1638- English printer in Rotterdam

p.349 & p.350

p. 351 & p.352

Interesting document! Just looked at the first, it concerns the sale of the printers' business located at the Academy by Moxon to other buyers. I will post the transcription and translation of the first doc separately.

Op huyden den XXVIII mey anno 1638 compareerde voor mijn,

Arnoudt Wagensvelt, notaris publycq, bij den Hove van Hollant

geadmitteert, residerende tot Rotterdam ende voor den naergenoemden

getuygen James Moxon, Engels boeckedrucker hier ter stede,

dewelcke bekende gecedeert, getransporteert, opgedraegen ende

overgegeven te hebben, zoo als hij cedeert, transporteert, op-

draecht ende manuelijck overgeeft bij desen aen, ten behoeve, ende

in vrijen eygendom van mr. Edmund Whits, Christoffel

Huling ende Catarijn Dorrel, sekere druckerije met alle

de gereetschappe, appendentien ende dependentien vandien, staende

inde accademie binnen deser stede, bij henlieden getransproteerdens

gehuert ofte doen huren, ende sulx op heurlieden eygen gehuerden

bodem. Als eerstelijck de naervolgende letters, namentlijck brevier

Englis ende Engels Engels, mitsgaders mediaen Engels,

tweehondertachtendertich ponden, noch dryehondertveer-

tich ponden van Augustijn Romeyn met cossive. Item

hondert pont van mediaen Romeyn. Item vierhondertveer-

tich ponden van mongrell(?) met cossive, noch twintich

pont musycqnoten ende lestelijck noch dryehondervijftich

pont van brevier Romeyn. Voorts de gereetschappe daer-

toe behoorende, als eerstelijck twee porsen, negentien paer

cassen, vier raemen, ses galleyen, elff papierborden,

een houten sethaeck, vijff isere sethaecken, twee corrigeers-

steenen, een loochketel met een loochback, ballehouten

met elsens, priemen, hamers, spongien, nijptangen, scharen

ende andere diergelijcke gereetschappen. Noch twee nyeuwe

form#en om papieren opte setten, een pale ofte schuppe, vier-

entwintich stocken om gedruct papier op te hangen, verschey-

den formaet houten met sijn toebehoorten, vier cramen daer de

cassen opstaen, noch dertich ende meer gesneden houten

platen, prenten ende letters voor een bibel in quarto, met

de tytel voor de seven bibel, alsmede de titel voor den

bijbel in octavo ende de bibel in twelven. Ende lestelijck

den titel voor den Testament in vierentwintichste. Cede-

rende ende affstant doende hij comparant mits desen van alle het

recht, actie, opseggens ende toeseggens hem comparant eenich-

sints gecompeteert hebbende ^aen alle dien vooren gespecificeerde partijen ende dat^ aen ende ten behoeve van mr. Edmund

---

Whits, Christoffel Huling ende Cataryn Dorell alle vorenge-

noempt. Ende bekende hij comparant vanden transporte deses

voldaen ende betaelt te wesen mette somme van duysent-

vijffentsestich gulden eene stuyvers, die de voors. mr. Edmund Whits

cum sociis hem comparant in verscheyde partien hebben gegeven

ende voor hem betaelt#.

# Compareerden mede ten

selven daege voor ons

notario ende naergenoemden

getuygen de voors. Chris-

toffel Huling ende Cata-

rijn Dorel voor haer

selven, is vervangende

Edmont Withs, ende

verclaerden de voorss. trans-

porte soo die leyt te

accepeteren.

Consenterende hiervan acte aldus

ende gepasseert binnen de voorss. stede Rotterdam, ter

presentie van Franchois Hillenius, Engelsman, inwoonder allhier

ende Niclaes van Percijn, mijns clercq, als getuygen hier-

tie gerequireert.

