INQUISITION, LISBON, A CONFESSION 1662





Inquisition of Lisbon, case no. 7825

António Gomes da Silveira (native of Celorico)

Confession
May 25, 1662

He said that about 20 years ago, in the month of September, (and he said again), that about 22 or 23 years ago, in Celorico, at his father’s house, Fernando da Silveira, deceased, just the two of them, he said to him that he should believe in law of Moses because it was good, and through it he would save himself. And that he should not believe in anything of the law of Our Lord Jesus Christ, that, he the defendant, already knew about that and had knowledge, because at that time, he was 15 or 16 years of age .

And by observing the law of Moses he should believe in a God in heaven, whose name was Adonay, and he should fast on the Great Day, which started a few days after he taught him that,

And not to eat or drink from dusk one day until the night of the next, when there would be stars in the sky.

He recommended to him very much that he should observe the said fast, and also, not to work on that day because it was very holy.

And also that he should fast again in the month of February, which is called Queen Esther, in memory of liberty, through which means the Hebrew people will achieve it.

And this should also be done in the aforementioned form. And also that he should observe the Sabbaths, not to work on them, treating them like holy days,

And that he should celebrate the Easter of the Jews, and this occurs, at the same time as the resurrection, and lasts eight days, and during those days he should eat unleavened cakes,

That he should not eat lard, blood, rabbit, or fish without scales,

And for other matters concerning the law of Moses, he should follow what his mother Branca Henriques tells him,

And his father declared to him that he believed in said law of Moses, and with it he expected to save himself, and in his observance he practiced the aforesaid ceremonies,

Recommending very much to him, the defendant, that he be very secretive, obliging him to do the same under great threats.

Telling him not believe in the law of Christ because the “Promised One”, had yet to come, because God promised it, and he would not fail.
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(Portuguese transcribed from TT archives by Fernanda Guimarães, author of " A Tormenta Dos Mogadouro Na Inquisição de Lisboa", Vega, Lisbon 2009)


Aos 25 Maio de 1662


Confissão
Disse que haverá 20 anos sendo o mês de Setembro e tornou a dizer que haverá 23/ 24 anos, em Celorico, em casa de seu pai Fernando da Silveira, já defunto, e estando ambos sós, lhe disse que havia de crer na lei de Moisés, porque era boa e que nela se havia de salvar, e que não cresse em coisa alguma da lei de Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo, de que ele confitente já tinha notícia e conhecimento, por ser naquele tempo de idade de 15/16 anos , e por guarda da lei de Moisés havia de crer em um Deus que estava no céu, e que se chamava Adonay, e que havia de jejuar o jejum do dia grande que começava poucos dias depois, que lhe fez aquele ensino, estando sem comer nem beber desde o princípio da noite de um dia até à noite do seguinte, e haver estrelas no céu. Encomendando-lhe muito que observasse o dito jejum, e que também naquele dia não fizesse coisa alguma de serviço porque era muito santo.
E que também havia de fazer outro jejum no mês de Fevereiro, a que chama da Rainha Ester, em memória da Liberdade, que por seu meio se alcançara para o povo Hebreu, e este havia de ser também na sobredita forma, e que também havia de guardar os sábados, não trabalhando neles tratando-os como dias santos, e que havia de festejar a Páscoa dos judeus, e que esta caía no mesmo tempo em que caía a da ressurreição, e durava oito dias, e neles havia de comer bolos asmos, e que não havia de comer toucinho, sangue, coelho, nem peixe sem escama, e que no mais tocante à lei de Moisés seguisse o que lhe dissesse a sua mãe Branca Henriques. E o dito seu pai lhe declarou que cria na dita lei de Moisés e nela esperava salvar-se, e por sua guarda fazia as sobreditas cerimónias, encomendado a ele muito , a ele confitente, que naquilo tivesse muito segredo, obrigando-o que assim fizesse com grandes ameaços.

107
Dizendo-lhe que não cresse na lei de Cristo porque ainda havia de vir o prometido, que Deus prometera e que não havia de faltar.

JEWISH DIASPORA OF THE CARRIBBEAN CONFERENCE

BOOK LAUNCH IN PORTO




The Porto launch of the Portuguese edition of The Warsaw Anagrams, by Richard Zimler will take place on Thursday, October 29, 9 p.m., 2009, at the Leitura Bookshop in Porto Shopping Center (Gonçalo Sampaio, 350) Professor Isabel Pires de Lima will give a talk about the book. (English edition will only come out in January 2011).

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/

The Mask of the Marranos

Allan Nadler

October 2009

The Other Within: The Marranos, Split Identity, and Emerging Modernity
By Yirmiyahu Yovel
Princeton, 490 pages, $35

The creation of the modern state of Israel has awakened many dormant cultural pursuits, perhaps none so dramatic as the discovery of long-lost Jews. Every decade or so, another tribe of supposed descendants of biblical Israel—marked by quirky uses of Jewish symbols, eclectic religious observance, and a smattering of Hebrew prayers—is revealed to have been keeping the flame in some remote area of the world, from Africa to the subcontinent. The repatriation to Israel of members of these remnants of the long Jewish exile—from the Bene Israel of India to the Falasha of Ethiopia and the Lemba of South Africa—has been among the most inspiring aspects of the modern “ingathering of the exiles” that has animated the Zionist idea.

Although the unique historical narratives of such groups have differed greatly, all have been adamant that they are authentic descendants of one of the legendary “10 lost tribes” that disappeared from history in the 8th century B.C.E.; have insisted on being recognized as fully Jewish; and have faced a battery of obstacles to their reassimilation into the greater Jewish population—obstacles, though often resented, they have striven mightily to overcome through formal conversion ceremonies and, ultimately, immigration to Israel.

But there is one sobering exception to this scenario. Beginning in the early 20th century, a number of communities in Portugal were unearthed as “Marranos”—that is, descendants of the once proud crypto-Jewish nation that came into being when Iberian Jews were coerced into baptism and then persecuted for centuries by the Spanish Inquisition. (Marrano is a contemptuous Spanish epithet for “swine” or “filth” that eventually became the standard appellation for this community of Conversos, or converts.) Other groups of Marranos have been found in rural communities in just about every territory ever colonized by Spain and Portugal, from South America to Texas and New Mexico, as well as in places like Turkey, where refugees of the Inquisition were welcomed by the Ottoman Empire.

Forced to hide their true inner religious identity in order to survive in medieval Hispanic Catholic societies, the distant and diluted remnants of the Marranos (or “Judaizing New Christians,” as they were sometimes called) often made great sacrifices to observe what they could, and could remember, of the Jewish tradition and maintain their credo that “salvation comes only through the Torah of Moses.” Centuries of living outwardly as Christians while maintaining, usually without recalling why, the barest vestiges of their original Jewish faith took a severe psychological toll. Secrecy and avoidance of any displays of their residual Jewish practices, combined with public lives of pious Catholicism, became entrenched over the centuries, along with a deeply ingrained fear, bordering on paranoia, of being outed. True to form, most contemporary Marranos have tended to fear their rediscovery as Jews and resisted rejoining the people of Israel, from whom they were cruelly separated half a millennium ago.

Jewish historians have long been divided about the complex question of the Marranos’ “Jewishness.” At one pole is the so-called Jerusalem school of Jewish historiography, which has stubbornly maintained that, despite their centuries-long disconnection, the Marranos remained Jews in every meaningful respect. At the opposite pole are historians like Benzion Netanyahu (the 100-year-old father of the Israeli prime minister), who, giving weight to the overwhelming consensus of rabbinical opinion spanning almost five centuries, have insisted that in initially choosing baptism and later failing to take advantage of the opportunity to leave pre-Inquisition Portugal, the Marranos forfeited their membership in the Jewish nation and situated themselves outside Jewish history.

In an ambitious new work, the intellectual historian Yirmiyahu Yovel rejects both these -approaches, favoring instead a portrait of the Marranos as neither Jewish nor Christian but something sui generis—“the other within,” in the striking phrase that serves as the title of his book, the summa of his distinguished career as a scholar of Baruch Spinoza and premodern Jewry. More important, Yovel believes the phenomenon of Marranism marks a new and significant element in the Jewish historical narrative, one that anticipated the varieties of Jewish identity that would emerge in post-Enlightenment Europe.

The heartbreaking history of the Marranos begins with the forced conversions of tens of thousands of Jews at the height of the Christian conquest of Spain. Jews had lived in Iberia since the 8th century, and although they were subjected to forced conversions and punitive Church inquiries into the sincerity of those conversions by the Kingdom of Aragon as far back as the mid-13th century, the continuous existence of a community of secret Jews starts with the wave of pogroms that erupted in Seville in 1391. No major Jewish community was spared. The eminent Jewish philosopher Hasdai Crescas witnessed the horrors in Barcelona:

Using bows and catapults, the mob fought against the Jews assembled in the Citadel, beating and smashing them in the tower. Many sanctified the name of God [that is, died for the Jewish religion] among them my own only son, an innocent bridal lamb. . . . Some slew themselves, others jumped from the tower . . . but all the rest converted. . . . And, because of our sins, today there is no one in Barcelona called an Israelite.

Despite Crescas’s reference to “many” martyrs, the historical record suggests that the majority of Spanish Jews confronted with the slogan “Death or the Cross” chose the cross. Over the course of the ensuing century of Christian persecution, which reached its nadir with the final expulsion of all Jews from Spain in 1492, some 200,000 Jews saved their lives by accepting baptism and, at least outwardly, leading Christian lives. Eighty thousand of their more resourceful brethren escaped to Portugal, thought to be more tolerant; but in short order they, too, faced a cruel fate: mass conversions in 1497, followed by a royal decree prohibiting the New Christians from leaving the country. The net result of this merciless entrapment of the Portuguese Conversos was that the enduring epicenter of Marranism became Portugal and its colonies.

It is certain that for a significant number (according to some historians, well over half) of these Conversos, the new “faith” was a façade, solely the consequence of lethal coercion. Not only did they remain Jewish at heart, they continued for centuries to observe elements of Jewish religious ritual, at great risk to their lives. The Marranos’ historically remarkable tenacity generated a popular image of them in Jewish memory as not merely fully Jewish—a dubious status given their choice of conversion and subsequent high rates of intermarriage with original Christians—but as righteous heroes who sacrificed their lives “for the sake of Heaven.”

One of Yovel’s notable achievements is challenging this misnomer and complicating its more sophisticated adoption by historians. He vividly recounts an abundance of Converso biographies that illustrate the complex spectrum of their identities and beliefs—from fervent Catholicism to pious Judaizing to a deep skepticism about both religions that he identifies as the earliest manifestations of modern Jewish secularism.

In Yovel’s view, the Jewish romancers of the Marranos fallaciously assume that the barest and most residual Judaic behavior on the part of the Conversos constitutes evidence of their Jewishness. (Their scholarship, he notes with grim irony, often accepts at face value the “discoveries” by overzealous Inquisitors of supposedly “Judaizing” practices among the New Christians.) Among his most fascinating refutations of this notion pertains to the endurance among a large number of Marranos of the practice of eating the slow-cooked Sabbath stew, known among Spanish and Moroccan Jews to this day as adafina (what American Jews call cholent). While the genesis of this dish, which is prepared before sundown on Friday, lies in the biblical prohibition of kindling a fire on the Sabbath itself, Yovel notes that its enduring popularity among the Conversos hardly constitutes proof of Sabbath -observance:

The Inquisitors’ meticulous concern with this dish highlights their bias in identifying secret Jews. Adafina, with its hearty ingredients and prolonged cooking is indeed distinctive—not of Jewish cult but of Jewish gastronomy. . . . It is well known that food preferences, especially for distinctive ethnic dishes, are the last customs to disappear in immigrant and assimilating societies, the readiest object of group nostalgia, and the last bastion of ethnic characteristics.

