There appeared before the undersigned aldermen of the city of Leiden, Dirck Jansz, rope-maker, aged about sixty-two years, and Jan Cornelisz Beckhey, aged about fifty-three years, both residing within this city; and they, having been duly sworn by solemn oath and examined, at the request of Jan Kebel, say-worker, testified and declared to be true that they have had good acquaintance with the aforesaid requester for about sixteen years, during which time they found nothing in him but all honour and virtue, he having conducted himself in his dealings, behaviour and company in no other manner than as befits a man of honour and standing.
Nor have the deponents ever heard or understood that the same man was reputed or defamed for any evil deeds, offences or misconduct, still less that he should have been caught out in any such thing; so that they hold him to be a man of honour, standing in good name and reputation. The deponents give as the reason for this knowledge that they have for many years lived within this city in the same neighbourhood as the requester, and that therefore what is deposed above is well known to them. So truly may God Almighty help them. Done on the 30th of June, sixteen hundred and twenty-seven.
Translation by Radicae, The Leiden Connection, from the Dutch transcription supplied by Erfgoed Leiden.
Read the original Dutch transcription
Compareerde voor de ondergeschreven schepenen der stad Leyden Dirck Jansz lijndrayer, out omtrent lxii jaren ende Jan Cornelisz Beckhey out omtrent liii jaren beyde woonende binnen deser stede ende hebben bij solemneelen eede hem wettelicken gestaeft ende affgenomen ten versoucke van Jan Kebel trapier, getuycht ende verclaert waerachtich te wesen dat zij aen den tijt van omtrent sestien jaren goede kennisse aan de voornoemde requirant hebben gehadt, geduyrende welcke voors. tijt zij aen den zelven ander niet bevonden hebben dan alle eer ende deucht als hebbende hem in zijn handel, wandel ende ommegang, anders niet gecomporteert hebbende als een man mit eer en toestaet ende behoort te doen, sonder dat sij deposanten ooc eyt gehoort ofte verstaen hebben dat den selven met eenige quade feyten delicten of mesusen berucht off befaemt veel min daer van achterhaelt soude sijn geweest, sulcx dat zij hem houden voor een man met eer en staende ter goeder namen ende fame. Getuigen sij deposanten voor redenen aen de wetenschap dat sij lange jaren binnen deser stede metten requirant in een gebuyrte hebben gewoont ende oversulcx ’t gunt hier vooren wert gedeposeert hun ter genouchen kennelic is. Zoo waerlick most hen deposanten Godt Almachtich helpen. Actum den xxxen juny xvic sevenentwintich.
Original source:Erfgoed Leiden · record group 0508 · call no. 79P · folio 206v
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