Translation of the first document

Today, on the 28th of May in the year 1638 appeared before me,

Arnoudt Wagensvelt, public notary, admitted as such by the Court of Holland,

residing in Rotterdam and before the witnesses mentioned below

James Moxon, English printer of books within this city,

who confirmed to have conceded, transfered, commissioned and

handed over, like as he is conceding, transferring, com-

missioning and actually handing over through this document to and in favour of,

and in free possession of mr. Edmund Whits, Christoffel

Huling and Catarijn Dorrel, a certain press room with all its

related tools and related items, located

within this city's university, that is rented by those who received the transferred items

on the location they rented themselves. Firstly the printing characters mentioned below, i.e. Brevier

English* and English English*, as well as Mediaan English*,

238 pounds, another 340

pounds of Augustijn Romeyn* with italics. Also,

100 pound of Mediaan Romeyn. Also, 440 pounds of mongrel with italics, another 20

pound of music notes, and last another 350

pound of Brevier Romeyn. Furthermore, the instruments belonging to the print room,

like firstly two presses, 19 sets of

typesetter's cases, 4 frameworks, 6 galleys**, 11 boards for paper,

a wooden composing stick, 5 iron composing sticks, 2 corrector's

stones***, a cettle for cooking lye with a lye basin****, wooden balls

with stitching awls, stitching awls, hammers, sponges, pincers, scissors

and other tools like that. Furthermore, 2 new

frameworks to put paper sheets on, a fire shovel or spade, 24

sticks to hang out printed paper sheets (to dry),

wooden rulers in various different formats with all related items, 4 stalls

the typesetter's cases are put on, over 30 cut wooden

plates, pictures and characters for a bible in quarto*****, with

the title page of the same bible, as well as the title page of the

bible in octavo***** and the bible in duodecimo*****. Ultimately,

the title page of the Testament in 24o******. The comparant hereby is conceding

and renouncing all rights and actions, as well all promises related to him in any way or measure, to the parties specified before and such to and to the benefit of mr. Edmund

---

Whits, Christoffel Huling and Cataryn Dorell, all mentioned above.

And the comparant confirmed that in regard to this transfer, he was

satisfied being paid 1065 guilders and 1 stuyver, handed and paid to him by the aforementioned mr. Edmund Whits

and his associates in several portions.

# On the same day appeared before me, notary, and before the witnesses mentioned below, the aforementioned Christoffel Huling and Catarijn Dorel (for her self, also representing Edmont Withs) and they declared to accept the aforementioned transfer as-is.

Agreeing to this corresponding notarial deed, and passed (before the notary) within the aforementioned city of Rotterdam, in the presence of Franchois Hillenius, Englishman, living here (in Rotterdam) and of Niclaes van Percijn, my clerk, requested to act as witnesses.

* These are terms used for specific sizes of characters; see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_point-size_names

** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galley_proof

*** A flat stone used when correcting the galley proof; this stone was l&ing on a bed of bran in order to minimise the effects of pressure on the characters alread& set in the galle& while making the final corrections

**** L&e was cooked and then put in a basin to be used for cleaning the ink from used printing characters (to prepare them for new, clean usage)

***** These are terms used for indicating the paper size of the print; see Wikipedia for more info on the respective sizes

****** 24o being half the size of duodecimo

Keyboard issue ;)

* These are terms used for specific sizes of characters; see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_point-size_names

** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galley_proof

*** A flat stone used when correcting the galley proof; this stone was lying on a bed of bran in order to minimise the effects of pressure on the characters already set in the galley while making the final corrections

**** Lye was cooked and then put in a basin to be used for cleaning the ink from used printing characters (to prepare them for new, clean usage)

***** These are terms used for indicating the paper size of the print; see Wikipedia for more info on the respective sizes

****** 24o being half the size of duodecimo

Wow Rene- this is absolutely fantastic!

Can' thank you enough and I know Graham, the archivist at the Moxon society will be thrilled with this translation of such a fascinating document.

Many thanks too for the explanation of the terms used too. 

I really appreciate your time and efforts to help me and the society.

warmest best wishes

Anne

The transcription of the second one. For as far as I can understand it, this is an agreement in which the new buyers / owners favourably grant James Moxon the continued use of their print room in order to execute and finish orders still running at that time.

Op huyden den XXVIII mey anno XVIc achtendertich

compareerde voor mijn, Arnoudt Wagensfelt, notaris

publycq, bij den Hove van Hollant geadmitteert, resi-

derende tot Rotterdam, ende voor de naergenoemden

getuygen Christoffel Huling ende Catarijn Dorrel,

voor haer selven ende in desen vervangen haer

sterck maeckende, de rato caverende voor mr.

