The webmasters of this site recently started researching the archives again, this time in the Utrecht Archives. A whole day was spent on January 30th searching very early data concerning the link between ‘Nijenrode’ and ‘Dorland’. All pertinent documents were photographed digitally and processed with aid of a laptop computer. This way, further work out can be done at home, which saves a lot of time in the archives itself, since transcribing the old texts consumes a lot of time. Below a foretaste from the approximately 120 photo’s and what we found in the registries.

Would you like to have a go at it yourself? Check out our brainteaser!

Robert van Dorland consults a 19th century reference book. On the table two charters (certificates) dating from 1419, with the seals of Jacon van Beyeren, duke of Holland. The charters are well kept inside special plastic folders, which well protects this vulnerable material.

Eric van Dorland holding a collection of 15th century duplicates of the Utrecht City Council outgoing letters. The Utrecht Archives has adapted itself to modern times, e.g. by putting in power sockets, so laptop computers and digital camera’s can be used in aid of the research nowadays.

 

One of the celebrated ‘registers of feoffs and rents’ of the castle ‘Nijenrode’ at Breukelen, Holland. This boek contains entries between 1430-1455. There are 7 of these registers, of which each one has to be glanced through in order to dig up records of the first known Dorlands.

Same register as show on the left, but now opened. The paper itself is in remarkable good condition, considering that it is about 600 years old. Not only the language of those days, but also the writing itself is quite different from what we are used to nowadays. It takes practice to be able to read it properly.

Here is the first mention of the name ‘Dorland’ which we were able to find –so far- as an original. It dates from April 8th 1434 and is about a feoff granted by ‘Jan van Nijenrode’ to ‘Claes’ and ‘Dorlant’, who, apart from being half brothers, were also bastards of the lord of Nijenrode. Below the transcription of the text involved:

Beautifull example of fifteenth century bookbinding. Cleary visable is the use of an animalskin (complete with hair) as a binding. It is actually the second part of the ‘registers of feoffs and rents’ of the castle ‘Nijenrode’ at Breukelen, from the period 1454-1468.

nyemensvryent =Niemandsvriend (translates as ‘no-mans friend’)

606

Ic Jan van nyenrode hebbe verlyt en(de) verleent Claes en(de) Dorlant gebroeders bastaerden
I, Jan van Nijenrode have granted the feoff to Claes and Dorlant, brothers, bastards
van nyenrode myn oemmen alsulke lande en(de) erve als sy houdende syn van my en(de) vander
of Nijenrode, my uncles, all lands and properties as they keep from me and from the
hofstat van nyenrode en(de) hem aen bestorven mach wesen van oude Jan en(de) jonge Jan
homestead of Nijenrode and are heritable from old Jan and young Jan
haer broeders en(de) van Ghysken haerre suster leggen tot nyemens vryent met
their brothers and from Ghysken their sister located at Niemandsvriend with
Hugen van Loenresloet gemeenne tot ennen rechten onversterflyken eerfleen
Hugen van Loenresloot will be an inheritable loan
en(de) te verheergewaden alst versterft met een paar wyter hanscoen* hier over
to be compensated when it ceases with a pair of white gloves*. those
waren daer dit geseyede als myn manne Bernt van Oudengem Joest van Nyervelt
who witnessed this were my men Bernt van Oudegem, Joest van Nijervelt
en(de) Splinter van Syl en(de) andere(en) veel goeden lude int jaer ons her(en) (dusent) cccc en(de)
and Splinter van Sijl and many other good people in the year of our Lord thousand four-hundred and
vier en(de) dertych opten achten dach van aprille.
thirty-four on the eight day of April.

transcriptie: vandorland.nl 01-02-2003
Translation: vandorland.nl 01-02-2003

* 'wyter hanscoen'= witte handschoen, werd overdrachtelijk gebruikt om een overeenkomst te bezegelen.
* ‘white gloves’ used symbolically to confirm an agreement.

(uit Middelnederlansch Handwoordenboek, Martinus Nijhoff, 's Gravenhage:
"Handschoen; ook als zinnebeeld bij de overdracht van sommige onroerende goederen" )