1669- unsure of content of deed

Hi Anne,

The link unfortunately only links to the entire source and not to a specific deed. In the index in front, the couple is mentioned with two page numbers: 394 and 684.

The first deed is a mutual will; I am not sure whether we already have dealt with that document, so at the risk of duplicating efforts ;):

On 9 May 1669, about noon, appeared before the notary Jacob Wemmersz Hoppesteijn, master pottery maker, and his wife Jannetge Claes van der Strate, bopth living in DElft on the south side of the Gasthuislaan. Jacob was ill and lying in his bed (so 'appearing' should be taken figuratively, his wife being described as 'stately' (cloeck) and healthy. They had decided to have drawn up a last will, both declaring that the surviving spouse would become the sole and universal heir of the deceased partner. The surviving partner will however be held to raise and feed their mutual offspring (if any) and to have these children trained and educated until they would have come of age, would marry and/or earn their own living. Each of the children would also receive a sum of 1000 guilders (mentiond as ten hundred guilders) at the moment they would come of age or at the moment of their marriage. In case their offspring would have died before the first of the spouses would die, the inheritance would befall to the surviving spouse, who however would have to pay to the next of kin of the deceased (or to the last child of these next of kin) an amount of 300 guilders.

The spouses mutually appoint each other to become the legal guardian of any children minor of age and allow the surviving partner to rent out, sell, or manage the possessions belonging to the offspring's inheritance as they see fit, as well to appoint any assisting legual guardians if needed.

The second deed concerns an auction report, where Jacob was the final buyer of a house at the Gasthuislaan. For now, I have refrained from describing the details of this second deed.

Dear Rene

Sincere apologies re the mix up in HRL links, and also duplication. You very kindly translated the will in a similar document in February this year.

Like you I found the index at the front of the notary records, and although I could read 394, which you've very kindly translated for me, I couldn't read the "8' in 684, so it's great you've found that deed too.

The reference to the testimony given by 19 of Jacob's employees is (25). In the notes it says for the deed 25 see note 23. Note 23 states .GAD, ONA 2144, September 20, 1669 (not. D.Rees). This I think is what you've covered today.

Re 684 being about the purchase of a house in Gasthuislaan, the article I read also said 

"Financial worries also plagued Jacob ....along with a special mortgage on his house and property on Gasthuislaan ultimately had a detrimental effect on the financial position of Het Moriaanshooft". 

This is very interesting as his wife also had financial issues, as did his son Rochus who ultimately had to divide the business into 2 parts (The Young and The Old Moorshead factory) to stave off bankruptcy.

So it would be interesting to have a brief summary about the purchase of property on Gasthuislaan and what the terms were, if unusual. I'll post the links tomorrow to see if it's worth working on any further.

Thanks for all your help as always, which is very much appreciated.

Anne

Hi Anne, no problem, in this case the URL for every page redirects to the complete source. Based on the archival description, I was able to find the deed. It appeared to be page 545 (recto and verso), scans 521-522 of the same source. 

The deed starts with a list of persons appearing before the notary. As was common use in such deeds, they are mostly in order of age, the most senior first (however with some exceptions); at the end it is mentioned that each of the ages is as mentioned or 'about that age' ('ofte elx daer ontrent'):

Ruth Jans van Dalen, aged 55
Willem Benjamijns vander Springe, aged 45
Arij Fijcken van Emschoten, aged 39
Jan Leendertsz vanden Brijel, aged 53
Wouter Stoffelsz Bornat, aged 39
Willem Claesz Smiddingh, aged 33
Jacob Andriesz Rolshoeck, aged 34
Joris Jacobsz La Fevere, aged 32
Cornelis Gerritsz van Dijck, aged 31
Pieter Hoppesteijn, aged 27
Pieter Rutten van Dalen, aged 27
Ferdinandus Cornelisz vanden Velde, aged 25
Claes Jansz Post, aged 29
Johannes vander Ploot, aged 23
Jacob Lodewijckse vander Horst, aged 22
Cornelis Jansz Brouwer, aged 37
(crossed out: Cornelis Maerlant, of unmentioned age)
Jan Jansz vander Graaf, aged 18
Johannes Sangie, aged 17

All listed persons are living in Delft and are all pottery servants / apprentices of Jacob Wemmersz Hoppesteyn, master pottery maker. At his request, they all jointly testified and declared that he had produced no work from the start of his illness until this very moment, neither as pottery maker, nor as cooper ('kuiper'), and that allegations against Jacob (not mentioned is by whom these allegations were made) therefore were false and untruthful.

A lot of the witnesses appearing sign the deed by a handmark drawing or by one or two initials. Full signatures can be recognised as (spelling as in signature):

Cornelijs Jansen Brouwer
Pieter Hoppestein
Pijeter Ruthten van Dalen
Ferdinandus Corneluse
Claes Post
Johannis van der [final word disapperaing in rigth margin of page]
Hannes Sangue (given the young age the signature appears remarakbly well written down]

The 'formal' witnesses requested by the notary were also pottery baker's apprentices: Nicolaes Berckhessel and Lubbert Arijens van Goch, the first of both signing as N Berckhessel.