Edmund Whits ter eenere ende James Moxon,

Engels bouckedrucker hier ter stede ter andere

sijde ende bekenden den voornoemde Christoffel Huling

ende Catarijn Dorrel qualitate qua dat sij precario

hebben gelaten onder den voornoemde James Moxon, die

oock bekent precario onder hem te houden (tot

uytvoeringe ende voltreckinge van het drucken

van vierduysent bibels psalmen ende aencleven

vandien ende bovendien nocht tweeduysent psalmen

die den voornoemde James Moxon heeft aangenomen

te drucken voor den voornoemden Christoffel Huling,

Catalijn Dorrel ende mr. Edmund With)

sekere soodanige druckerije met alle de gereet-

schappe, appendentien ende dependentien vandien,

staende inde accademie binnen deser stede als

letteren, gesneden platen ofte prenten ende

diergelijcke gereetschappen als den voornoemde James

Moxon op huyden voor mijn, notario, ende den

naergenoemden getuygen aande voornoemde Edmunt

Whits, Christoffel Huling ende Catarin Dorrel

---

heeft getransporteert, gecedeert ende manuelijck over-

gegeven, belovende derhalven den voornoemden James Moxon

geene der voorsz. gereetschappe te sullen vermin-

deren, maer deselve in 't geheel te laeten tot

profite van de voornoemde Edmund Whits, Christoffel

Huling enden Catarijn Dorrel, omme bij henlieden tot

haer believen wederom geaenvaert ende naer

haer genomen te werden onder verbant van sijn

comparants persoon ende goederen, present ende toecom-

ende de selve stellen ten bedwang van allen

hoven ende gerechten, consenterende hier-

van een ofte meer acte in forma. Aldus gedaen ende

gepasseert binnen de voorsz. stat Rotterdam

ter presentie van Francoys Hillenius

ende Niclaes van Percijn, mijnen clercq, als ge-

tuygen hiertoe gerequireert.

And my attempt to translate this

Today, the 28th of May in the year 1638

appeared before me, Arnoudt Wagensfelt, public notary,

admitted by the High Court of Holland and resi-

ding at Rotterdam, and before the witnesses mentioned below,

Christoffel Huling and Catarijn Dorrel,

on behalf of themselves and while acting as remplacant,

taking care of the interests, each taking care of their own part in this, of mr.

Edmund Whits as first party and James Moxon,

English book printer within this city as the other

party, the aforementioned Christoffel Huling

and Catarijn Dorrel each in their own quality confirming to favourably have

the aforementioned James Moxon keeping, James Moxon

also confirming to keep favourably (in order

to execute and complete the printing

of 4,000 Biblical psalms and items related

to that as well as of another 2,000 psalms

the aforementioned James Moxon accepted to

print for the aforementioned Christoffel Huling,

Catalijn Dorrel, and mr. Edmund With)

a certain print room with all instruments and

other items belonging to or depending on it,

located in the university of this city as well as

print characters, cut plates or pictures and

tools like that in the same way and amount as the aforementioned James

Moxon has transferred, conceded and handed over before me, the notary, and before the

witnesses mentioned below to the aforementioned Edmunt

Whits, Christoffel Huling, ane Catalijn Dorrel,

---

while promising not to dispose of any of the aforementioned tools,

but to keep them complete to the

benefit of the aforementioned Edmund Whits, Christoffel

Huling, and Catarijn Dorrel, in order to be repossessed by those persons,

setting himself and his present as well as his possessions as collateral

as a guarantee, this collateral being subject to the decisions of any

high or regular judicial court, agreeing that one or multiple formal deeds

should be composed regarding this. Done accordingly and

passed before the notary within the aforementioned city of Rotterdam

in the presence of Francoys Hillenius

and Niclaes van Percijn, my clerk, requested to act

as witnesses in this case.

Third doc will follow, but a heads-up: the third one is a deed in which the three new owners of the print shop promise to return the print shop to James Moxon as soon as he will have printed the 4,000 bibles, psalms and related issues as well as the additional order of 2,000 psalms.

This set of documents clarifies how deliveries could be guaranteed in case of large orders: the printer temporarily transferred the ownership to the people who commissioned the order to him and would receive the print shop back in his own hands as soon as he would have delivered his order properly.

