hope the explanation below helps a bit.

Neeltgen Huygensdr = testator, e.v. Pieter Maertensz, potter, living at the Gasthuyslaen, ill and sitting on a chair, but sound of mind.
Pieter Maertensz, husband of the testator is heir of half of her inheritance.

The other half of the inheritance goes to Neeltgen Huygendr, mother of Neeltgen (and her namesake); if her mother would die before the testator, the inheritance goes to Claesgen Huygen, her 'simple suster' (implying her sister is mentally challenged).

Condition is that her heirs will give to Claesgen Huygen, her niece (daughter of the testator's brother and namesake of the sister of the testator) 200 carolus guilders the testator had promised her for her wedding and which sum is currently kept by the testator's mother. If this sum would not be available, the 200 carolus guilders to her niece should be paid from the sale of the testator's possessions.

The testator also bequeaths to the same niece all materials used for hackling flax, a chest made of 'wagenschot' (oak wood cut in a specific way), two 'brandijzers' (brass plates in front of a hearth, used for storing firewood or peat, often neatly decorated), two tongs to put firewood or turf into the fire, a copper bell jar. She bequeaths all this to her niece explicitly because of the loyal service of her niece performed to the testator.

In the margin there is an additional legate to the child (name not mentioned) of her sister of 50 carolus guilders.
 

Testament van Neeltgen Huygendochter,
huysvrouwe van Pieter Maertensz,
pottebacker, wonende an de Gasthuyslaen.

In den naeme des Heeren ons Salichmakers amen. Bij
desen jegenwoordigen instrumente zij eenen yegelicken kennelicken
ende openbaer, dat op huyden den 8en dach Augusti anno 1623
des voormiddachs de clocke thien uren ofte daerontrent, gebiedenden den
alderduerluchtichsten ende grootmogensten vorst ende keyser
der Romeynen, heere Ferdinandus den tweeden van dien naeme,
int vijffde jaer van sijns keyserlicke majesteyts regieringe, voor mijn Vranck
van Uuytenbrouck, openbaer notaris bij den Hove van Hollandt
geadmitteert, mitsgaders voor den naebeschreven getuygen, in eygener
persooone es verschenen ende gecompareert d'eerbare Neeltgen
Huygendochter, huysvrouwe van Pieter Maertens, pottebacker, wonende
an de Gasthuyslaen, sieck op een stoel sittende, nochtans haer
verstant, memorie ende vijff sinnen wel machtich sijnde ende volcomelick gebruyckende,
te kennen gevende ende verclaerende dat sij comparante was
aenmerckende ende overleggende der menschelicker natuyren broosheyt
ende ongestadigen staet, ende dat den mensche op deser werelt
nyet sekerder en was dan doot ende daertegens nyet onsekerder
dan den tijt ende ure vandien, ende dat sij comparante daeromme
van overlange met seer goeden wel bedachten raede uuyt haeren
eygen vrijen wille, sonder seductie ofte sinistre persidasie
van yemanden, goet gevonden hadde omme van haer tijtlicke goederen,
soowel roerende als onroerende te disponeren
terwijle sij des door Godes genade noch machtich was,
in den eersten bevelende
sij testatrice haer zyele, van den sterffelicken lichame verscheyden,
de grondeloose genade ende barmharticheyt Godes, haeren schepper
ende Salichmaker, ende haere doode lichaem de Christelicke
begravinge, ende comende mitsdyen totte dispositie van de
tijtlicke haven ende goederen die Godt Almachtich haer testatrice
op deser aerden veleent heeft ende noch sal mogen verleenen ende sulcx
sij testatrice alle d'selve metter doot geruymt ende naergelaten sal hebben,
in d'eene helft van alle welcke voorsz. have ende goederen sij
testatrice tot haer erffgename genomineert
ende geinstitueert heeft, nomineert ende institueert mits desen 
den voorn. Pieter Maertensz haer lieve man, /
ende in de ander helft Neeltgen Huygendochter, haer lyeve ende beminde
moeder, ofte bij voor-affsterven van deselve haer moeder, Claesgen
Huygen, haer testatrices simpele suster, ende dat met sulcken
verstande  nochtans, dat de voorn. haere ge-enstitueerde erffgenamen
sullen laten volgen aen Claesgen Huygendochter, haer testatrices
nichte ende broeders dochter, alsulcke twee hondert carolus gulden
als met haer testatrice ten huwelicke belooft ende alsnoch
onder de voorn. Neeltgen Huygendochter, haer testatrices moeder,
berustende sijn, ofte soo sij d'selve 200 gulden aldaer nyet
en conde gecrijgen, soo wil sij testatrice dat d'selve uuyt het
gereetst van haeren boel voldaen ende betaelt sullen werden,
ende dat bij forme van legate, maeckt
ende legateert noch an deselve Claesgen Huygendochter, haer nichte,
alle de gereetschap die tot was te heeckelen dienende ende in
haer testatrices boedel bevonden sullen werden, mitsgaders noch
haer testatrices wagenschotte kisten, twee brantijsers met een
tange ende copere stolp, ende dat alles omme de getrouwe
dienste die d'selve Claesgen Huygendochter, haer nichte, haer testatrice
altijts bewesen heeft ende noch bewijsende is, ende omme meer
andere redenen haer testatrices gemoet daertoe porrende ende
bewegende (soo sij seyde ende verclaerde), sullen noch uuytkeeren
ende laten volgen uuyt het gereetste van haeren boel aen Alewijn
Lenertsz, haer testatrices susters kint, de somme van vijftich
carolus gulden mede bij forme van legate. Allen twelcke voorsz.
staet verclaerden  sij testatrice (met willige stipulatie te
dien eynde aen handen mijns notaris als een publycq persoon gedaen)
alsoo te wesen haer testament ende uuyterste wille, die
sij wilde ende begeerde dat in allen sijnen poincten sijn volcomen
effect hebben ende sorteren sal, hetsij als testament, codicille,
gifte uuyt saecke des doots ofte soo tselve anders nae de goeder-
tieren permissie van rechten alderbest sal mogen subsisteren,
nyettegenstaende eenige defecten ofte omissien. Ende versochte
sij testatrice bij mijn notaris hiervan gemaeckt ende uuytgelevert
te werden openbaer instrument een ofte meer in gemeene ende
behoorlicke forme. Aldus gedaen ende verleden binnen Delff
ten huyse van haer testatrice, staende ande suytsijde van de
Gasthuyslaen op den houck van de Bijlepoort, ter presentie ende ten overstaen
van Wemmer Jacobsz ende Claes Govertsz, beyde cuypersgesellen,
als getuygen hiertoe versocht ende gerequireert.
X gestelt bij Neeltgen Huygen
Wemmer Jacobsoon
Claes Govertszoon
V. v. Uytenbrouck, 1624

