Deed with which the family of Hendrick Hamel (who left Gorcum nine years before and who, one assumes, died) authorizes someone to collect an amply f 230 of outstanding salary with the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie.

January 15, 1662 personally [appearing before] W. Walewijns and C. van Wesel, aldermen.

Appeared before the aldermen of the city of Gorinchem [also Gorcum, Gurcum] undermentioned gentlemen LL.M. Adriaen Buijs van Wevelinchoven, lawyer of the court of Holland, and Govert van Neercassel, both former-aldermen of this city previously mentioned and living here, and declared by oath in the duty of their office to be truthful, that the closest friends and heirs, without testament of Henrick Hamel (who, as we are reported sailed to the East-Indies in the year 1653 with the jacht "De Sperwer" has stayed and died there) for the one heir is Johan Hamel, a full brother of the previously described Henrick, this previously described Jan also sailed to the Indies in the year before last 1660, and left here, his housewife and three little children, and as second heir is Anna Maria Hamel, his, previously described Henricks half sister, whose husband, called ..., also sailed to the Indies, and left her with a small child here in this city, and that, signeur Cornelis van Benschop, born here and nowadays collector of the groundtaxes at 's Gravenhage [The Hague], and is the uncle in straight line of the previously mentioned Hendrick Hamel; and also are the people appearing here instructed, that the mentioned Henrick Hamel with the chamber of the Oostindische Compagnie, residing in the city of Amsterdam, owing the sum of two-hundred and thirty guilder two stuiver [=one twentieth of one guilder] fourteen pennies, and that easy, at the insight of the previously described women, unless the absence of their husbands (also uncertain if the same are alive) with the previously mentioned chamber might be a problem, to impose upon these people and pay the previously mentioned sum, and that the same sum properly paid to the previously mentioned Benschop for the previously mentioned heirs, so declared they the same Benschop rather more than sufficient to receive the same pennies and to distribute them as should be (like us, aldermen also is well known); on top of that they declared themselves, perhaps unnecessary, stand surety for the previously described two-hundred thirty guilders two stuivers fourteen pennies the previously mentioned Benschop receiving on their behalf previously described and to distribute as it should, Which previously mentioned persons appearing before us, we more than sufficient acknowledging the previous sum.  Thus having passed.

Source judicial archives of Gorinchem and the Land of Arkel, inventory number 164, folio 7.

Translation of first transcription

(with some annotations)

¹...the court of Holland<? > and Govert van Neercassel, both former aldermen of this city previously mentioned, and living here, and declared, with oath in the duty of their office done, truthfully to be that the closest friends and heirs without testament ² of Henrick Hamel (who, as we are reported sailed to the East-Indies in the year 1653 with the jacht "De Sperwer" has stayed and died ³ there) for the one is Johan Hamel, full brother of the previously mentioned Henrick, who further also in the year before yesteryear ⁴ 1660 sailed to the Indies , and, living here, his housewife and three little children; and for the second heir Anna Maria Hamel, his previously mentioned Henricks half-sister, whose husband called ? ? ⁵ also sailed to the Indies and her with little child left in this city. And that Sir Cornelis van Benschop, born here and nowadays collector of the ground taxes of 's Gravenhage [The Hague], being the rightful uncle of the previously mentioned Hendrick Hamel. And also are the persons appearing before me instructed that the mentioned Henrick Hamel at the Chamber of the Oostindischen Comp[agni]e, residing within the city of Amsterdam owes a sum of two-hundred thirty guilders two stuivers fourteen pennies and that the same ⁶ at the insight of previously mentioned women, unless the absence of their husbands (also uncertain of the same is alive ⁷) by the previously mentioned Chamber is made difficult, to these people impose upon the previously mentioned sum and to .e.aten ⁸ and that the same sum properly to the previously mentioned Benschop should be paid for previously mentioned heirs, thus they declared the same Benschop free, more then sufficient , to receive the same pennies, and to distribute as it should (like it is well known to us Aldermen). On top of that they declared, Gentlemen appearing before us, them to stand surety before the previously mentioned two hundred thirty guilder two stuivers fourteen pennies with the previously mentioned Benschop to receive on behalf of them and to distribute as it should. Which previously mentioned persons appearing before us, we more than sufficient acknowledging the previous sum. Thus passing the....⁹

Willem Walelewyns Cornelis van Wesel

Short reproduction of the text

Not further dated alderman deed or notorial deed (probably 1661), which on request of some persons appearing before the aldermen the following is established:

1. Since assuming that Hendrick Hamel died in 1653 with the jacht "de Sperwer", without having made a testamentary disposition which would have appointed heirs, were mentioned here as his lawful heirs: a) his full brother Johan Hamel (who also left to the Dutch Indies, leaving a wife and three little children); b) his half-sister Anna Maria Hamel (whose not-mentioned husband also left to the East); these spouses have a little child;

2. Sir Cornelis van Benschop, collector of the ground taxes [verpondingen] at the Hague) is a lawful uncle of Hendrick Hamel;

3. now Hendrick Hamel still owes a sum of fl. 230 with VOC-chamber of Amsterdam, is Benschop, according to the persons before the aldermen, is considered to collect the sum, in order to distribute this sum to the heirs of Hendrick Hamel , as a result; the persons appearing before the aldermen, stand surety.

¹ The first word of the text, with which the first person appearing for the aldermen can be indicated, is practically unreadable, maybe a contraction of lawyer [advocaat]?

² ab intestato:without testament

³ The jacht de "Sperwer" left on April 26, from Texel, arrived on December 28 of the same year in Batavia, but shipwrecked, on its journey from Taiwan to Japan, on August 17, 1653. Contemporaries (including the draughtsmen of this deed) assumed (looking afterwards wrongly) that ship and crew completely perished.

⁴ From the chosen words "in the year before yesteryear 1660" can be deduced that this deed stems form the year 1662

⁵ The name of the husband of this Anna Maria Hamel seems not to be know with the draughtsmen of this deed and is not filled in, even a complete line is left blank.

⁶ Reading uncertain

⁷ Reading uncertain

⁸ Unfortunately not readable

⁹ Date and place of signing is lacking