1655 Surety, Delft

page 2

Op huyden den 14e December XVIC vijffenvijff-

tich compareerden voor mij Govert Rota,

openbaer notaris, bij den Hove van Hollandt

geadmitteert, binnen der stadt Delft

residerende, ter presentie van de ondergeschreven

getuygen, Sr. Johannes Reyniersz Vermeer,

mr. schilder ende juffr. Catharina Bolle-

nes, wonende binnen deser stadt,

sijne huysvrouwe, te kennen gevende

ende verclarende sij comparanten, dat

den Ed. heer Johan van Santen, capiteyn vant

Oranje Vendel schutters, binnen deser stadt,

opten vijfftien December XVIC achten-

veertich sichselven borge ende mede

principael onder behoorlijcke renunciatie hadde geconstitueert ende

gestelt voor Reynier Jansz Vosch,

haer comparanten zaliger vader ende

schoonvader respective, ter somme

van twee hondert ende vijftich carolus

guldens capitael, loopende op interesten

tegens vijff gulden thyen stuyver

vant hondert int jaer, breder teghens obligatie op een blinde naem

voor den notaris Simon Mesen zaliger ende sekere

getuygen daervan gepasseert, ende

willende sij comparanten den voorsz.

here Van Santen buiten schaden houden,

soo verclaerden d'sleve comparanten /

haerselven ten behoeve van de voorsz. here

capiteyn Van Santen geconsituteert ende gestelt

te hebben, ende sulcx sij doen bij desen,

contra borgen ende mede principalen,

renunchierende tot dyen eynde sij beyde

de benefitien ordinis excussionis ende

divisionis, mitsgaders d'voorn. juffr.

Catharina Bollens alleen de benefitien

authentica si qua mulier ende  senatus

consulit veleany, sijnde van de crachte

ende effecte van de voorsz. benefitien

volcomentlijck door mij notaris onderrecht

ende dat ter voorsz. somme van twee

hondert ende vijftich carolus guldens capitael

metten alreeden verloopen ende onbetaelden

interesten, als die noch sal comen te verloopen,

totte volle ende effectuele afflossinge

toe, belovende dienvolgens sij comparanten

den voorsz. here capiteyn Van Santen, sijnen erven

ende nacomelingen van sijn voorsz.

geintertousseerde bochtochte te bevrijden,

costeloos ende schadeloos te houden,

onder verbandt van haere resepective personen

ende alle hare hebbende ende te vercrijgene

soo roerende als onroerende goederen,

egeen uytgesondert, subject allen rechten

ende rechteren, gevende mede sij comparanten

bij desen over haer t'allen tijden in den

innehouden van desen bij den gerechte /

deser stadt gewillichlijck te laten condem-

neren, tot dyen eynde onwederroepelijck

constituerende ende machtich makende

bij desen Franchois Boogaert ende Fran-

chois Hurcq, beyde procureurs voor den

voorsz. gerechte, te samen ende elcx van

hen int bysonder thoonder deses, specialijck

omme de condemnatie te versoecken ende

daerinne te consenteren respectivelijck,

belovende deselve condemnatie van

waerden te houden ende de costen daer-

op vallende selffs te gelden ende te

dragen, onder verbant ende subjectie

als vooren, consenterende hiervan acte. Gedaen ende aldus gepasseert

binnen deser stadt ter presentie van

sr. Maerten Wigant, inwoonder alhier, ende Pieter

de Coninck, mijn notaris clercqen,

als getuygen, die de minute van desen

nevens d'voorn. comparanten ende mij notaris

mede onderteyckent hebben ten dage,

maent ende jare voorsz.

Johannis Vermeer

Catharina Bolnes

M. Wigant

P. d. Koninck

G. Rota, notaris 1655

Many thanks Geert. I’m away from home (& my computer) at the moment so I will study your reply more fully when I get back. 

best wishes

Anne 

Although Simon Mersch is no active party here, it is an interesting document because of the main actors. Simon Mersch is only mentioned as the deceased notary who composed a notary deed on 15 December 1648 to which this deed refers. In the act of 1648, Johan van Santen apparently was named as guarantor for a loan (obligation) of 250 guilders by Reynier Jansz Vosch. The notary deed displayed here states that the son of Reynier Jansz Vosch and the wife of this son from now on act as guarantors for this obligation, indemnifying Johan van Santen and his heirs from any future responsibilities in this matter. The son of Reynier Jansz Vosch is the famous painter Johannes Vermeer, famous for inter alia his painting of Girl with a Pearl Earring...

Above excellent transcription and explanation, just an art-historical comment here. You probably already know that it is also documented on the EssentialVermeer website by Jonathon Janson: https://www.essentialvermeer.com/documents/vermeerdocuments.html and https://www.essentialvermeer.com/books/bibliography_primary-sources.html where it states that the archival record was first found by Abraham Bredius and further researched by John Michael Montias.

In the Dutch version of Montias' book, Vermeer en zijn milieu (Baarn 1993) this document is discussed on p. 95, with note 62 on p. 295 concerning the 1655 act. A nearly full text of it  is given in Appendix B, the list of documents, no. 262 (p. 357). In the passage with renunciations according to Roman law I read senatus / consulti Velleani.

Rene 

Many thanks as always.

So basically Simon Mersch was involved with Vermeer’s father at an earlier date in 1648 ( just after he qualified as a notary). 

I would never have understood that Reynier Vosch was Vermeer’s father without your guidance! 

very best wishes 

Anne

Alexander and Otto

Thank you both for the excellent links to extra information. 

Much appreciated. 

best wishes

Anne

Dear Anne,

When searching for the notary deed that was referred to, I discovered I misread the date of that deed: when re-examining the date, it turned out the deed mentioned as date the 'vijffde' instead of 'vijftien' December 1648; as some of the ink had disappeared, a misread of the date was easily made...

The deed referred is indeed dated 5 December 1684 and to be found at https://hdl.handle.net/21.12115/NL-DtAD5709833

That deed was composed by Simon Mersch as notary and stated that Reynier Jansz Vos, innkeeper, living at the Martveld (= Marktveld = current Markt) in Delft was registered as one of the main debtors of a debt of 250 guilders, borrowed at an annual interest of 5 percent. The other main debtor was Johan van Santen, who lived at the Corenmart (= current Koornmarkt) in Delft and was registered in this deed also as being the guarantor. The name of the creditor has been left blank in the deed; that could indicate that either the debtors still had to find someone who would be willing to lend this sum to them, or that this deed was intended to be used as a financial document that could be traded as an asset, as the deed also mentioned the sum borrowed had to be paid back to the (unnamed) creditor or to the bearer of this document.

Pleasant holidays!

The year of course should be 1648... :)

Dear Rene

Understood!

Thank you for all the help you've given me since I discovered 'Wat staat daer' and the many posts I've added.  I'm very grateful.

Seasons Greetings :-)

very best wishes

Anne