That even those Marranos who retained secret religious practices failed to take advantage of a long period of clemency in Portugal, from 1507-1536, when they were given permission to leave the country without their relatives’ suffering retribution, convinces Yovel that their Judaic beliefs were hardly fervent. Still, he does not go as far as the likes of Benzion Netanyahu (whose work Yovel derides) in seeing subsequent Marrano history as a non-Jewish phenomenon. He suggests a provocative analogy to the beliefs of moderns:

Most Judaizing Marranos no longer yearned for Judaism as a concrete reality, but as an ideal, infinite dream. This is similar to the contemporary Jewish yearning for the Messiah, expressed in the saying “Next Year in Jerusalem,” which is also not pronounced with any concrete intention. . . . Jews have educated themselves to wait for a messiah that does not really come . . . not in our lifetime, but in a Messianic era, which is always deferred and projected beyond the present.

Of course, there was nothing removed or dispassionate about the messianic faith of the victims of the Spanish Expulsion and Inquisition. Don Isaac Abarbanel, the greatest Jewish scholar to leave Spain in 1492, produced three tracts in which he viewed the calamities as heralding messianic times. Messianic fervor was even more feverish among Marranos who managed to escape from Portugal in later decades. In a book otherwise so comprehensive, Yovel’s silence about the later susceptibility of the Marranos to the 17th-century false messianic movement of Shabbetai Zevi is surprising. This is especially the case since, after Zevi’s conversion to Islam in 1665, many of his followers in the Ottoman Empire, especially in the Greek city of Salonika, assumed a false Islamic identity, becoming known as “Donmeh.”

That a large number of Donmeh today are known to descend from Portuguese Marranos is not surprising. They were practiced in the art of religious dissimulation long before becoming Sabbatians. What is more than a little shocking is the widespread accusations by radical Islamists and assorted other anti-Semites in contemporary Turkey that their enemies—beginning with founder of secular Turkish democracy, Kemal Ataturk, himself—are Donmeh conspirators. Given Yovel’s near obsession with the degree to which the Marranos prefigured modernity, his omission of this fascinating chapter is regrettable.

At any rate, he argues that in time, a significant number of Marranos developed an active hostility to all religious dogmas and ecclesiastical authorities.¹ Citing numerous statements from the Inquisition’s archives of Marrano confessions that indicate a disdain for supernatural beliefs, he concludes that many of them had replaced their Jewish faith not with a Christian one but with a “growing concern for this-worldly secular affairs and even religious indifference and skepticism.”
The examples he adduces—-especially those that concern dietary and other ethnic “habits”—are usually convincing, but there are instances of Marrano religious observance that suggest more -piety than he allows. Consider the -remarkable testimony of a Church inquisitor:

In the city of Seville, an inquisitor said to the duke: “If your Grace wishes to know how the Marranos keep the Sabbath, let us go up the tower.” They climbed up and he said: “Look around: here is a Marrano house and there is another and here are many others. You won’t see any smoke coming out of these houses despite the harsh winter, because they don’t light fire, as it is the day of the -Sabbath.”

That Yovel fails to distinguish this form of Sabbath observance from a fondness for stew reveals the extent to which his overarching thesis tends at times to cloud his judgment. It is, after all, one thing to continue to enjoy grandmother’s favorite dishes but quite another to freeze in one’s own home in order to sanctify the Sabbath. Yovel likewise misses the extent to which elements of Marrano liturgy and ritual held fast to the Jewish tradition.

Still, Yovel’s detailed economic history of the Portuguese Marranos serves to buttress his depiction of a class defined less by spiritual than by worldly bonds. It was during the period of broad royal tolerance -after the Lisbon Massacre of 1506 that the vast majority of Marranos who remained in Portugal came to dominate the mercantile class and were dubbed homens de negocios (businessmen). Yovel argues that the Marranos’ unique historical experiences, secretive rituals, and internalized religious skepticism helped them to form strong internal business networks, which in turn forged in them a new kind of identity, rooted less in medieval allegiances to God, Church, and King than in a “modern,” secular kind of ethnic solidarity.

There was another powerful element to the Marranos’ otherness. The suspicion among Iberia’s pious “Old Christians” that the descendants of the Conversos never fully or properly accepted Catholicism was hardly the simple result of the persistence of quirky -remnants of Judaic religious practices. It betrayed something deeper and more ominous than religious -prejudice: namely, racial hatred, arguably the first overt manifestation of it in Jewish history. While the notorious Limpieza de Sangre (Purity of Blood) statutes of 1449 and 1467 that led to massacres of New Christians in Spain were ultimately revoked, they were re-enacted in Portugal in the 1550s, reflecting the deepest feelings of both the Iberian peasantry and the Catholic clergy about the true nature of the masses of baptized Jews.

Yovel brilliantly captures the long-term effects on the Marranos’ identity and consciousness of being confronted by the pincer-like, contradictory demands of the Inquisition, which ostensibly required nothing more than “purity of faith,” and the racial Limpieza statutes, which demanded “purity of blood”:

The Limpieza forced the Jewish designation upon the Marranos, while the Inquisition denied their right to adopt it. Thus, even if Marranos wished to accept the denomination of Jewish attached to them through Limpieza, they were not permitted to do so. The Inquisition denied a person the right to be what the purity of blood rules said he could not escape. This left the Marranos suspended in the air. . . . The opposition between Limpieza and the Inquisition had complementary effects. It produced the typical Marrano situation as an inner exile, a person of unstable identity and, partly in a metaphorical sense, a new wandering Jew.

The deracinated, interiorized cast of mind of the Marranos, Yovel is resolute in concluding, was to become the common property of modern Jewry: “What happened to the Conversos in the confines of the Iberian experience as an exceptional phenomenon in their times prefigured the fundamental condition of Jews everywhere in modern times.” He points to a host of similarities along the split identity of the Marranos and that of modern, secularizing Jews who, in the words of the Hebrew poet Judah Leib Gordon, aspired to “be Jews in their tents, and men when they go out.” And then, of course, there followed the confrontation of deeply assimilated, even converted, Western European Jews with modern racism.

We are all Marranos now: the thesis is nothing if not provocative. But as with any work written under the spell of such a grand idea, problems abound. Yovel sees Marrano “influence” in far too many places, even where the links are thin and abstract. For one thing, even the 19th-century maskilim, or Jewish enlighteners, far from hiding their identity, were intent on adapting Judaism to European culture precisely in order to ensure its survival. Judah Leib Gordon was a Hebrew, not a Russian, poet, and his passion was to renew the Jews’ ancient language and identity, not to conceal them. Yovel himself cannot help conceding that all his fascinating parallels are of little more than phenomenological interest and that he has proved nothing of concrete historical significance: “Should the Marranos then be seen as anticipating Haskalah, the movement that promoted Jewish modernization? Not quite.”

Perhaps the most striking rebuttal of Yovel’s theory is the self-determination of the Marrano remnants themselves. His affecting portrait of the community in Belmonte touches upon its members’ reluctance to be reintegrated into contemporary Jewry or repatriated to Israel, and speaks resoundingly: “This is their revered tradition, the way their ancestors have always kept their religion, and this is how it should be. . . .  Secrecy had become important to the Marranos as a religious value. The mask had acquired ritual meaning in itself, and duality was now practiced for its own sake.”

Footnotes

¹?This follows the central argument in Yovel’s earlier book, Spinoza and Other Heretics, which located the origins of ­Baruch Spinoza’s Jewish heresy in his Marrano lineage. See André ­Aciman’s review in “Was Spinoza a Heretic?” ­(Commentary, August 1990) and my own discussion in “Romancing Spinoza” (Commentary, December 2006).

---

About the Author

Allan Nadler is professor of religious studies and director of the program in Jewish studies at Drew University.

© 2009 Commentary Inc.

LADINA BOOKS AND PRINTS

Books- Bnei Anousim ( Marranos), New Christians and New/Old Jews from Sefarad and the diaspora. Email us for a catalogue. Send us your requests. ladina.sefarad@gmail.com

The Moon, Come to Earth: Dispatches from Lisbon

by Philip Graham

(four of the dispatches concern Luso-Jewish topics: "365 Days of Pork Surprise" (the difficulty of finding real alheiras in Lisbon), "We Capture the Castle" (which includes a visit to Belmonte's synagogue and Jewish museum), "Salvage" (which includes a visit to the Jewish section of the Praia cemetery in Cape Verde, and a meeting with the newly-minted Israeli ambassador), and "Three Churches," which uncovers the anti-semitism behind a Santarém church's "miracle," describes the São Domingos massacre of New Christians, and praises 16th Century playwright Gil Vicente for his critique of the Inquisition.)



Part travelogue and part memoir, Philip Graham’s The Moon, Come to Earth brings us the news of Portugal past and present, touching on food and sports, religion and language, music and literature and art. Graham’s greatest strength is his ability to observe sharply and think clearly through the varied roles of public spectacle: the many ways in which the Portuguese tell stories of and to themselves through fireworks festivals and bullfights, medieval fairs and theater, magic shows and soccer matches and transformational public art. Given structure by his repeated return to the concept of saudade—‘a complicated feeling that combines sorrow, longing and regret, laced perhaps with a little mournful pleasure’—and given buoyancy by the ebullience of his voice, The Moon, Come to Earth shows Graham at the top of his game.

—Roy Kesey, author Nothing in the World and All Over

U.S.: http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Come-Earth-Dispatches-Lisbon/dp/0226305155/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239139851&sr=1-1

U.K.: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Moon-Come-Earth-Dispatches-Lisbon/dp/0226305155/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253477247&sr=1-1

JEWS IN THE AZORES pre 1773--PICO
mlopesazevedo

The presence of Portuguese Jews in the Azores likely predates the ineffective edict of expulsion of December 5, 1496 of king Manuel I, and the subsequent forced mass baptism of all Portuguese Jews  in the fall of 1497. Very little research has been done concerning Jewish presence in the  Azores before the 19th century. ( Prime Minister  Pombal who ended the persecution of New Christians permitted Jews to return to Portugal in the late 18th century-see related posts)

With respect to the island of Pico, there is a reference in a local history publication by Lajes city Council to an expulsion in 1503 of a New Christian. ( Historia do concelho das Lages, F.S.de Lacerda Machado, Figueira da Foz, 1936-reprinted by Lages city council in 1991)

The author states at p. 91 (after a summarising the 1496 edict),

" alguns procuraram asilo nas ilhas.." (some sought asylum in the islands)

He then describes the lifestyle of the early Jews in Lajes (which appears not to be based on any historical fact) and refers to the case of a New Christian, Afonso Alvares (merchant) who was expelled from Pico on November 4, 1503. Apparently Alvares did not take it lying down because he returned in 1507 with a letter from the King ordering his reinstatement on the island. The king's order was not well received by the council but was supported by one Pedro Anes, a municipal councillor. Anes' support of Alvares forced his resignation from Council on August 20, 1507. The author states that the Council considered Anes to be a Jew.

Lacerda Machado states that the archives contains no other information about the case. If I recall correctly, he comments that the file went missing.  Perhaps it was destroyed in an unrelated sacking of municipal records by an enraged mob in the 19th century.

The author ends the chapter with a reference to "Abraham" a well known Jew in Lajes in 1848. Abraham was probably one of the returning Sephardim from North Africa and Gibraltar at the beginning of the 19th century who settled on one of the islands. There are cemeteries from that period in São Miguel, Terçeira, Fayal, and an extant synagogue in Ponta Delgada.

