By the contents of this present instrument, let it be known and made public to everyone, that in the year of the birth of our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ one thousand six hundred and eighteen, on the eleventh day of the month of August, in the afternoon at two o'clock, in the reign of the most illustrious and victorious prince and lord, lord Matthias, by the providence of God the first of that name elected Roman Emperor, in the seventh year of his Majesty's election, before me, Jacob Jansz Verwey, notary public admitted by the Court of Holland, residing at Leiden, and the witnesses named below, there appeared and presented himself the worthy Niclaes Houcke, presently residing at Hazerswoude, well known to me, the notary, sound and healthy of body, walking and standing, and likewise well in possession of his reason, memory and understanding, and making full use thereof according to all outward appearance.
He declared that, taking heed of the shortness and frailty of human life on this earth, the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time and hour thereof, he had found it good and resolved to dispose of his temporal goods while, by God's grace, he was still able to do so, and that he did this of his own free mind and will, without any prompting or deception by anyone. Whereupon, commending first his immortal soul to the mercy of God Almighty, his heavenly Father, and his dead body to an honourable burial, and thereupon proceeding to his disposition, he declared that he first revoked, annulled and voided all such testaments, codicils and other dispositions as might be found to have been made or passed by him at any time before this — and in particular, in this regard, the testament made and passed by him together with Cathalina Springers, his late wife, before me the notary and certain witnesses, on the thirteenth of March last past, sixteen hundred and eighteen — not wishing that it should be valid or have any effect, but holding it henceforth void and of no force.
And disposing anew, he declared that he prelegated, bequeathed in advance and assigned to Claes and Christiaen Houcke, his [the text is damaged at this point] under-age and unmarried children, over and above, and without diminution of, the four hundred guilders which they, according to the aforesaid testament made by him with his wife, must draw in advance from the common estate after his death, each a further sum of six hundred guilders of forty groot each, to be paid out to them from his, the appearer's, readiest goods.
And that, as to all his other remaining goods, actions and credits, he instituted, established and named as his heirs by this instrument the said Claes and Christiaen Houcke, together with Master Isaac and Catelina Houcke, his married children, each for an equal fourth part; or, should any of them have predeceased him, their lawful descendants by representation and [the text is damaged here — probably "institution"] in their deceased parents' place — it being understood that, should the aforesaid Claes or Christiaen Houcke die before reaching the married state or the age of majority, whatever they shall by then have received by virtue of the prelegacy or institution from the appearer's goods shall in that case come to and devolve solely upon whichever of the two remains living, and upon no one else.
He further ordained and appointed as guardians over the persons and goods of his said two minor children the honourable Jaques de Mommer and Jaques van Dale, the appearer's good and trusted friends, with power that, upon the death of either of them, the survivor may adopt and choose another co-guardian in the deceased's place, as shall seem good to him; not wishing that anyone else whatsoever — and among these expressly including all orphan-masters, orphan-chamber officials and other authorities — should in the least concern or trouble himself with the governance and administration of the persons and goods of the said children, holding them fully discharged and excused therefrom.
And should it happen (which the appearer does not expect) that his of-age children should not wish to content themselves with the present disposition, but should instead oppose it, directly or indirectly, at law or otherwise, in any manner, then he, the appearer, wills that they shall content themselves with the simple legal portion (legitieme portie) due to them in the appearer's goods and rights, in which case he institutes them only to that extent — and [the text is damaged and uncertain here] that his other children shall accordingly receive the remainder in everything else.
All of which the appearer declared, in the hands of me, the notary, stipulating the same lawfully as a public person, to be his 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, should it be found otherwise, in whatever form it might best subsist, notwithstanding any defects or omissions. He requested that a public instrument, or more than one, be drawn up and issued of this by me, the notary, in the best form.
Thus done and passed by the appearer at the house and office of me, the notary, situated within the aforesaid city of Leiden on the Breestraat, near the common land-house of Rijnland, in the presence of Gerrit Cornelisz Schuyrman and Ewout Jansz, clerks within the aforesaid city, as trustworthy witnesses, called and specially requested thereto by me, the notary, in the year, month, day, hour and imperial reign as above. In witness of me: Claeis Houcke, G. Schuyrman, E. Jansz. In witness of me, Jacob J. Verwey, deputy notary. 11 August 1618.
Translation by Radicae, The Leiden Connection, from the Dutch transcription supplied by Erfgoed Leiden.
