Complete English translationBe it known and manifest to all by the contents of the present instrument that, in the year after the birth of our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ one thousand six hundred and twenty-eight, on the thirty-first day of the month of July, in the afternoon at about one o'clock, Ferdinand of Austria, second of that name, elected Roman Emperor, reigning in the tenth year of his Majesty's election, there appeared and came before me, Jacob Jansz. Verwey, notary public admitted by the Court of Holland, residing at Leiden, and before the witnesses named hereafter, the honourable Catharina Edmonts, wife of Willem Cubit, tobacco merchant, living within the aforesaid city, lying sick in bed, yet in full possession and full use of her reason, memory and understanding, to all outward appearance.
She declared that, taking heed of her present indisposition, the shortness and frailty of human life on this earth, the certainty of death and the uncertainty of its time and hour, she had found it good and had resolved to dispose of her temporal goods while she was still able to do so, by God's grace, and that she did so of her own free mind and will, without anyone's inducement or deception.
Whereupon, first commending her immortal soul to the grace and mercy of Almighty God, her heavenly Father, and her dead body to an honourable burial, and thereupon proceeding to her disposition, she declared that, out of the true conjugal love and affection which she bore toward the aforesaid Willem Cubit, her husband, and for other good reasons and considerations moving her thereto in the highest degree, she did institute, establish and nominate hereby the same, her husband, to be her sole and universal heir in all her goods, actions and credits which she shall leave behind and in any way bequeath at her death, none excepted nor excluded.
Provided, and with this understanding, that her aforesaid husband and instituted heir shall allow Maritgen Ritsaert, her aunt, living at Delft, to enjoy and keep as her own property such two gold rings as the said Maritgen already holds in safekeeping from the appearing party, which rings the appearing party declared she was bequeathing to her.
The foregoing the appearing party declared before me, the notary, lawfully stipulating the same, as a public person, to be her testament and last will, desiring that it should take effect, have force and obtain execution, whether as a solemn testament, codicil, gift on account of death, or in whatever other form it might best be found to subsist, notwithstanding any defects or omissions; requesting that a public instrument, or more than one, be drawn up and issued thereof by me, the notary, in the best form.
Thus done and, after being read out in full, passed and executed by the appearing party within the aforesaid city, at her house and dwelling place, standing on the Nieuwe Turfmarkt, in the presence of Jacob Heyns, ribbon maker, and Edmont Chandlor, tobacco-pipe maker, within the aforesaid city, who declared and affirmed that they well knew the person of the appearing party and that she was indeed the one named above, as credible witnesses called and specially requested thereto together with me, the notary, in the year, month, day, hour and imperial reign as above.
By me, Jacob Heyns. Edmond Chandler. In witness whereof I testify that the appearing party, on account of her weakness, did not sign. Jacob Jansz. Verwey, notary, subscribed, 31-7-1628.
Translation by Radicae, The Leiden Connection, from the Dutch transcription supplied by Erfgoed Leiden.