Some new research is being currently conducted but much more needs to be done. The Amsterdam notarial records posted elsewhere are a rich source of information for the 16th and early 17th centuries with many references to the Azores. Research in the national archives in Lisbon by Fernanda Guimarães will add greatly to available information concerning Azorean cases in the Inquisition, which were tried in Lisbon where today stands the Dona Maria II national theatre on the north end of Rossio square and the location of the forced baptism of 1497 .

Fernanda's research points to well developed communications between New Christians in Ponta Delgada, Livorno (Leghorn), Lisbon, and London. Samuel Usques', Consolation for the Tribulations of Israel, published in Portuguese  in 1553 at Ferrara, likely paid for by the "Senhora" (Dona Gracia Mendes (Nassi) born in Lisbon, the wealthiest banker in Europe at the time),  made its way to Ponta Delgada in the Azores! (Inquisition file  of Maria Lopes, the first Azorean to be burned at the stake in Lisbon. In the late 1500's, she wrote prayers in Hebrew while incarcerated before her demise).

(2 of 2) Notarial Records relating to the Portuguese Jews in Amsterdam before 1639



Studia Rosenthaliana, Journal of the History, Culture and Heritage of the Jews
in the Netherlands, vol. 35, nr. 1, 2001
Notarial Records relating to the Portuguese Jews in Amsterdam before 16391


No. 3546
Statement made by the notary at the request of Diego Fernandes Dias,
Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, saying that he drew up for the said Dias two
insurance policies concerning tobacco that was shipped from Bayonne to
Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Jacome Louis loaded the tobacco in the ships St
Pieter of skipper Claes Franssen from Rotterdam and in De Schoenmaker of
skipper Jan IJsbrantsz from Krommeniedijk. The tobacco was consigned to the
said Dias. The insurance of the tobacco, that belonged to Dias, was taken out
on his account; various merchants and burghers of Amsterdam participated in
the policies for certain sums. The said Jacome Luis is only a private
correspondent and factor who acts on orders and receives a commission for
loading and shipping goods that Dias and other Portuguese merchants send him
or that he receives for them from other places.2

1627 July 1
Not. Arch. 634 f. 113v.-114
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.


No. 3547
Note made by the notary, saying that he registered an attestation for Pimentel
(a), alias David Abeniacar by Cornelis de Cuijper and that 18 stivers are due
to him plus the fee of the witnesses.

1627 July 7
Not. Arch. 373 f. 375
Not. Willem Cluijt


No. 3548
David Pallache in Amsterdam authorises Pieter Janssen Cachiopin, merchant from
Rotterdam, to arrest in Rotterdam Manuel de Morais Tavares, Portuguese
nobleman and to attach his goods in order to obtain payment of 1000 guilders
that Tavares owes him.

1627 July 10
Not. Arch. 634 f. 118v.-119
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.3


No. 3549
Michiel Corssen Corael, merchant in Amsterdam, speaking for Diego Fernandes
Branco, merchant in Madeira, declares that he received from Jeronima Gomes,
widow of Diogo Gomes Duarte, the sum of 661 guilders and 12 stivers, which sum
Jeronima Gomes had received from skipper Evert Jansz Waterhondt from
Rotterdam, for the delivery of candied peel. Branco had allowed this sum to be
paid out to Corael in a letter dated 13 December 1626.

1627 July 13
Not. Arch. 633 f. 19
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.4



No. 3550
Statement made by Diogo Martins and Bartholomeus Sijmons about the following.
A controversy involving a few consignments of rope-work has arisen between
Francisco and Manuel Ramires Pina, Portuguese merchants in Amsterdam on the
one side and Jan Ibesz, Wiggert Jansz and Hendrick Agges, rope-makers on the
other side. The consignments were sold to the Portuguese merchants to be
delivered in La Havre at their, that is the buyers’, risk and cost. The
merchants maintain that the rope-makers should pay all expenses for the
rope-work including the toll, labourers’ wages, warehouse rent etc. The
rope-makers say that they only have to pay the freight-price and the pilotage
and harbour dues. After a court suit both parties agreed to adhere to the
verdict of Diogo Martins and Bartholomeus Sijmons as chosen arbiters. The
arbiters’ verdict is that the rope-makers are only responsible for the
freight-price, pilotage and harbour dues and that they have found that this is
the customary procedure with such consignments of rope.

1627 July 17
Not, Arch. 846 f. 246
Not. Jozef Steijns



No. 3551
Notice served at the request of Jan Kuijsten, Aernout van Liebergen, Cornelis
Michielsz Blau and Pieter van den Trille, merchants in Amsterdam, upon Diego
da Silva, Portuguese merchant, presently sojourning in Amsterdam. These people
are willing to pay Da Silva immediately the sum of money to which each of them
has been sentenced, with the interest of six and a quarter percent a year,
provided that Da Silva puts up sureties in case they should win when the case
is revised, because Da Silva does not reside in Amsterdam. They promise that
they will deposit the money with the court’s clerk. Da Silva answers that he
adheres to his lawful right. Witnesses are Manuel Rodrigues d’Espinoza and
Thomas de Mercado.

1627 July 19
Not. Arch. 634 f. 123-123v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3552
Antonio Martins Viegas, aged 60, Philipe Dorta Henriques, aged 32 and Diego
Fernandes Dias, aged 31, Portuguese merchants in Amsterdam, declare at the
request of Jan Kuijsten and associates that Diego da Silva and Manuel Aires,
who have lived and traded in Amsterdam, left this city to settle in Gl¸ckstadt
but that Diego da Silva is staying in Amsterdam to continue a lawsuit.

1627 July 20
Not. Arch. 692B f. 444
Not. Jan Warnaerts.



No. 3553
Francisco Coutinho, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, authorises Duarte Pires
Brandao and Lopo Nunes, Portuguese merchants in Hamburg, to claim from Gabriel
Gomes, Portuguese merchant in Hamburg, certain goods including some baize and
to collect outstanding debts.

1627 July 23
Not. Arch. 634 f. 125-126
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3554
Diego Nunes Belmonte and Francisco Vas de Leon, Portuguese merchants in
Amsterdam, authorise Willem Tristran, merchant in London, to claim for them
the goods that had been loaded for their account in SalÈ in the ship De Blauwe
Duijff of skipper Aert Adriaensz from Rotterdam, if necessary by law, or in
case the goods have been sold in London, to collect the proceeds. The ship was
seized by the English and taken to London.

1627 July 24
Not. Arch. 634 f. 126-127
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3555
Freight contract between Joan de Haro, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, as
freighter on the one side and skipper Harman Kramer from Danzig on the other
side. The ship De Fortuijne, large 80 lasts, armed with four iron guns and
four stone guns, will sail with goods from Amsterdam to Faro, sailing around
England and Scotland. Unload and load with figs and other goods within eight
weeks and back to Amsterdam even if the bills of lading mention other places.
The freight price amounts to 84 guilders a last. One last equals 160 small
baskets of figs, 4000 pounds of figs in caskets, 3600 pounds of almonds, four
pipes of oil and 8 cases of sugar. If the skipper is the first to arrive in
Amsterdam with figs, he will get a new coat.

1627 July 25
Not. Arch. 634 f. 128v-129
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.




No. 3556
Affidavit by the notary, saying that a certain letter was written and signed
by Pero Machado in Faro. The notary then makes the following statement at the
request of Antonio Martins Viegas. Around April 26 Viegas showed him this
letter in Portuguese at Nieuwmarkt in Amsterdam. The notary translated this
letter into Dutch. On March 20 or 22 he served a notice upon Viegas at the
request of IJsbrant Dobbesz and Dirck Corver, together with Willem Muijlman
the insurers’ chosen representatives. These insurers had underwritten an
insurance for Viegas concerning figs and other goods coming from the Concado
with the ship of skipper Cornelisz from Berchem. In the notice Viegas was
requested to give immediate orders for the sale of wet and damaged figs that
came from this ship in order to prevent more decay and damage. Viegas and Izak
van Geleijn, grocer reached an agreement on March 26 in the inn De Hertog van
Cleef at the back of the Exchange here. Garbrant Dobbesz, son of the said
IJsbrant and the notary were present at this occasion.

1627 July 28
Not. Arch. 634 f. 130v-131
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3557
Freight contract between Cornelis Adriaensen Backer, merchant from Haarlem and
Diego Fernandes Dias, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam on the one side and
skipper Frans Gerritsz from Frederikstad on the other side. The ship St Paul,
large 50 lasts, will sail with goods from Rotterdam to Frederikstad. There the
ship will be armed with four stone guns and then proceed to Aveiro; unload and
load with salt within a fortnight and then to Sicioen5 in Galici; unload
within a fortnight and then to Vigo, also in Galicia and load goods within 3
weeks and then to Amsterdam, where the ship will be unloaded. The freight
amounts to 2.780 guilders. The primage is 20 guilders for a new flag. In
Aveiro or Galicia the skipper can receive an advance of up to 150 guilders,
with one real at 6 stivers. The skipper may have to take on board one person
whose salary will be paid by the freighters, but whom the skipper will have to
feed.

1627 July 30
Not. Arch. 634 f. 131v-132
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.


N0. 3558
Freight contract between Pedro Homem de Medeiros, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam, on the one side and Gerrit Cornelisz from Schiedam on the other
side. The journey will be made with the ship St. Pieter, large 50 lasts and
armed with two iron guns, two ball headed stone guns and another two stone
guns. The ship will depart from Amsterdam with a cargo of goods to Faro around
the north of England and Scotland; unload and load with figs and other goods
within 8 weeks and back to Amsterdam and unload there, even if the bills of
lading mention Hamburg or another place. The freight price is 84 guilders a
last, reckoning as one last: 160 small baskets of figs, 4000 pounds of figs in
casks, 3600 pounds of almonds, 4 pipes of oil and 8 cases of sugar. The
skipper will be compensated for extra lay-days in Faro, which sum will be
determined by arbiters in Amsterdam after the journey.

1627 August 2
Not. Arch. 634 f. 132v-133
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3559
Gerrit Cornelisz from Schiedam, skipper of the ship St Pieter, large 50 lasts,
makes the following statement. Pedro Homem de Medeiros, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam, is the owner of the said ship for a 1/8 share. The ship is ready to
depart for the Condado and De Medeiros paid for the fitting out of this ship
for 1/8 share.

1627 August 2
Not. Arch. 634 f. 133v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3560
Francisco Gomes Henriques, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, who has a
power-of-attorney from Eduart Henriques, doctor of medicine in Bordeaux
according to an instrument of 27 September 1626, authorises in his turn Pieter
Lombaert, merchant in Middelburg. Lombaert can claim from the Admiralty in
Zeeland or elsewhere five cases of sugar and 2 sheets of cinnamon that were
loaded in Lisbon in the ship La Michelle of skipper Jean Simonce by Francisco
Vaz d’AlcobaÁa for the account of the said Eduart Henriques. The goods were
consigned to Nuno Alvares de Mattos in Nantes. Lombaert can also collect the
proceeds of these goods, should they have been sold. He revokes an earlier
power-of-attorney that he gave to Abraham de Nan.6

1627 August 6
Not. Arch. 634 f. 134v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.


No. 3561
Protest of non-payment. Francisco Vas de Leon, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam, requests Francisco Coutinho, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, to
pay a bill of exchange of 1000 thaler at 34 plaques a thaler. The bill was
drawn in Hamburg on 16 June 1627 with a term of 17 weeks. The value was
received from Luis Dias de Lemos, to be put to the account of Gonsalo Lopes
Coutinho. The bill was drawn by Lopo Nunes to the benefit of Luis Dias de
Lemos and in his absence of Francisco Vaz de Leon. Coutinho is rumoured to be
insolvent. His maid says that he is not at home.

