Editorial note: the scan and transcription linked to this record describe an individual will made by Thomas Brewer alone, naming his daughter Mercie as his sole heir and appointing Jan (John) Carver as her guardian, with Maerten van Velden and Pieter Pietersz. van Velden as witnesses, dated 24 October 1618. This does not match the abstract above, which describes a mutual will made jointly by Thomas and Anne naming multiple children as heirs, with John Carver, Jonathan Brewster and William Brewster as witnesses, dated 7 December 1617. The two accounts may not describe the same document. The translation below is offered for reference and is translated faithfully from the transcription as supplied by Erfgoed Leiden, but it should not be read as confirming the abstract's account of the will.
There appeared before me, notary public, and before the witnesses named hereafter, Sir Thomas Breuwer, born in England, well known to me the notary, sick but able to walk and stand, in full possession and use of his reason, memory, and understanding, as far as could outwardly be seen and perceived, and as I, the notary, could not otherwise observe; who declared that, taking heed of his present indisposition and likewise of the general frailty of human life on this earth, and that nothing is more certain than death and nothing more uncertain than the time and hour thereof, he had found it good to make his testament, last and final will, and that he did so of his own free mind and will, without having been induced, persuaded, or in any way maliciously misled thereto by anyone in the world; first commending his immortal soul into the hands of God Almighty, his Creator and Saviour, and his dead body to the earth with an honourable burial.
And thereupon proceeding to the disposition of the temporal goods granted to him by God Almighty, he declared it to be his testament, last and final will, that he revokes, annuls, and makes void all testaments, codicils, and other dispositions that he may have made before this. And in place thereof, disposing anew, he, the testator and appearer, names, appoints, and institutes — as he hereby names, appoints, and institutes — as his sole, universal, and general heir in all the goods he leaves behind, whether houses, lands, or other goods, movable and immovable, actions and credits, money, gold, silver, coined and uncoined, of whatever kind the same may be, none excepted or held back, wherever the same may be situated, Mercie Breuwer, his daughter, begotten by him upon Mistress Anna Breuwer.
He, the testator, further expressly wishes that from his most readily available goods there shall first be satisfied and paid what follows, namely: to the deacons of the English congregation to which he, the appearer, belongs, for the benefit of the said congregation, the sum of two hundred guilders at 40 groot the piece, once. Item, to Jan Carver, his very good acquaintance, the sum of one hundred like guilders. Item, to Grietgen Savere, twenty like guilders. Further, to his present manservant, forty guilders, and to his maidservant likewise forty guilders — all of which the aforesaid appearer hereby declares to bequeath, make, and leave to the aforesaid respective persons, as he bequeaths, makes, and leaves the same hereby.
Furthermore, the testator declares that, in order to be sole guardian over his aforesaid only daughter and instituted heir, and to have proper oversight and authority over her, and likewise to govern and administer her goods as is fitting, he appoints and commits — as he hereby appoints and commits — the aforesaid Jan Carver, his very good friend and acquaintance, fully and wholly authorizing and instructing him, immediately after the appearer's decease, to take possession of his estate and goods left behind, under an inventory to be made by himself (to which he likewise authorizes him); likewise to govern and administer the same to the greatest use, benefit, and profit of his aforesaid daughter; and likewise, as he shall deem advisable, to sell and convert into money the said goods or any part thereof, to levy, collect, and receive the moneys arising therefrom, and generally to do everything concerning the upbringing and maintenance of his aforesaid child and her goods that he shall consider advisable and most useful and profitable. And all this by himself or with the assistance of such other persons as he shall think fit to choose to assist him, to which he likewise authorizes him — and this entirely without interference from the Lords Orphan-Masters (Weesmeesteren) of this city or anyone else, nor from any friends or relatives of the appearer or of his late wife, all and each of whom the appearer fully and completely discharges and excuses in this regard, expressly wishing that they shall not concern themselves therewith, or undertake any such thing, or take the least cognizance thereof, inasmuch as the appearer entrusts all of this wholeheartedly and entirely to the aforesaid Jan Carver.
