Help transcribing / translating 1609 Breda Vestbrief

Question

Dear Wikitree Folks (who can read 17th century legal Dutch handwriting),

I've been working on a 16th century London grocer named John Alden (Alden-3675) who was married to a Flemish woman from Antwerp named Barbara du Prieur (Le_Prieur_46).  The couple and their son, John Jr. are named in a 1609 Breda vestbrief.  Link is here:

https://stadsarchief.breda.nl/collectie/archief/genealogische-bronnen/persons?ss=%7B%22q%22:%22Alden%22%7D

I can only make out a few words in the document.  Any assistance in transcribing and / or translating the two-page document is greatly appreciated!

Joel Lefever

Comments

You might also want to add the Netherlands tag as more people follow that one.

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Will do.  Thank you CJD!  Joel

Answer 1

With the help of Transkribus and Chatgpt (thank you Colleen!), here are approximate translations of two 1609 "vestbrieven" from the Stadsarchief Breda:

Stadsarchief Breda, Vestbrieven 1609, Schepenbank Breda 1499-1811, inventarisnummer 508, blad 135r, 136v.  Diversen: Jan alden de Oude. Koopman te Londen. Gehuwd met Barbara du Prieur. Betreft 2 acten, dd 24 en 25 augustus.

https://stadsarchief.breda.nl/collectie/archief/genealogische-bronnen/deeds/414c8df4-4c7b-4c52-a34b-028995064632

These documents give additional insight into the details of the family of John Alden, grocer of London.

• The elder John Alden appears to have been the son of yet another John Alden.

• The son of grocer John Alden stated that he was 30 years old in 1609, indicating he was born around 1579. The John Alden son of John Alden who was baptized in St. Margaret's Lothbury, London on 1 June 1578 appears to be the same person.

• On page 136-r (recto), both Barbara and John Sr. are called "late" indicating that they both were deceased in 1609.

• Additional information on the family of Barbara du Prieur is included in the documents. Her grandmother's "van Buijten" family owned property in Breda, including annual and hereditary rents mentioned in the documents.  However, her grandfather "Claez Verjuijs" was from Antwerp, as was her father Jacques du Prieur, which is why both Breda and Antwerp are mentioned in the documents.

• There is no indication that the youngest John Alden (who said he was 30 years old in 1609 and the only son of his mother) lived in Breda or Antwerp. He was an English citizen, born in London, and Leonard Halliday, Lord Mayor of London, confirmed and sealed the legal documents that John Alden Jr. brought to Breda for registration.

135-r

Act 1 ~ Loeket Backx [Breda notary] / The honorable John Alden the younger, son of John Alden the elder (a merchant and trader in London, England), and Lady Barbara du Prieur, daughter of Jacques, acting as his authorized representative in the name of his parents. They have been lawfully constituted to carry out the following actions, according to the power of attorney granted before Jan Imaus, a publicly commissioned notary, and certain witnesses in London on the ninth of September in the year 1606, which was confirmed by official letters of Legality with the seal of the aforementioned notary by Sir Leonard Halidaue, Mayor and Chief Magistrate of the City of London, on the ninth of September in the year 1609, sealed with a red wax seal attached to a double tail of a hanging franc. And the account continues in the name of the aforementioned individuals

Comments

135-v

of quality as before, and by virtue of the mentioned power of attorney, lawfully sold and transferred for a sum of money that has been fully paid to Jan Peeters son ver Hoeven, the annual and hereditary rent of twenty-five fine pieces, as specified in the two mentioned notarial deeds. These deeds were granted by Lady Elisabete van Buytenwege, widow of Henrick Monters, who was a member of the Council of Grainhues, H.L.M., in her testament made on the twenty-first day of February in the year 1556 (a copy of which has been shown and is preserved). She granted this rent to Margarete van Buytenwech, Claez Verjuijs, and Margriete, who by her testament passed before Eeger Hertogen, a public notary and witnesses in Antwerp, on the thirteenth day of June in the year 1557, assigned it to Marien Verjuijs, her daughter, who has since passed away in the cloister of Waelwych, and to the aforementioned Barbara du Prieur, formerly the wife of Claes Patteels and now married to the aforementioned Jan Alden [the elder], son of John Alden the elder. And it is agreed that the payment shall be made annually on the designated payment day, from the specified collateral, with all the same conditions and provisions as described in the deeds contained in this letter, sealed with our seals. One seal was affixed by the Burgomasters, Schepen, and Council of Breda, all the citizens and residents of the city of Breda, on the third of August in the year 1542. The other seal was affixed by the Schepen in Breda on the sixth day of September in the year 1549. It is agreed that