1627 August 6
Not. Arch. 634 f. 135
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3562
Protest of non-payment. Jozef da Costa asks Francisco Countiho to pay a bill
of exchange of 500 thaler at 34 1/2 plaques a thaler. The bill was drawn in
Hamburg on 28 January 1627 with a term of 29 weeks. The value was received
from Mordechay da Costa, to be put to the account of Gonsalo Lopes. The bill
was drawn by Lopo Nunes. Coutinho’s maid says that he is not at home. Coutinho
is rumoured to be insolvent.

1627 August 6
Not. Arch. 634 f. 135-135v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3563
Protest of non-payment. Denis Jenes asks Francisco Coutinho to pay a bill of
500 thaler at 34 plaques a thaler. The bill was drawn in Hamburg by Lopo Nunes
on 11 June 1627 with a term of 17 weeks. The value was received from Miguel
Romes for the account of Gonsalo Lopes Coutinho. Francisco Coutinho’s maid
says that her master is not at home. Francisco Coutinho is rumoured to be
insolvent.

1627 August 6
Not. Arch. 634 f. 135v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3564
Protest of non-acceptance. Duarte de Palacios, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam, asks Francisco Coutinho, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, to
accept a bill of exchange of 1600 thaler at 34 plaques a thaler. The bill was
drawn in Hamburg on 28 July 1627 by Lopo Nunes with a term of 11 weeks, the
value received from Duarte Esteves Pina to be put to the account of Gonsalo
Lopes. Philip Dorta, Francisco Coutinho’s brother-in-law, says that Coutinho
is out of town and that there are no orders to accept the bill.

1627 August 6
Not. Arch. 634 f. 135v.-136
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3565
Protest of non-acceptance. Joseph da Costa asks Francisco Coutinho, Portuguese
merchant in Amsterdam, to accept a bill of exchange of 1200 thaler at 33 3/4
plaques a thaler. The bill was drawn in Hamburg on 28 July 1627 by Lopo Nunes
with a term of 4 weeks, the value received from Migel Romes, to be put to the
account of Gonsalo Lopes. Philipe Dorta, Countiho’s brother-in-law, says that
there are no orders to accept the bill.

1627 August 6
Not. Arch. 634 f. 136
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3566
Protest of non-acceptance. Francisco da Costa Delvas, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam, asks Francisco Coutinho, also Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, to
accept a bill of exchange of 450 thaler at 33 3/4 plaques a thaler. The bill
was drawn in Hamburg on 23 July 1627 by Lopo Nunes with a term of 6 weeks. The
value was received from Abraham and Jacob Fidanque.
Philipe Dorta, Coutinho’s brother-in-law, says that Coutinho is out of town.
The holder of the bill, Francisco da Costa Delvas, had his cousin Balthasar
Cardozo hand over the bill to Coutinho on 2 August last, to be accepted.
Coutinho did neither return nor accept the bill and left Amsterdam on the same
day. Philipe Dorta does not want to return the bill because he has no orders
to do so.

1627 August 6
Not. Arch. 634 f. 136-136v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3567
Protest of non-payment. Miguel de Pas, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, asks
Francisco Coutinho, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, to pay a bill of
exchange of 952 17/64 dollars at 34 stivers a dollar. The bill was drawn in
Hamburg on 30 June 1627 with a term of 16 weeks to the benefit of Francisco
Fernandes Homem and in his absence of Miguel de Pas. The value was received
from Francisco Fernandes Homem. The maid says that Coutinho has left town.
Coutinho is rumoured to be insolvent.

1627 August 6
Not. Arch. 634 f. 136v-137
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3568
Protest of non-payment. Adriaen and Gerrit Veen ask Francisco Coutinho to pay
a bill of exchange of 1000 dollars at 34 stivers a dollar. The bill was drawn
in Hamburg on 17 April 1627 with a term of 22 weeks. The value was received
from Julio van de Moere for the account of Gonsalo Lopes Coutinho. Francisco
Coutinho is out of town and is rumoured to be insolvent.

1627 August 6
Not. Arch. 634 f. 137-137v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3569
Nathaniel Aernouts, merchant, declares at the request of Jan Pietersen van
Nes, merchant, acting for Gerrit Cornelisz Finckert from Norden, that on the
strength of a proven IOU of 2 August, he had to pay Francisco Coutinho 2400
guilders. The latter asked him to pay first and then talk to Pietersen.

1627 August 7
Not. Arch. 441 f. 159v.
Not. Palm Mathijsz.



No. 3570
Around three o’clock in the afternoon the notary, acting at the request of Jan
Ras and Agge Ottens, farmer and associate of the impost of tobacco
respectively, goes to the house of Francisco Coutinho in ‘de Ververijen’,
accompanied by the above said people, in order to investigate the back and
front cellar with the assistance of Carsten Hendricksz d’Angst and Lourens
Claesz, servants of the sheriff. In the back cellar they found two cases with
11 large rolls and 2 small rolls of tobacco and some parts of rolls and a few
loose pieces of tobacco. Although Jan Ras and Agge Ottens said that there
should be more tobacco, none of the Portuguese who were there in great
numbers, admitted to this.
In the same afternoon around six o’clock the notary returns with Ras and
Ottens and with Jan Rogge, another associate of the impost, to the house of
Coutinho to investigate further. In the front cellar a white case with six
large rolls of tobacco was found. This case had been in the cellar earlier but
they had not been told that it contained tobacco.

1627 August 7
Not. Arch. 846 f. 275-276
Not. Jozef Steijns



No. 3571
Notice served at the request of Jacques Boursse, merchant in Amsterdam, upon
Francisco Coutinho who is rumoured to be absent because he is insolvent.
Boursse says that on March 30 last he underwrote an insurance for Coutinho
concerning the ship De Gratie Godts of skipper Anthony Henricksz for a journey
from Amsterdam to SalÈ and back at a premium of 20 percent for the outward
bound and return journey and that he received only half of the premium. Now
that the ship is on its return journey and Coutinho is absent without having
paid the remaining half of the premium for the return journey, Boursse
considers the insurance for the return journey null and void and refuses to
carry any further risk. Coutinho’s wife answers that she knows nothing about
this and that her husband is out of town.

1627 August 13
Not. Arch. 395A f. 120
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs.



No. 3572
Jozef da Costa, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, declares that on 23
September 1626 he received from Cornelis van Coeschot de Jonge two gilded
covered cups, one silver platter, one silver jug and twelve silver spoons for
which he paid some money in advance. He received the sum due to Van Coeschot
of 177 guilders and twelve stivers from Valerius van Gistelen de Oude,
merchant in Amsterdam, to whom he handed over the said silver ware.

1627 August 13
Not. Arch. 700A f. 545
Not. Jan Warnaertsz.



No. 3573
Statement by Francisco Rodrigues Crasto, Portuguese in Amsterdam, aged 50 and
by Samuel de Leon, Portuguese, aged 25, made at the request of Duarte
Rodrigues Mendes. The statement is made in Portuguese and translated into
Dutch by the notary.
Crasto declares that around June 20, 1624 he received from Mendes 29 guilders
and 7 stivers that Mendes had to pay him on the orders of Jacques Masuere,
wine seller as the brokerage fee for 587 bound cask staves. Masuere had sold
these to Mendes in several consignments from 29 May till 8 August 1623. De
Leon declares that he was present and that he heard Masuere order Mendes to
pay this sum to Rodrigues.

1627 August 15
Not. Arch. 395A f. 126
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs.



No. 3574
Statement made by the notary at the request of Rodrigo Alvares de Pas,
Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam. In February of this year Jan Stuart from
Scotland asked him several times to talk to the said De Pas about the fact
that Stuart had been imprisoned in Spain in his capacity as skipper of the
ship St Andries, which ship belonged to De Pas and associates. He had had to
make quite some expenses because of this. Stuart threatened to harm De Pas
financially and bodily if he would not comply with his demands.

1627 August 16
Not. Arch. 634 f. 140v-141
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.




No. 3575
Freight contract between Francisco and Manuel Mendes Trancoso, Diogo and
Rodrigo Drago, Francisco Lopes de Azevedo and Manuel Alvares Henriques as
freighters on the one side and skipper Michiel Dircksz from Huisduinen as
hired skipper on the other side.
The ship Bıa Ventura, large 60 lasts will sail with goods from Amsterdam to
Terceira, sailing around England; unload and reload with goods and back to
Amsterdam. The freight amounts to 220 guilders as rent for the whole journey.
There is a primage of about 100 guilders for the skipper. The skipper will
engage six men and a boy with the owners’ advice. The crew will be paid two
months’ wages in advance and the rest upon return. If there is no return cargo
the ship will either be sold in Terceira or wait there. The skipper and the
crew can return to the Netherlands with other ships. The crew’s wages will run
until their return to Amsterdam.

1627 August 18
Not. Arch. 395A f. 133-134
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobsz.



No. 3576
Maria Marcijs from Koningsbergen, single, aged 22, makes the following
statement at the request of deputy sheriff Tengnagel. From March of this year
until about a month ago she had intercourse with Mozes Nunes Pina, son of
Thomas Nunes Pina. This took place in her home at Anjeliersgracht for about
six weeks and then at the house of master Jeremias in De Meerman in
Koningstraat. From May until one month ago he paid her one crown a week for
her food and also her rent till All Saints’ Day next. She never knew that
Mozes Nunes Pina was a Jew. She agreed to pay the deputy sheriff 30 guilders
for this mistake, which money he received from her.

1627 August 20
Not. Arch. 395A f. 141
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs.



No. 3577
Statement made by Michael de Crasto, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam. He has
bought a ship in Enkhuizen from the widow of Lambert Cornelisz Cruyff. The
ship, called Estrele Dourada (Gouden Ster) was rebaptised as St Miguel. The
ship is about 50 lasts large and its skipper is Harke Gerritsz from Enkhuizen.
Michael de Crasto and the other shareholders agree that this ship will sail to
Terceira and from there back and forth to Brasil with a Portuguese skipper and
a Portuguese crew. Shareholders are: Diogo Martins, David Abeniacar, Jacob
Franco, Manuel Lopes Nunes, Afonso Henriques, Thomas Fernandes, Antonio Lopes
Pereira, Felipe Henriques. In Terceira also: Sebastiao d’Andrade and Manuel
Roiz d’Oliveira.

1627 August 20
Not. Arch. 634 f. 142-142v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.
Instrument in Portuguese.



No. 3578
Daniel Nunes, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, authorises Duarte Fernandes
Vega, Portuguese merchant in Rotterdam, to attach in Rotterdam the ship St
Pieter, formely skippered by Jan Willemsz. The ship was taken there by ships
of the Rotterdam Admiralty. Fernandes Vega is to claim from the Admiralty the
goods that had been loaded in this ship for his account or the proceeds of the
goods.

1627 August 20
Not. Arch. 634 f. 143-143v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3579
Bento Osorio, Denis Jenes and Manuel Baruch, Portuguese in Amsterdam, make the
following statement. In Lisbon Pieter Cornelisz. loaded in the ship De
Eenhoorn of skipper Nicolaes Croon, 44 cases of sugar, among which 20 cases of
white, 19 cases of muscovado and 5 cases of panelado sugar and 19 bags of
pepper. The ship was destined for Venice and its cargo was consigned to Martin
Hurean and Aluise du Bois. Bento Osorio received the goods from the warehouse
of the Admiralty in Amsterdam in the name of Lucanelli, proxy of the
interested parties and living in Venice. In all probability three to four
hundred pounds of sugar were removed from 5 or 6 cases of white and muscovado
sugar and four to five hundred pounds of pepper from eight bags of pepper.
They believe that one will find that there is also a shortage in the other
cases of sugar and bags of pepper.