The appearer further expressly wishes that the aforesaid Jan Carver shall keep for himself, to use for his own profit, out of the outstanding debts or money in hand that he, the testator, shall leave behind at his death, the sum of three thousand guilders at 40 groot the piece, once, of which he shall not be obliged to render any account, proof, or balance to anyone, whether to his daughter or to anyone else. Jan Carver shall, however, be obliged only to bring to the orphan chamber (weeskamer) of this city, for the benefit of his aforesaid child, all the further moneys that he shall receive and be able to obtain within one year of the appearer's decease from his outstanding debts, actions, and claims, or from goods sold, so that they may be invested at interest by the honourable Lords Orphan-Masters. The appearer further expressly wishes that the aforesaid Jan Carver, regarding the aforesaid goods left behind above the three thousand guilders, shall not have to render any account, proof, or balance to anyone else but only to his aforesaid daughter once she is above thirteen years of age; he shall nevertheless be obliged, at his discretion, to employ the income from the aforesaid three thousand guilders retained by him toward the maintenance of his daughter, or at least to apply it to that end on her behalf.
The appearer further declares it to be his final will that the aforesaid Jan Carver shall maintain and bring up his daughter, for which, after she reaches thirteen years of age, he shall annually enjoy and receive the sum of two hundred and fifty guilders at 40 groot the piece, from the goods and income of his said daughter.
The appearer further declares that, in the event of the death of the aforesaid Jan Carver, he appoints and commits in his place, hereby, Willem Jeps, likewise an Englishman, also his good acquaintance, with such power as is hereby given to the aforesaid Jan Carver; likewise authorizing the aforesaid Jan Carver, by agreement between the two of them, to choose and appoint one or more suitable persons as guardians in his place, as before, with like power as aforesaid.
And should it happen that his aforesaid daughter and instituted heir comes to die, after the decease of the appearer, before she is twelve years old, or even thereafter, without having disposed of her goods and without leaving children behind, then the appearer wishes that all her goods left behind — whether lands, houses and lots, or other goods, movable and immovable, none excepted or held back — shall pass, be inherited, devolve, and be enjoyed in the following manner: namely, the lands situated in England, to his brother, Jan Breuwer. And all the further and other goods, in ten parts and portions, each a rightful tenth part, namely: one part to his aforesaid brother Jan Breuwer. Item, one part to the aforesaid English congregation of the appearer's nation. Item, one part to the aforesaid Jan Carver. Item, one part to the brothers and sisters of the appearer's late wife, in equal shares, each an equal amount, and in case of the prior death of any of them, to their children, by representation in their place. Item, one part to Rutsert Bruwer, his nephew. Item, further one part to Willem Breuwer, likewise his nephew. Item, half of one part, being a tenth share, to Willem Brustel. Item, half of the remaining half thereof to the poor community (arme gemeente) of this city of Leiden, and the remaining quarter of the said tenth part to the library here. Item, further half a part to Jan Robbens, and the other half thereof to Jan Doot. Item, further half of one part to the exiled English preachers, as it shall please Jan Carver [to distribute], and the other half to Henrick, Jacob, and Richard Lee. And the tenth and last part: one half to Henric Aeynswart in Amsterdam, and the last half in two portions, namely one half thereof — that is, a quarter of the tenth part — to the congregation in Amsterdam to which the aforesaid Henric belongs, and the remaining quarter the appearer wishes Jan Carver to employ toward the sale of all the books he can obtain, in this country or elsewhere, that have been published against the bishops and prohibited by them.
All of which as aforesaid, the appearer declared to be his testament, last and final will, which he wished and desired to have validated — whether as testament, codicil, donation, gift by reason of death, or otherwise — in whatever way, according to the laws, customs, and usages prevailing in these lands, it might most effectively stand and take place, notwithstanding any defects or omissions. And the appearer further requested that an instrument hereof, in proper form, be drawn up and delivered to him by me, the notary.
Thus done, and after clear and complete reading aloud, passed and executed by the appearer on the 24th of October in the year sixteen hundred and eighteen, in the forenoon at about eight o'clock, in the reign of Matthias of Austria, the first elected Roman Emperor of that name, in the sixth year of his Majesty's election, at the house of the appearer, situated within Leiden in the Nieuwesteeg, in the presence of Maerten van Velden, apothecary, and Pieter Pietersz. van Velden, clerk, residents of this city, as trustworthy witnesses hereto, called upon and requested besides me, the notary, by the appearer. Tho. Brewer. M. van Velden. P. van Velzen. A.C. Paedts, notary, 1618.
Translation by Radicae, The Leiden Connection, from the Dutch transcription supplied by Erfgoed Leiden.