Dear Rene

This is all quite fascinating isn't it? The agreement is almost like a 'lease buy back' deal.

I haven't had time to research further but when I get back home -currently traveling :-) I'll look into the other people named in the document. Edmund Whit(e) sounds English to me.

I'm curious who would buy all those bibles and psalms?Were they for a Dutch market or English? Also was James Moxon able to speak Dutch I wonder?

You have done a wonderful job with these documents and I know I can thank you not only on my behalf but also on behalf of the Moxon society researcher Graham.

Just a final question. Are you happy to be credited in the article Graham plans to write about these new sources in the Moxon Society Magazine?

warmest best wishes

Anne

Hi Anne,

I think all comparants (Christoffel Huling, Edmund Whits and Catarijn Dorrel) are English, looking at their names.

I do know that book printing, especially bibles was highly developed in the Low Countries back then; it seems that even English royalty at some time ordered their bibles from printers based in the Low Countries.

Happy to help out, credits are always appreciated :).

Will post the final doc in a few moments.

Op huyden den XXVIII mey anno 1638 compareerde etcetera

Christoffel Huling ende Catarijn Dorrel voor haerselven

ende in desen vervangende, haer sterck maeckende ende de rato

caverende voor mr. Edmont Whits, dewelcke bij desen

belooffden dat sij aen James Moxon, Engels bouc-

bedrucker hier ter stede sullen restitueren ende weder-

geven alsulcken druckerye met alle de gereetschappe,

appendentien ende dependentien vandien, staende in de

accademie binnen deser stede, als letteren, gesneden platen

ofte prenten ende diergelijcke gereetschappe als de voornoemde

Moxon op huyden voor mijn, notario, ende de naerge-

noemden getuygen aenden voornoemde Edmont Whits, Christof-

fel Huling ende Catarijn Dorrel heeft getransporteert,

gecedeeert ende manuelijck overgegeven ende dat soo

haest hij, James Moxon, voor haer comparanten volgens de

conditien daervan gemaect sal hebben gedruckt ende

aen henlieden gelevert vierduysent bibels, psalmen ende

aencleven vandien ende bovendien noch tweeduysent

psalmen die hij heeft aengenomen te drucken, onder

verbandt van haerlieder respective personen ende goederen,

present ende toecomende, deselve stellende ter bedwang

van allen hoven ende gerechten, consenterende hier-

van acte. Aldus gedaen ende gepasseert bin-

nen d' voorss. stadt Rotterdam ter presentie van Franchois Hil-

lenius, inwoonder alhier, ende Niclaes van Percijn,

mijnen clercq, als getuygen hiertoe gerequireert.

----

Today, the 28th of May in the year 1638 appeared etcetera

Christoffel Huling and Catarijn Dorrel on their own behalf

and in regard to this case replacing, serving the interests of and each for their own part

taking care of business for mr. Edmont Whits, these comparants hereby

promising to give back and return to James Moxon, English book

printer within this city

such print office with all the tools

and all its related items, situated within the

university within this city, like print characters, cut plates

or pictures and such tools as the aforementioned

Moxon today has transferred, conceded and handed over before me, notary, and before the

witnesses mentioned below to the aforementioned Edmont Whits, Christof-

fel Huling, and Catarijn Dorrel,

as soon as he, James Moxon, will have printed and delivered on the order of the comparants to them

in accordance with the related conditions 4,000 bibles and psalms and related

items as well as 2,000 psalms he [James Moxon] has accepted to print, agreeing to the drafting of a deed concerning this.

Done and passed before the notary within

the city of Rotterdam in the presence of Franchois Hil-

lenius, inhabitant of this city, and of Niclaes van Percijn,

my clerk, requested to act as witnesses to this case.

Dear Rene

Many thanks for completing the 'English printer' documents which have proved most interesting.

You were right. It seems that Edmund Whits, Christoffel Hurling and Catarijn Dorrel were all English merchants. I find the fact that an English woman was involved in trading in Rotterdam in1638 quite fascinating. She had at least 2 sons; Jan & Thomas also trading in Rotterdam at that time, with it appears land in Barbados.

I will forward all your work to the Moxon society later this week when I get home.

very best wishes

Anne