1627 August 20
Not. Arch. 634 f. 143v-144
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3580
Philip Dorta Henriques, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, relinquishes his
right as preferential creditor of the estate of Jan van den Eijnde de Jonge
and is content to act as co-creditor with the other creditors. He also
abandons all cases and suits brought before the Court or elsewhere.

1627 August 23
Not. Arch. 846 f. 288-289
Not. Jozef Steijns



No. 3581
Agreement in which Guiomar Henriques buys from Jullien Lauson a consignment of
French cloth or linen for 325 pounds Flemish. Lauson receives in payment a
similar sum in insurances underwritten for Guiomar Henriques, viz. by Albert
Schuyt for 100 pounds Flemish, IJsbrant Dobbesz for 200 pounds Flemish and by
David Otsenborn for 25 pounds Flemish according to several policies,
transferred with the verdict given by the Amsterdam Insurance Chamber. Guiomar
Henriques will give this to Lauson at the earliest opportunity, at the most
within 17 months. Should she fail to do so, she will have to pay the 325
pounds Flemish in cash promptly. If the transference takes place after six
months, Guiomar will have to pay an interest of 7 percent a year for the
remaining period. In any case she will have to pay three months interest.

1627 August 24
Not. Arch. 395A f. 150-150v.
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs.



No. 3582
Statement made by Bento Osorio, Abraham da Costa, Joan Peres da Cunha and
Denis Yanes (Jenes), merchants in Amsterdam. They have received a letter from
their correspondents in Hamburg, informing them that Miguel Lopes Fernandes,
who is presently living in Hamburg and who used to live in Amsterdam for eight
or ten years, is now seriously ill. He is trembling all over his body as if he
has been stricken with paralysis and there is nobody in Hamburg who can cure
him. They have heard of a Dutch doctor or master who lives in Wormer and who
can cure serious illness with God’s help. After having discussed Fernandes’s
condition with them, this doctor had answered them positively, saying that he
could cure Fernandes if Fernandes should decide to come to The Netherlands.
They advise him to do this since Fernandes has little money and is burdened
with a large family. After his recovery he could then provide for his family
by working as a broker, in which capacity he has worked in Hamburg for quite
some time and thus improve his financial position.

1627 August 25
Not. Arch. 634 f. 145-145v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3583
David Abeniacar, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, transfers to Diogo Martins
Bondia a policy of 400 pounds Flemish. Willem Voermans and Arnout van
Liebergen underwrote this sum for an insurance of the ship of Michiel
Laurensen and its cargo. Besides this a 1/4 share of the ship St Michiel of
skipper Harck Gerritsen and its cargo and 1/16 share of the ship St George of
skipper Claes Duijs and the goods that remain with Sebastiao d’Andrade on the
island of Terceira and the proceeds of these goods. Bondia declares that with
this tranference he is fully paid and content.

1627 August 27
Not. Arch. 395A f. 161-161v.
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs
Instrument in Portuguese.



No. 3584
Freight contract between Francisco Lopes d’Azevedo, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam, as freighter on the one side and skipper Jan Janssen Vollehoof,
burgher of Amsterdam, on the other side. The ship De Swarte Leeu, large 40
lasts, will sail from Amsterdam to Faro with wood and other goods; unload and
reload with goods within 2 months and back to Amsterdam (even if the bills of
lading mention Hamburg or elsewhere) and unload.
The freight amounts to 80 guilders a last, taking as one last: 160 small
baskets of figs, 4000 pounds of figs in casks, 3600 pounds of almonds, 4 pipes
of oil, 8 cases of sugar and other goods according to the customs of the
Condado. There is a primage of 5 pounds Flemish. Extra lay-days will be
compensated according to a verdict by arbiters in Amsterdam.

1627 August 27
Not. Arch. 634 f. 147v-148
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3585
Statement by Gerrit Mattheusz, 50 years of age, packer of linen in Amsterdam,
made at the request of Pieter van Houten, seller of plumage in Amsterdam.
A few years ago he delivered for Van Houten a bale of linen to Francisco
Mendes de Medeiros. This bale, that he inspected at the house of Pedro Homem
about half a year ago, contained 40 half pieces of flatly folded crimson linen
with a gold border. He declares that it was first quality Frisian linen with a
length of more than 1000 yards, according to the notes that were attached. He
himself had measured and packed the linen.

1627 August 30
Not. Arch. 846 f. 300
Not. Jozef Steijns



No. 3586
Freight contract between Joan de Haro, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, as
freighter on the one side and skipper Harmen Wilkes from Enkhuizen on the
other side. The ship De Fortuyne, large 40 lasts, will sail with goods from
Amsterdam to Tavira in the Condado; unload and reload and further to Faro to
load the rest there and back to Amsterdam after a lay-time of two months and
unload. The freight amounts to 80 guilders a last, taking as one last: 160
small baskets of figs, 4000 pounds of figs in casks, 3600 pounds of almonds, 4
pipes of oil and 8 cases of sugar. Extra lay-days will be compensated
according to a verdict of arbiters.

1627 September 1
Not. Arch. 635 f. 5-6
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3587
Statement made by Jeronimus le Febvre and Francisco Vas de Leao, merchants in
Amsterdam. De Leao has delivered to Le Febvre 4000 pearls of 16 stivers each,
amounting in total to 3200 guilders, one diamond of 400 guilders and further
paid to Isack Ellis a bond of 2000 guilders, to Master Leendert in the house
of correction (Rasphuis) 114 guilders and another 30 guilders in cash and on
the orders of Le Febvre and accepted in his own name 41 guilders to be paid to
Francisco Gomes, all together amounting to 6985 guilders. He further delivered
to Le Febvre 40 pieces of Kersey cloth at 30 guilders a piece as part of the
above amount of money.
In return Le Febvre has delivered to De Leao 21 half pieces of cloth,
measuring 400 yards in total at 4 guilders a yard, another 60 pieces of Kersey
cloth at 36 guilders a piece, another 43 pieces of Kersey cloth at 35 guilders
a piece, 35 pieces of white Kersey cloth at 28 guilders a piece, 6 half pieces
of burled cloth measuring 114 yards at 6 guilders a yard, another 36 guilders
for 9 yards that were twice the customary size and 20 guilders for the
exchange of half a piece of cloth, in total amounting to 6985 guilders.
Manuel Pimentel act as witness.

1627 September 2
Not. Arch. 782 (folder 10) f. 45
Not. Jan Verheij



No. 3588
Johannes Huer, aged 24, hatter in Amsterdam, makes the following statement at
the request of Pieter van Houten, plumage seller in Amsterdam. When around
February 10, last Pedro Homem, Portuguese, arranged the sale of linen and
plumage belonging to Van Houtem through the conciÎrge of Amsterdam, Pieter van
Houten had travelled to The Hague. When Van Houten returned the day after the
sale, he was extremely upset to hear that Homem had arranged the public sale
of these goods. Willem Verstegen, 18 years of age and in the service of the
said Huer, confirms that the above statement is true.

1627 September 8
Not. Arch. 846 f. 318
Not. Jozef Steijns


No. 3589
Diego Fernandes Dias, Portuguese merchant who has resided in Amsterdam for a
long time, gives a power-of-attorney to Johan Helt, merchant in London. Helt
is authorised to claim in London and elsewhere 5 pipes, 2 casks and 1 case of
tobacco that had been loaded in Bayonne by Jacome Luis in the ships of
skippers Claes Fransen from Rotterdam and Jan IJsbrantsz from Krommeniedijk,
to be delivered in Amsterdam. Both ships were taken to Dover by English ships,
where the tobacco was unloaded by officers of the English King.

1627 September 9
Not. Arch. 634 f. 153v-154v
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3590
Statement of skipper Pedro Alvares de Sette from Masarelles in the headland of
Oporto in Portugal, sojourning in Amsterdam, made at the request of Antoni de
CaÁeres, Portuguese merchant in Hamburg, also sojourning in Amsterdam.
When his ship, loaded with sugar and other merchandise sailed from Bahia de
Todos los Santos in Brazil destined for Oporto, it was seized by a ship of the
West India Company (Amsterdam Chamber) and taken to Amsterdam. There this ship
and its cargo were confiscated. The Admiralty assessed the goods to be sold.7

1627 September 10
Not. Arch. 635 f. 2
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3591
Statement made by Francisco Coutinho, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam and by
IJsbrant Dobbesz, merchant and representative of the insurers who insured for
Coutinho the hull of the ship De Gratie Goden. This ship, skippered by Antoni
Hendricx, was captured on its journey by an Algerian pirate and taken to
Algiers. After the ship had been robbed of all goods, it was released and
sailed to Livorno. They authorise Jacomo Mille, Jan Noirot and David Machorra
Leon, merchants in Livorno, to attach the ship there.

1627 September 13
Not. Arch. 635 f. 19-20
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.


No. 3592
Freight contract between Francisco Vas Pinto, Simao Gomes Dias and Joao de la
Faya, Portuguese merchants on the one side and skipper Jan Jansz Spaignaert on
the other side. The journey will be made with the ship De Coninck David, large
44 lasts, armed with 2 iron guns and 4 stone guns and a crew of 7. The ship
will sail with a cargo of goods from Amsterdam to Texel and from there to
Angra (Terceira); unload and reload there within a lay-time of 3 months minus
3 days and back to Amsterdam and unload there. The freight amounts to 3000
guilders. The primage is a new flag. The skipper is to take 15 passengers from
Tereira to Amsterdam. They will provide for themselves. Jullien l’Ansou signs
for the skipper.

1627 September 14
Not. Arch. 395A f. 224-225
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs



No. 3593
Statement made by Jan de Wael, aged 50 and Jan Jansz den Uyl, aged 45,
flatboat men, at the request of Joao de la Faya, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam. This afternoon they transported to the house of De la Faya three
casks of tobacco from the ship of Claes Cornelisz from Limmen that had arrived
from Bayonne. One of the casks from which the bottom had broken and fallen
into the cask that had been repaired a bit, was much lighter than the other
two casks.

1627 September 15
Not. Arch. 395A f. 229
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs



No. 3594
Freight contract between Francisco and Manuel Mendes Trancoso, Diogo and
Rodrigo Drago, Francisco Lopes de Azevedo and Manuel Alvares Henriques as
owners and freighters on the one side and hired skipper Mieuwesz Jansz from
Zaandam on the other side. The ship St Pieter, large 30 lasts will sail to
Saint-Malo with goods or ballast, unload and load with fish or other goods and
then to Terceira and unload there. The freight price consists of a fee of 240
guilders for the skipper. The skipper, advised by the owners, will hire a crew
of 5. The ship will remain in Terceira and the crew will have to return with
other ships. The wages of the crew will run until return in Amsterdam. Two
months’ wages will be advanced.

1627 September 16
Not. Arch. 395A f. 248-249
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs



No. 3595
Matias Rodrigues Cardozo, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, conveys to Samuel
Sautin, merchant in Amsterdam, two parcels with 12 pieces of baize and 12
pieces of serge and a small case with 108 pairs of English stockings. He had
loaded these goods in Rotterdam in 1626 in the ship St Andries of skipper
Evert Jansz Waterhondt from Rotterdam. The ship had been destined for Madeira
but was seized and taken to England. The ship was released because of the
verdict of a judge from the Admiralty in London.