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136-r

the annual and hereditary rent of twenty-five shillings, due from the sale, has become due on the third of August in the years 1606 and 1607, and until now, all of which the aforementioned John, the buyer, shall pay. It is understood, however, that in this sale, the xi kg s  ps and mors ps are not included as mentioned in these present notarial deeds. Furthermore, the aforementioned John Alden the younger, aged thirty years (as he stated), also declares and surrenders with this document all rights, actions, and claims that he, as the only son of the aforementioned Barbara, his late mother, may have or assert, stemming from any inheritance or testament. And it has been proven to us, the aldermen, that the aforementioned John Alden is the legitimate son of the aforementioned Barbara, and that Barbara has no further obligations or responsibilities, as certified by the testament of the municipal aldermen of the city of Antwerp, passed on the twenty-sixth day of June in the year 1609, given the name of the late Mr. John, and for the benefit of the aforementioned John, the buyer. Done in the year 1609, on the twenty-fourth day of August.

Act 2 ~ Loeket Backx [Breda notary] / The honorable John Alden the younger, son of John Alden the elder (a trader and merchant in London, England), and Lady Barbara du Prieur, daughter of Jacques, acting lawfully and on behalf of his aforementioned father and mother. By virtue of this, he is authorized to sell, with the expiration of the previous and current deeds, to Jan Aerts van Loon, the seven guilders

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136-v

 

per piece, at a rate of twenty groschen per Flemish unit per year, as stated in these notarial deeds. These deeds pertain to the distribution made by the aforementioned Barbara du Prieur against her sisters, as specified in the division deed passed before the aldermen in Antwerp in the year 1573, on the ninth day of the month. Also, it is true that all the mentioned expenses of flax cultivation for the past years are currently in arrears and unpaid, which the aforementioned John, the buyer, shall follow. Given under the seal in the year in the year 1609, on the twenty-fifth day of August.

Answer 2

Hello again researchers,

I have added a section here on the possible connections between this John Alden family and John Alden, crew member of the Mayflower.  The family had an intriguing connection to Sir Walter Raleigh and barrel making.

Joel

Answer 3

Here is an attempt to transcribe the Breda 1609 document. Perhaps not so successful, but the document does seem to refer to "Heer Leonart Halidaue Ridder" of London.  Leonard Holliday (1550-1612), was Lord Mayor of London and a major investor in the East India Company.

Lu----- Bache / --nam de ---same Johan Alden de Jonge sonne van Jan Alden doude (bo----- ende Coopman tot Londen in Ingelant) ende van Jonkvrouwe Barbara du Prieur, Jacques d[ochte]r als gemachtig en inden naeme van--voors synen vader en moeder, Eynde w------ zy ----oes gecomp---eert es om onder ambre-- doen ----- dat naebes------ volght, na--e ---- wysen van de -------- daer aff voor Jan Imans ge--boren openbaer Notaris & seechene get----en ----- Londen voor -- epa--eert opten ---- septembris anno xvi: mdc yx, en de w---- geconfirmert es -- see----- opeme----- van Legal--eyt -- voors Notaris by Heer Leonart Halidaue [Holliday] Ridder --- mayer en omer- ---- ---- Londen voors, en date anno --.---. en --- ---- ----- -- septembre voors, besegeet --- eenen ---- en -ooden w------- --- eene double paert van -------- -------en ---- Lyde de compt voorgen inden ----- & ---- tot xx grooten vleems ts--ers ---------, indesen door ---en ------------- begre--en, due der voors Barbara du Prieur tegens ---- sudens --------- zyn volgt des dey-br---- daer aff voor ------ in Antwerpen ge----rs int Jaer alf--en ------- duysent vi lxx-, ------- ---nno, en due Cornelis Adriaen gybe----- ---- neel placken Cornelis Meesch ---- nu t----- schuld -- - ---- te ----chen zoo --- der ponds ---- ---- -- a-----en -------- op als---ch-- --- ---- te betaelen ---yt al sulchen onder p---- met alsulche waer-- --- aert quyt--- --- voorts els -- ----- trans--a wesen-- van dato anno --.vi.ende ---, xv daege in decemb ---- --- es voor waert dat alle- geme-- van vercope -emen --------- voors nu ter tyt ten achteren en onbetaelt pa-- al der voorgen Jannen coo--er ----- zal, ----- ------ anno xvi ende --- en xxv ---- in augustus

Answer 4

As they say, necessity is the mother of Googling.  So, I remembered that there is an AI Dutch handwriting transcriber here:

https://readcoop.eu/model/dutch-handwriting-17th-19th-century/

I used the site to transcribe the Breda document.  

