15430422BRE00

1543, April 22

[Bremen]

Testament of Cordt Folkers from Bremen, made on the occasion of his journey to Shetland, in case he shall not return.

Created for and published on the HANSdoc website of the German Maritime Museum, Bremerhaven, by Bart Holterman in the context of the research project Between the North Sea and the Norwegian Sea: interdisciplinary Studies of the Hanse. Licensed CC BY.

A

Bremen, Staatsarchiv der Freien und Hansestadt Bremen

1-Y 1543 April 22 (ex April 17)

One folio

30,5x20,5cm

Paper

Paper worn and stained, one large and a few smaller holes from water damage in the middle of the page, restored with a piece of paper; small holes from insects at the top.

Traces of a black signet seal.

Final version

Low German

The document is a chirograph (German: Zerter), with in large letters written at the top: IHESUS, which is cut through in waves. The other half of the paper contained a copy of the same text. Both halves could be put together to show that they were certified copies. Large decorated initial.

15430422BRE00SAB0

B

Bremen, Staatsarchiv der Freien und Hansestadt Bremen

2-Qq.4.c.3.b.2.a. (Testamentenbuch 1500-1569), no. 214

Codex

Copy

Low German

The book is a register of testaments of Bremen citizens, where it was entered in 1543 or 1544 after Folkers's death, at least after June 24, 1543, the date of the preceding document.

15430422BRE00SAB1

Adolf E. Hofmeister, "Sorgen eines Bremer Shetlandfahrers: Das Testament des Cordt Folkers von 1543", Bremer Jahrbuch 94 (2015), pp. 46-57 (pp.55-56).

Text between brackets only in B because of holes in A.

Ick Cordt Folkers bekenne in dessem tzerter vor my unde myne erven unde apenbar vor alßweme: Nachdeme ick van dyt jar my hebbe bereth uncle wyl, wylt Godt, in Hytlandt szegelen, offte sake wurde, nachderne wy alle starfflick syn, dodes halven uppe desser reyse nableve, dat de Almechtige na synem willen vriste unde schicke, wo dat eme behage, deshalven ys desset, wo nagescreven, myne fullenkamen menynge uncle wylle unde dat so myt for wolbedachten mode unde vrygen wyllen hebbe gheset unde dat so wyll geholden hebben, dat myn geldt unde gudt, so ick dat jegenwardich hebbe, schal uthgedelet unde ghegeven werden. Uppe denne desse myn lateste wylle na mynem doetlyken affgange fullenkamen macht hebbe unde desto beth geholden werde, so geve ick tom ersten eyne Bremer marck tor stadtmuren unde achte grothe thor Hukelryde. Alse den myn bastertsone Johan Folkers nenen groten trost van syner moder en hefft, so geve ick eme uth frygen wilien unde vor wolbedachtes modes tho syner behoff hundert Bremer marck, de ick nu vorth hebbe gelecht by syne modderen Immeken Fortmans, dar desulve Johan myn sone nu tor tydt mede ys, to truwer handt in bewaringe myt sodanen beschede: Offte, Godt geve, ick myt leve van desser reyse queme, schal se my desulven hundert Bremer marck, so se de van my hefft entfangen, to mynen handen wedderumme kamen laten sunder alle bewer offte insaghe van jemandes. Quemet ock also, dat ick nableve unde desulve junge ock vorstorve, er ick wedderumme van desser reyse queme, den gheve ick hyr van dessen vergescrevenen hundert marcken de helffte, alse vofftich marck, mynen leven susters unde Engelen, dessulvesten jungen Johans moder, vyffunde twyntich marck, unde de anderen vyffundetwyntich marck geve ick Hynrick Brummerloß dochter Barberen. Noch gheve ick uthe mynem gude hundert Bremer marck mynen susters, alse Katrinen unde Emeken. De hundert marck stat yn mynem kuntor to Cordt Slepen huß yn eynen lynen budel in golde unde daler. Sturve miner suster eyn, er ick van desser reyse wedderumme queme, so schal de ander, de im levende blyfft, desse hundert marck allene hebben. Wes ick nu mer hebbe in gelde offte hantfesten, dat steyt yn mynem kuntor yn eynem eske, unde wes ick yn schepen unde (gude tho der) se hebbe, dat steydt uppe poppir schreven unde yn myn rekenßbock lecht, darynne stei(t woll my schuldich) ys unde ick eynem anderen. Nu dat gudt na den twen hundert marcken, do vor(geven syn, wo vorgescreve)n, dar scholt mynes broders Hynrick Folkers kynder mede to de(le g)an gelick a(lse myne beyden susters). Were dat szake, dal myner suster ene vorstorve, er ick (wedder)umme que(me, so scholdt der vorscrev)en kyndere mede to dele gan alse myn suster, de dar leve(dt). Gyfft averst Go(dt almecht)ich, [dat] ick i(m) levende blyve unde van desser vorgescreven reyse kame, so rope ick alle desse v(orge)screven gyffte wedderumme krafftloß, machtloß unde van nenen werden to synde, unde ick wyll den myt mynem gelde unde gude don, wath ick wylle unde my bequeme sy, allem ane argelist. Des to tuge hebbe ick myn signitsegel hyrunder gedrucket unde ock gebeden Hinricum Groneberch alse eynen notarium sync hantscrifft hyrunder to settende. Des tho merer orkunde der warheit synt desser tzerter twe van eynem lude myt eyner hant gescreven, des de eyne ys yn mynem kuntor, de ander by seligen Raleken Durkopes frouwen to truwer handt gestelt unde dorch den namen Jhesus van eynander gesneden. Geschen ys desset na der bordt Christi unses heren dusent vyffhundert dreundevertich jar am sondage cantate unde ys de verde sondach na paschen.

Ego Hinricus Gronebarch publicus notarius rogatus subscripsi.

Transcript copied from Hofmeister (2015).