1627 September 17
Not. Arch. 635 f. 23
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3596
Janneke Alverman, Hendrik Alverman’s widow, sojourning in Amsterdam,
authorises Hans Stegeman, the husband of her daughter Anneke Alverman, living
in Hamburg, to claim from Gonsalvo Lopes Coutinho, Portuguese merchant in
Hamburg, that which he owes her. Before he left for Hamburg Coutinho used to
live in Gl¸ckstadt.

1627 September 17
Not. Arch. 635 f. 25-26
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3597
Duarte Fernandes de Pas, merchant in Amsterdam, authorises his son Francisco
Fernandes de Pas in Alkmaar, to renew the attachment of the money that was
consigned by him to the clerk of the court’s office in Alkmaar.

1627 September 23
Not. Arch. 395A f. 268
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs



No. 3598
At the request of Jan Ras, impost master of tobacco, the notary is in the
conciÎrge’s warehouse at the Heiligewegspoort. A smith has opened an oaken
chest in which there are four large rolls and two small rolls of tobacco.
There are also five pieces from rolls of mouldy tobacco. Jan Ras declares that
this tobacco comes from Francisco Coutinho’s house.

1627 September 23
Not. Arch. 846 f. 340
Not. Jozef Steijns



No. 3599
Thomas Nunes Pina, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, declares that David
Abeniacar, alias Sebastiao Mendes Pimentel, also Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam, is shareholder for 1/8 share of the ship St Jago and its cargo. The
ship with skipper Manuel Henriques from Viana will sail to Madeira and from
there to Pernambuco with merchandise.

1627 September 24
Not. Arch. 634 f. 158v
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.
Instrument in Portuguese



No. 3600
Copy of an affidavit by Fredrick Pietersz from Hamburg, skipper of the ship De
Hope, saying that he is lying ready in Viana to depart for Hamburg.
He also declares that he received from Manuel Alvares Gondin 11 cases of sugar
and 3 oxheads of tobacco for the account of Jacomo Coronel in Hamburg, to be
delivered there to the said Coronel at a freight price of 252 marks.

1627 September 24
Not. Arch. 636 f. 20
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3601
Freight contract between Simon Gomes Dias, Francisco Vas Pinto and Joao de la
Faya, Portuguese merchants in Amsterdam as owners and freighters on the one
side and Jacob Volckertz Bobbert as hired skipper on the other side. The ship
De Engel Gabriel, large 35 lasts will sail from Amsterdam to Terceira with
goods or ballast; unload there and deliver the ship to skipper Manuel
Pinheiro, Antonio Alvares from Brazil and Joan d’Avila or one of them. The
freight consists of a salary of 220 guilders, half of which will be paid
before departure and the other half after return in Amsterdam. The
owners/freighters further hire Rut Andries Noortcaep, first mate, Adriaen
Claesz, high boatswain, Pieter Jansz, carpenter, two sailors and a boy, who
will receive a monthly wage of 36, 20, 19, 11, 11 and 6 guilders respectively.
Two months of their wages will be paid in advance. The ship will remain in
Terceira and the crew will have to return to Amsterdam on other ships. The
crew’s wages will start from the departure from Texel and run till arrival in
Amsterdam. Should the skipper and crew have to return to Zeeland because of
ice or other circumstances, the owners will pay for their trip on land
including their luggage.

1627 October 4
Not. Arch. 395B f. 295-296
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs



No. 3602
Beatris da Fonseca, Rui Fernandes Correa’s widow, declares that she owed 185
pounds Flemish to Francisco Gomes Henriques, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam.
Miguel Fernandes da Fonseca, her son, pays 65 pounds Flemish and the remaining
120 pounds will be paid by Duarte Henriques from Bordeaux.

1627 October 4
Not. Arch. 635 f. 38
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.
Instrument in Portuguese.



No. 3603
Sebastiao Mendes Pimentel, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, conveys to Diego
Martins, also Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, a 1/8 share of the ship St
Jago, including a 1/8 share of its cargo and the insurance.8

1627 October 5
Not. Arch. 634 f. 158v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.
Instrument in Portuguese



No. 3604
Because he is ill Francisco Ramires Pina, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam,
authorises Louis Vas, also Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, to declare before
the Court of Holland that his estate does not exceed 12000 guilders and that
he cannot pay the double thousandth penny. Witnesses are Isac Zacuto and
Manuel Baruch.

1627 October 8
Not. Arch. 635 f. 46-47
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3605
Mendo Lopes, aged 50, Michiel Despinoza, aged 38 and Jorge Fernandes Canero,
aged 31, Portuguese in Amsterdam, make the following statement at the request
of Diego da Silva, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam. In April 1627 the said Da
Silva came to Amsterdam from Gl¸ckstadt. He has remained here because of a
lawsuit that Da Silva and his brother-in-law have started before the High
Council against Johan Kuysten, Arnout van Libergen and associates concerning
an insurance they underwrote for goods from Viana to Hamburg, loaded in the
ship of skipper David van der Heijden.

1627 October 8
Not. Arch. 635 f. 47-48
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.


No. 3606
Arent Vechteresse from Medemblik, skipper of the ship St Pieter, authorises
Claes Pietersz to claim from Thomas Nunes Pina, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam and freighter of his ship on Terceira, the money due to him from
this journey.

1627 October 9
Not. Arch. 259A f. 159
Not. Jacob Meerhout



No. 3607
Sebastiao Mendes Pimentel, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, conveys to Diego
Martins, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, the following goods and shares for
money that the latter has paid for him and will pay for him.
Firstly, half of his share of the ship Jonas of skipper Bartelt Olthuys from
Hamburg and half of its cargo. The other half of the cargo concerns Andre
Fernandes Pais, Portuguese merchant in Hamburg. In Faro the ship will be
loaded by licentiate Pero Machado or someone else. This also includes the
insurance for 1500 pounds Flemish from September 24 till October 6, 1627 that
was first underwritten by Izak Bevelot and continued by Albert Velecar.
Secondly, a consignment of baize sent for his account from Hamburg to Lisbon
in 1626 by Andre Fernandes Cardozo or Pais to Francisco Morelli and LaurenÁo
Pestana with the ships of skippers Pieter Tam, Jacob Fox, Jochem Martens and
Pieter Witgrove including the insurance taken out in Amsterdam in four
different policies amounting to 500 pounds Flemish.

1627 October 14
Not. Arch. 634 f. 161-161v.
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3608
Copy of an affidavit by Fredrick Pietersz from Hamburg, skipper of the ship De
Hope, that is ready in Viana to depart for Hamburg. The skipper declares that
he received on board from Michiel Jacome Peixoto ten cases of sugar to be
delivered in Hamburg to Francisco and Manuel Ramires Pina at a freight price
of 19 marks a case.

1627 October 19
Not. Arch. 635 f. 170-171
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3609
Copy of an affidavit by Fredrick Pietersz from Hamburg, skipper of the ship De
Hope that lies ready in Viana to depart for Hamburg. The skipper declares that
Fernan Ferreia loaded six cases of sugar in his ship for the account and risk
of Sebastian Aires to be delivered in Hamburg to Rui Gomes da Silveira at a
freight price of 19 marks a case.

1627 October 20
Not. Arch. 636 f. 20-21
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.




No. 3610
Power-of-attorney given by Francisco and Manuel Mendes Franco, Diego and
Rodrigo Carlos, Francisco Lopes d’Azevedo and Manuel da Cunha, Portuguese
merchants in Amsterdam and owners of the ship De Goede Fortuijn. This ship,
large 60 lasts and skippered by Michiel Dircxz from Huisduinen, was seized by
a French privateer from Vlissingen on its journey from Amsterdam to Terceira
and taken to Vlissingen. The above ship owners authorise Joannes de Renialme,
merchant in Middelburg, to claim from the Councils of the Admiralty in Zeeland
and elsewhere this ship and its cargo and to obtain compensation for the
damage that they suffered.9

1627 October 25
Not. Arch. 635 f. 61-62
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.


No. 3611
Statement by Adriaen Dircx from Huisduinen, aged 48, first mate and Pieter
Adriaensz from Huisduinen, aged 24, both members of the crew of skipper
Michiel Dircx from Huisduinen, made at the request of Francisco and Manuel
Mendes Franco, Diego and Rodrigo Carlos, Francisco Lopes d’Azevedo and Manuel
da Cunha, Portuguese merchants in Amsterdam. Recently they sailed on the ship
De Fortuijn or Beneventura, skippered by Michiel Dircx. Loaded with goods from
Amsterdam they sailed from Texel around England and Scotland bound for
Terceira on August 27. On 2 October, after a storm they came to the island St.
Michiel.10 There they were attacked by a ship owned by a Frenchman from
Vlissingen, a privateer. Heavy guns were fired at them and the privateers came
on board and took over the ship. The crew, 13 men and a boy, were transferred
to the privateer’s ship and taken to Vlissingen on October 18. On the way the
privateers opened all casks, cases and parcels and took goods from them and
sold them in Vlissingen.

1627 October 25
Not. Arch. 635 f. 62-64
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.


No. 3612
Copy of an affidavit by Pieter Witgrove from Hamburg, skipper of the ship St
Pieter that lies ready in Viana to sail for Hamburg. Michiel Jacome Peixoto
has loaded in his ship ten cases of sugar for the account and risk of
Francisco and Manuel Ramires Pina in Hamburg at a freightprice of 20 marks a
case. If other merchants pay less for the freight he will also charge less.

1627 October 25
Not. Arch. 635 f. 169-170
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.




No. 3613
Gabriel Fernandes conveys as guarantee to Jacques Pietersz in Amsterdam a bond
of 466 pounds, 13 shillings and 4 groats Flemish, chargeable to Cornelis van
Nispen, issued in The Hague.

1627 October 26
Not. Arch. 704B f. 283
Not. Jan Warnaertsz. (b)



No. 3614
Ritchert Bae, aged 33, merchant in London makes the following statement at the
request of Hillebrant den Otter, seigneur of Ravensbergen and Floris den
Otter. He used to live in Viana for about 14 years and was well acquainted
there with Jean Dies Geves, brother of Manuel Dies Geves. Jean Dies Geves is a
highly respected man there and is clerk of ‘three to a hundred’ which is an
extremely honourable position for which only the most honest people qualify.
He further declares that he was in Viana on June 3, 1627 and that Jean Dies
Geves got into trouble with the judicial authorities about a ship with masts
that had belonged to Geves for a few years and that, according to the
authorities, had been sent to him from Holland. Jean Dies Geves had to pay a
lot of money to the judicial authorities to solve these problems.

1627 October 27
Not. Arch. 692B f. 550-551
Not. Jan Warnaertsz.



No. 3615
Branca Lopes, alias Rifca Namias Torres, widow of Gaspar Nunes Torres, acting
as her daughter’s guardian, authorises the parnassim of the congregation in
Livorno to collect from David and Abraham Navarro there the money due to her
in the above capacity. Diego Fernandes Dias signs for his sister Branca Lopes.

1627 November 2
Not. Arch. 632 f. 34
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3616
Because of his illness Francisco Ramires Pina, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam, authorises Steven Groulart in The Hague to swear under oath before
the States of Holland and West Frisia that his estate does not amount to more
than 12,000 guilders and that he cannot pay the double thousandth penny on
that sum.

1627 November 2
Not. Arch. 635 f. 71-72
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3617
Copy of a notice served by Abraham Pina, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam,
upon Jan le Roux, merchant in Amsterdam. Pina had agreed with him about a
shipment of 30 lasts of fine coal to be loaded in his ship that was skippered
by Arie Schellinger and that was destined for St. Malo at a freight price of 6
guilders a last.
After the ship had been fitted out and had its ballast removed, a heavy storm
hit it. Le Roux had failed to load the coal so that the ship, that had already
been moved outside the palisade had gotten into danger. Le Roux answers that
the coal had not been loaded because the lighter carrying the coal, had run
aground inside the palisade. As soon as this boat is afloat again it will go
to Pina’s ship.