Rene- Thank you so much for bringing some clarity to the family situation of the Huygens. No wonder I found it difficult to understand!

If it weren't for the legal documents of 1655 (which you helped me with before ) concerning Jan van Dijssel, and his step daughter Maertens Pieters daughter of Pieter Maertensz and Claesgen Huygensdr and the dispute about her legacy I would have concluded that Claesgen Huygensdr- Petronella van Dijssel's mother hadn't been married before.

Geert- also many thanks for the transcription, which as always bring extra details to the document.

One thing I noticed was that Neeltgen Huygen, the testatrix was called 'd'eerbare' which google translates as 'The honourable'. Do we know why she'd be given such a title?

I also love the explanation of how they judged Neeltgen to be of sound mind- she could recite 5 sentences.

With warmest best wished to you both.

Anne

Rene- correction. Date of documents was 1650, there were 3 deeds.

Anne

D'eerbare means she had some social status.

The 5 zinnen should be translated as the 5 senses. It is a phrase often used in wills, indicating the testator still is in possession of all 5 senses (taste, touch, smell, eyesight, hearing).

Well that's very interesting Rene. I wonder if it had something to do with her parent's social standing? It's sometimes very difficult to follow these family lines when they had no 'surnames' as such. There are multiple 'Neeltgen Huygens' and Pieter Maertens in the records for that time period.

Also fascinating that you were judged 'compos mentis' on the  possession of your 5 senses. (not 5 sentences which is how google translated it!).

I also like the affectionate way the family are described, 'my dear husband' etc. I don't think I've seen that before in an early will.

By the way, Alewijn Lenertsz features in the Delft archives too. Using the English translation he's described as a 'vegetable' which is very curious? I'll post a short item and perhaps it will be clearer in Dutch.

Many thanks as always

Anne