Here is the text of the document.  There are words that the AI transcription misread, and which I was uncertain.  As before, any assistance in correcting and translating the document is appreciated!

Transcribed document is in the next message.

Comments

Loekt Backs / Anam d' Eersame Johan / 

Alden de Jonge sone van Jan alden doude (bonge /

ende Coopman tot Londen in Engelant) ende /

van Jouffrouwe Barbare du Prieur, Jacques / 

d[ochte]r als gemechtich en inden naeme vanden voors /

zijne vader en moeder, eynde welche zy / 

wettelijk geconstitueert i- om onder de / 

doen tgem dat naebeschreven volght, nae / 

vuijtwysen van de precuratie daeraff voor / 

Jan Imaus geheboren openbaer Notaris / 

en seeckere gettuygen binnen Londen voorsz / 

gepasseert opten negensten septembris anno / 

xvi ende zes, en dewelcke geconfirmeert is / 

by seechere openebrieven van Legaliteyt de / 

voors Notaris by heer Leonart Halidaue / 

Ridder es- mayer en overstede stadt / 

Londen voorsz, In date anno xii.vi. en ix opte / 

negensten septembris voors, besegelt met / 

eenen segel in rooden wassche aen eenen doublen / 

steert van francen vuythangen  Ende / 

Lyde de compt voorgen inden naeme & / 

tstuck tot xx grooten vleems tsiaers / 

Erffchyns, In desen door stechen schepenen brieve / 

begrepen, die der voorsz Barbare du / 

Prieur tegens heur susters aengedeelt zyn volgen / 

des deylbrieffs daer aff voor schepenen in Ant,, / 

werpen gepasseert Int Jaer alsmen schreeff / 

duijsent v.lxxiii. ix daege in lanno en due / 

Cornelis Adriaen gybeyzo alias schipper / 

neel placken Cornelis meesz metser nu ter tyt / 

schuldich s Ruyt te reycken zoo van verstonden / 

Alle Jaer in alsulchen paeyemente op alsulchen / 

chynsdach te betaelen vuyt al sulchen onderpaneen / 

met alsulche waerins se tertguytinge ene / 

voorts est tot Infra transfixa wesende van / 

date anno m.vi.l ende elve, xv daege in decemb / 

Ende het is voor waert dat alle t gemede / 

van vercoste zemen getsiaers voorsz nu ter / 

tijt ten achteren en onsetaelt staet, al een / 

voorgen[omen] Jannen cooper: volgen zal, Gevet / 

Actury anno xvic; ende xxv dache in augusto

[Document was dated 24-25 August 1609]

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And here is the Chatgpt translation for you:

Loekt Backs / On behalf of the honorable Johan /

Alden de Jonge, son of Jan Alden the Elder (merchant /

and trader in London, England) and /

of Lady Barbara du Prieur, daughter of Jacques /

as authorized and in the name of the aforementioned /

his father and mother, with the purpose of /

performing the following acts, according to /

the instructions of the power of attorney mentioned /

before Jan Imaus, born a public notary /

and certain witnesses in London aforementioned /

executed on the ninth of September in the year /

16-- and six, and which has been confirmed /

by valid letters of legality by the aforementioned /

notary, by Sir Leonart Halidaue /

Knight, mayor, and alderman of the City /

of London aforementioned, dated in the year /

12-- and six, on the ninth of September aforementioned, sealed /

with a seal in red wax, with a double /

tail of hanging francs. And /

Lyde, the aforementioned compt in the name of /

the piece for twenty large Flemish coins /

annually. In this, by the schepenen's (aldermen) letter /

understood, which have been distributed to the aforementioned /

Barbara du Prieur in accordance with the division letter /

before the schepenen in Antwerp, passed /

in the year when one wrote /

thousand five hundred seventy-three, on the ninth day of /

December. And it is certain that all the aforementioned /

expenses for the aforementioned year are currently /

outstanding and unpaid, all owed by the aforementioned /

Jan the buyer. Given /

on the day in the year sixteen hundred /

and twenty-five, in August.

 

I have made some corrections, but please note that due to the fragmentary nature of the text, some parts may still be incomplete or unclear, which can affect the accuracy of the translation.

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Thank you very much Colleen.  I am not familiar with Chatgpt, but it looks like it can decipher archaic spellings.

Wonderful to see this in English!!

Joel

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Hi Joel, Chatgpt is an artificial intelligence language model. I would not say it is 100 percent accurate all the time but I do find it pretty good at translations.