1627 November 2
Not. Arch. 635 f. 168
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3618
Freight contract between Diego Lopes Telles, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam,
as freighter and skipper Jan Bouwensz from Rotterdam. It concerns a journey
with the ship De Fortuijne, large 50 lasts, lying in Rotterdam that is to sail
to Santa Cruz (on Tenerife) with 150 pipes in sheaves, 5 or 6 parcels of
retail goods and 3 or 4 pipes of goods. The freighter may load these goods
free of charge. In Santa Cruz he will have a lay-time of two months to unload
and reload with 25 lasts or 50 barrels of goods, consisting of wines, brandy
or other goods and sail back to Amsterdam. The freight will be 90 guilders a
last. During the lay-time the skipper can make a journey to Lanzarote to get
salt. The skipper may have to load 8 or 10 lasts more in Tenerife.

1627 November 4
Not. Arch. 635 f. 75-76
Sibrant Cornelisz.


No. 3619
Freight contract between Joan de Haro, Portuguese merchant, as freighter on
the one side and skipper Willem Jacobsz from Monnikendam on the other side. It
concerns a journey with the ship St Pieter, large 70 lasts of French salt,
that will sail from Amsterdam to Faro; unload and reload there and back to
Amsterdam, even if the bills of lading mention Hamburg or elsewhere. The
freight amounts to 4350 guilders. Extra lay-days will be compensated according
to a decision of arbiters in Amsterdam. If necessary the skipper will be given
70 to 80 reals of eight in Faro, which will be deducted from the freight. If
the authorities in Faro confiscate or attach the ship because of contraband
goods, the freighter will have to pay the skipper and his owners 1000 guilders
for the ship and its appurtenances. Should the ship be released later and
return to The Netherlands, the skipper and his owners will regain possession
of the ship if they repay the 1000 guilders with interest and expenses to De
Haro.

1627 November 10
Not. Arch. 635 f. 80-82
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3620
Philips Bournon, burgher of Amsterdam, authorises Jan Willemsz Swart, attorney
before the tribunal in Amsterdam, to affirm an IOU in his name before the
Amsterdam judicial authorities to the benefit of Duarte Fernandes, to a sum of
260 guilders.

1627 November 11
Not. Arch. 721 f. 371
Not. Pieter Carels



No. 3621
Freight contract between Jeronimo Rodrgiues de Sousa, Francisco Vas de Leon,
Francisco Gomes Henriques and Duarte de Palacios, Portuguese merchants, as
freighters and skipper Willem Jansz Spangiaert from Monnikendam. It concerns a
journey with the ship ‘t Postpaert, large 80 lasts, armed with 8 iron guns and
6 stone guns, that will sail from Amsterdam to Terceira with a cargo of goods;
unload and reload within 8 weeks and sail back to Amsterdam (even if the bills
of lading mention Hamburg or elsewhere). The freight amounts to 4600 guilders.
The skipper will get 23 guilders for every extra lay-day in Terceira.

1627 November 17
Not. Arch. 635 f. 94-95
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3622
Statement by Harck Gerritsen, aged 48, and Foppe Gerritsz, aged 52, both from
Enkhuizen, made at the request of Diego Martins and Sebastiao Mendes Pimentel,
Portuguese merchants in Amsterdam. On their last journey they sailed as
skipper and first mate respectively on the ship St Michel, large 60 lasts. On
August 8, 1627 they left Texel with this ship with goods loaded by Martins and
Pimentel, destined for Terceira. Between Wight and Beachy Head their ship was
seized by an English privateer. The parcels and cases with general goods that
had been loaded in the ship, were opened and their contents divided among the
privateers. Their ship and its remaining cargo were taken to Dover and
confiscated by the owners of the privateer. The ship was sold to an Englishman
who equipped it for a journey to Barbary. Harck Gerritsen travelled from Dover
to London where he appealed to the ambassador of The Netherlands and to Jan
Luce and other merchants in order to try and get the ship and its cargo
released. Their advice was to return home because it would be a waste of time
and money, in view of the experiences of other skippers.

1627 November 17
Not. Arch. 635 f. 97-100
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3623
Pieter van Heijst, cloth merchant and Gabriel Fernandes, jewel merchant, both
living in Amsterdam, stand surety for Joris Gijsen, attorney, for 160 guilders
concerning the rent of the house in which he is living, this to the benefit of
Jacob de Goijer, to be paid in May 1628.

1627 November 22
Not. Arch. 704B f. 308
Not. Jan Warnaertsz (c)



No. 3624
Hans Lorick, David Hansen, Severijn Nielsen and Christian Kullsen, all from
Copenhagen, commit themselves to indemnify Ernst Roetert, former alderman,
Paulus Wilhelm and Egbert Gerritsz Backer, merchants in Amsterdam, against the
surety given by Roetert and the others for Boy Laersen to the benefit of Arent
Querido, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, for the sum of 2000 guilders to be
paid within 5 months.
Boy Laersen in his turn, promises to indemnify his guarantors of their
commitment and to pay this sum of 2000 guilders with costs and interest in
Amsterdam within five months.

1627 November 22
Not. Arch. 781 folder 17
Not. Jan Verheij



No. 3625
Freight contract between ship owner Joan Huijgens, merchant in Rotterdam and
freighter Antonio Martins Viegas, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, on the one
side and skipper Pieter Sijmonsz from Monnikendam on the other side.
The ship St Jacob, large 25 lasts, armed with four iron guns and two stone
guns, will sail from Amsterdam to Faro with a cargo of goods; unload and
reload within 6 weeks and sail back to Amsterdam (even if the bills of lading
mention Hamburg or elsewhere) and unload there. The freight amounts to 85
guilders a last, taking as one last 160 baskets of figs, 3600 pounds of
almonds, 4 pipes of oil and 8 cases of sugar.11

1627 November 24
Not. Arch. 635 f. 104-106
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3626
Cogie Saharat, Persian, aged 65, makes the following statement assisted by
interpreter Isack Chamis, a Portuguese who speaks Persian as well as Dutch.
On several occasions, starting from 20 June 1626 he handed over to Dirck
Alewijn, merchant in Amsterdam, 14 bags of Dutch talers, totalling 11566
talers, together with two golden chains. These have now been restored to him.
He promises to pay within 8 or 10 days to Alewijn through the intermediary of
Bartolt Bartoltsz, a sum of 1583 guilders, one stiver and eight pennies, which
money is due to Alewijn because of merchandise and cloth that he received from
Alewijn.

1627 November 25
Not. Arch. 233 f. 194v.-195v.
Not. Jacob Meerhout



No. 3627
Joriaen Hendrixsz from Bergen in Norway, who is about to depart for the East
Indies as sailmaker on the ship Schiedam, appoints his sister Geertuijdt
Hendrix, who is presently living with Isack Marcusz, a broker living on
Vlooienburg, as his only and universal heir. At the time of his death his
father or mother or the surviving parent will get the legitimate share.

1627 November 27
Not. Arch. 782 folder 17
Not. Jan Verheij



No. 3628
Godge Sarhardt, Armenian merchant, authorises Dubbelt Worst, merchant in
Amsterdam, to collect that which is due to him from the division of 2,843 1/2
reals of eight that came with other money from the ship De Drije Coningen of
skipper Henrick Cornelisz Denijs. This ship was seized by the Emir Alij at
midnight on June 23, 1624, after which the goods were robbed.
He also authorises Izak Chamis, who acts as interpreter with Jean Sacharias to
explain the case and to bring the divisions about, but not to collect the
money. Dubbelt Worst can substitute his father or brother in his place.


1627 December 2
Not. Arch. 395B f. 478-478v
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs



No. 3629
Notice served upon Abraham de Pina, Portuguese, at the request of Jean le
Roux, merchant in Amsterdam. Le Roux chartered the ship De Hope, with skipper
Aris Schellinger from Medemblik, from De Pina and loaded it with about 30
lasts of coal destined for Saint Malo in the beginning of November 1627. The
stipulation was that the ship was to sail immediately and complete its journey
without any loss of time. The ship left Amsterdam for Texel on November 10 and
the whole fleet of ships that was lying there sailed to Saint Malo with a
special convoy on November 17. Three well armed ships were also sent to Saint
Malo with the fleet of Rouen and several other ships so that the above ship
could safely go. Yet, Le Roux was informed that the said ship did not sail.
Since it is very important for him to take the coal to market in Saint Malo as
quickly as possible, he will claim all damage and expenses from De Pina. De
Pina accepts the notice.12

1627 December 3
Not. Arch. 395B f. 482-482v.
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs.



No. 3630
Notice served at the request of Miguel and Lopo de Luna Montalto, Portuguese
merchants in Amsterdam, upon Jeronimus le Febvre, cloth seller in Amsterdam.
They request him to pay the sum of 1000 pounds Flemish within 24 hours
according to the agreement made on 29 October. Le Febvre had promised to pay
this sum on penalty of 100 pounds Flemish to be paid to the poor. Le Febvre
answers that he has always been willing to pay, provided that the Montaltos
would also comply with the agreement.13 Montalto answers that they have
already complied with the contract and that it is up to Le Febvre to do the
same.
1627 December 8
Not. Arch. 371A f. 254-254v
Not. Willem Cluijt



No. 3631
Matias Rodrigues Cardozo, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, declares that
skipper Claes Cornelisz from Limmen paid him 130 guilders. This sum was paid
because of the three rolls of tobacco that were part of a larger consignment
that had been loaded in his ship in Bayonne by Antonio da Costa Cortissos.
These rolls have been stolen. The sum is for half of the tobacco that was
‘Varina’ tobacco and weighed on average 11 pounds and costed 7 guilders a
pound. If the skipper manages to find the tobacco and if the proceeds are more
than 130 guilders, he will pay the extra money to Cardozo.

1627 December 10
Not. Arch. 635 f. 128
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3632
Freight contract between Diego Fernandes Dias, Portuguese merchant, as
freighter on the one side and Sijbrant Cornelisz from Amsterdam, as skipper on
the other side. The ship ‘t Postpaert, large (...) (d) lasts will sail in
ballast or with some goods from Amsterdam to Aveiro. It will sail from Aveiro
within a fortnight with salt to Betanzos in Galicia or Ribadeo or Siciren14 in
Asturia and unload there within a fortnight.
The freight amounts to 75 guilders for every thousand salt. This is 21
guilders and 10 stivers a last, taking one thousand salt as 3 1/2 last. This
sum is to be paid to the shipowners in Amsterdam. The primage is a new flag
for the skipper. The skipper commits himself to three similar jouneys, that is
from Aveiro with salt to one of the above mentioned places at the above
conditions.
Expenses for letters and passports will be shared by the freighter and the
skipper.

1627 December 15
Not. Arch. 635 f. 130-132
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3633
Notice served upon Bento Osorio by Jan Stassart, Albert Schuyt, Godert
Kerckringh, Adriaen Andriesz, also acting for the widow of his brother Claes
Andriesz and Jan Smit. In November 1618 Osorio took out an insurance for wheat
with the above mentioned insurers. According to a verdict of the Insurance
Chamber of 12 September 1620 the insurers had to provide surety for the sums
underwritten by each of them respectively to the benefit of Osorio. The
interest was 12 percent a year.
On November 1626 the judicial authorities decided that they agreed with the
verdict of the Insurance Chamber. Osorio, however, did not return the surety
notwithstanding several requests and he also kept back documents from the
insurers.
In a similar case the insurers paid a surety to the late Barent Sweerts and
Luca Claesz’s children and this case proceded according to the rules.
On 10 December, Osorio failed to show the notice of the Insurance Chamber of
10 November 1620 to the judicial authorities, while all parties were to show
all their documents, none excluded.

1627 December 15
Not. Arch. 662 f. 108v-109v.
Not. Jan Warnaerts



No. 3634
Notice served by Jean le Roux, merchant in Amsterdam, upon Abraham de Pina,
Portuguese. Le Roux repeats his notice of 3 December, saying the following. On
17 November De Pina failed to allow the ship De Hope with skipper Aris
Schellinger from Medemblik to depart with the fleet of ships that was lying
ready to depart for Saint Malo with a special convoy. Le Roux had loaded two
parcels of baize and about 30 lasts of coal in this ship. De Pina also let
every good opportunity of wind and weather go by. He requests De Pina to let
the ship depart, now that another fleet of ships destined for Saint Malo is
lying ready at Texel. If De Pina fails to do this Le Roux will claim the
damage of a possible lower price for the coal and baize from De Pina. De Pina
answers that the attachments in France are still going on and that he asked Le
Roux to rent a lighter to unload the coal and bring it back to Amsterdam.
Since Le Roux did not do this, he himself rented a lighter with which the coal
will arrive in Amsterdam today or tomorrow.

1627 December 16
Not. Arch. 395B f. 530-531
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs



No. 3635
Notice served at the request of Jacques Boursse, merchant in Amsterdam, upon
Sebastiaen Mendes Pimentel, Portuguese. On 18 December 1626 Boursse insured
for Pimentel 100 pounds Flemish for a journey of the ship St Joris of skipper
Claes Douwesz from Amsterdam to Terceira and back. The ship went to Terceira
and made several trips there from one island to the other so that because of
the lengthy journey most of the crew left the ship. The ship was to have
sailed back around England, which cannot be done now. Boursse says that the
insurance is invalid for the return journey because he did not receive the
premium. Pimentel answers that Boursse will have to carry the risk of the
return journey. Boursse did not carry any risk for the trips made there.

1627 December 17
Not. Arch. 395B f. 540-540v.
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs



No. 3636
Notice served at the request of Abraham de Pina, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam, upon Jean le Roux, merchant in Amsterdam.
De Pina says that he notified Le Roux on 1 December that because of the
continuing attachments in France, he does not intend to send the ship De Hope
with skipper Aris Schellinger from Medemblik, in which ship Le Roux has loaded
coal, to Saint Malo. He requested Le Roux to rent a lighter and have the coal
unloaded and brought to Amsterdam. Le Roux failed to do so and that is why De
Pina himself rented a lighter that brought the coal to Amsterdam. He asks Le
Roux to accept the coal and pay the expenses.15 The notary notifies De Pina of
the above answer on 23 December 1627. De Pina answers that he adheres to his
earlier notice and says that Le Roux can collect the above mentioned goods,
ship them or leave them, because these goods do not concern De Pina and that
Le Roux should do as he thinks best.

1627 December 21
Not. Arch. 395 f. 559-559v.
Not. Jacob and Nicolaes Jacobs.



No. 3637
The notary makes the following statement at the request of Diego Martins and
Sebastiaen Mendes Pimentel, Portuguese merchants in Amsterdam. On September 21
or 22, 1627 Martins showed him a letter at the Exchange, written by Harck
Gerritsz, skipper of the ship St Michiel or Den Engels St Michiel. In this
letter he notified the insurers who insured goods in this ship for Martins and
Pimentel, that this ship was brought to Dover by the English on its journey
from Amsterdam to Terceira. On September 9, 1627 the notary drew up an
insurance policy for Jeronimo Doria d’Andrade, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam, concerning goods loaded in the above ship, which were underwritten
and insured for D’Andrade for a sum of 50 pounds Flemish by Albert Schuijt,
merchant in Amsterdam.

1627 December 22
Not. Arch. 635 f. 138
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3638
Freight contract between Lopo Ramires, merchant in Amsterdam, as freighter on
the one side and skipper Jan Albertzen Poy, burgher of Amsterdam, on the other
side. The ship De Abrahams Offerhande, large about 55 lasts, will sail from
Amsterdam to Le Havre. The lay-time is 14 days. The skipper will receive 10
pounds Tournois for every extra day. The freight price amounts to 800 pounds
of 20 sous Tournois each. If the skipper does not get paid in Le Havre for
some reason, the freighter will have to pay the freight in Amsterdam plus
interest. All expenses will be for the freighter, should the ship be attached.
If the ship is impounded the freighter will have to pay 5000 guilders.
Francisco Ramires Pina, merchant in Amsterdam, stands surety for Lopo Ramires.


1627 December 23
Not. Arch. 234 f. 26-27
Not. Jacob Meerhout.



No. 3639
Freight contract between Lopo Ramires, merchant in Amsterdam, as freighter on
the one side and skipper Gerrit Jansse Bort, burgher of Amsterdam, on the
other side. The ship Den Engel Gabriel, large 60 lasts, will sail from
Amsterdam to Le Havre. The lay-time there is 14 days. The skipper will receive
10 pounds Tournois for every extra day. The freight price amounts to 850
pounds of 20 sous Tournois each.
If the skipper is not paid in Le Havre for some reason, the freighter will pay
him in Amsterdam plus interest. The freighter is to pay all expenses if the
ship is attached. In case the ship is impounded, the freighter will have to
pay 6000 guilders. Francisco Ramires Pina, merchant in Amsterdam, stands
surety for Lopo Ramires.

1627 December 23
Not. Arch. 234 f. 27v.
Not. Jacob Meerhout



No. 3640
Statement by Juan GonÁales, 37 years of age, sworn Portuguese broker, made at
the request of Miguel de Pas, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam. On 13 January
1626 he acted as broker in an insurance of 50 pounds Flemish taken out by De
Pas and company and underwritten by Dirck Honckelboer. The insurance concerns
a journey with the ship of skipper Antoni Hendrixsz from SalÈ to Amsterdam at
12 percent. He received the premium of 6 pounds Flemish from De Pas and
settled it with Honckelboer with 9 pounds and 10 shillings Flemish that he
received from Honckelboer for Matias Rodrigues, Portuguese merchant in
Amsterdam. This sum concerned a premium of 10 pounds Flemish for an insurance
that Honckelboer had underwritten for Matias Rodrigues. This insurance
concerned a journey with the ship of skipper Robbert Word, whose ship was
seized at the Azores before any goods had been loaded. At the request of the
said Rodrigues GonÁales he agreed with the insurers who had underwritten the
policy, viz. IJsbrant Dobbesz and Honckelboer, to return the premium they had
received, minus one half percent for their signatures. He received from
Honckelboer three pounds and 10 shillings Flemish from the remaining money.
Honckelboer deducted three pounds Flemish because these were due to
Honckelboer from Rodrigues for goods sold to him.

1627 December 27
Not. Arch. 636 f.15-17
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3641
Affidavit made by the notary at the request of Belchior Lopes, Portuguese
merchant in Amsterdam. At the request of Lopes he went to the cellar under the
house of Diego Fernandes Dias, Portuguese merchant in Amsterdam, behind
Breestraat near the lepers, on Thursday, 23 December. There was a case of
sugar there, of which Lopes said that he had received it from Madeira with the
ship of skipper Harmen Dirxcsz. The case had been opened by a cooper and
appeared to have been damaged by water and had lost about a third of its
contents. Lopes had declared that to prevent damages, he would sell the wet
sugar as best he could and claim the damage from his insurer. The notary
further declared that on that same day he went to see one of the insurers,
Jean van Harinckhoucq and asked him to come and inspect the case of sugar and
determine the damage. Harinckhoucq, however, did not come.

1627 December 29
Not. Arch. 636 f. 13-15
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.



No. 3642
Statement by Dirck Conijnenbosch, aged 56, from Amsterdam, made at the request
of Miguel de Pas. About six months ago he received from De Pas a bond of 154
guilders, 1 stiver and 8 pennies, chargeable to Dirck Honckelboer. The latter
had promised to pay the bond, but after he had asked Honckelboe for payment
several times in vain, he returned the bond to De Pas.

1627 December 29
Not. Arch. 636 f. 17
Not. Sibrant Cornelisz.

***

(a) No first name was mentioned. The alias of David Abeniacar is Sebastiao
(Mendes) Pimentel: N.A. 634/158v., 24 September 1627.

(b) draft instrument, undated.

(c) Incomplete draft instrument.

(d) Not filled in.

Notes
Top
Notes


Prepared by the staff of the Amsterdam Municipal Archives. Translations by
S. Hart.
On the same day a similar statement is given at the request of the brothers
Pedro and Joan de la Faija, Portuguese merchants in Amsterdam.
In the margin it says that this authorisation was passed in another form.
10 June 1627. David Pallache in Amsterdam, authorises Pieter Janssen
Cachiopin, merchant in Rotterdam, to have Manuel Morais Tavares, Portuguese
nobleman in Rotterdam, arrested and to attach his goods until Tavares will
have paid him 1000 guilders and until the case between him and Tavares has
been settled before the States General. (N.A. 634/121v.-122; not. Sibrant
Cornelisz.)
See also: N.A. 633/18v-19, 20 February 1626
Place name is unknown. Perhaps Cedeira is meant.
Probably Abraham de Nantes.
On October 16 this is confirmed by Francisco da Costa d’Elvas and Diego
Fernandes Dias, Portuguese merchants in Amsterdam. At the request of De
CaÁeres they make the following statement. They were told by the skipper
that his ship had been seized by the West India Company and that the cargo
also contained a consignment of sugar loaded by Duarte Luis and consigned to
Francisco de CaÁeres in Oporto.
On November 1, 1627 Diego Martins renounces the above conveyance.
The instrument contains a marginal note telling that on 25 October 1627 the
power-of-attorney was transferred to Jeronimo de Haro.
Sao Miquel, Azores
The deed mentions that on December 22, 1627 Viegas and the skipper agree to
change the destination to Madeira, this to prevent difficulties with the
authorities in the Condado. The freight price will be calculated with 8
cases of sugar for one last, 4 pipes of wine or 4000 pounds of preserves. It
is further stipulated that instead of 8 cases of sugar for one last, the
usual measures of weight will be used, viz. 108 arrobas and 32 pounds an
arroba.
On fol. 484-484v. the same instrument in French.
The deed also mentions that on December 10 the notary serves a notice upon
Miguel de Luna Montalto at the exchange, at the request of Jeronimus le
Febvre, saying that Montalto and his brother have to comply with the
agreement they made with Le Febvre within 24 hours and that if they fail to
do so, they will have to pay the fine for the poor.
It is uncertain which place is meant. Possibly Cedeira in Galicia.
The notice contains the following answers: Le Roux answers on 22 December
1627. He denies having received De Pina’s notice of 1 December 1627 in which
he was to have asked him to unload the coal. He adheres to his earlier
notices and again notifies De Pina that he will have to ship the mentioned
goods to Saint Malo, viz. 900 1/4 weights of coal, two parcels with seven
pieces of baize and four small casks of fish. If De Pina fails to do so, he
will have to pay the highest price that the goods would have fetched after
the arrival of the ship De Roose of skipper Claes Wijboutsz, that sailed
from Texel on November 17 and arrived in Saint Malo five days later. Le Roux
is willing to collect the four parcels of baize and the four casks of fish.
He also requests De Pina to return to him the letters that he had written