The will of Jan Van Belcamp (1610 – 1651), painter, copyist and Surveyor of the King’s Pictures 1640 – 1649; Commissioner for the Sale of the Late King’s Goods 1649 – 1651.
Place and date
St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, December 24th 1651
Archival reference
TNA PROB 11/219/762
Discovered by Justin Davies, October 2018, and transcribed by James Innes-Mulraine
Previously unpublished
How to cite: “Will of Jan Van Belcamp (24 December 1651).” TNA PROB 11/219/762. In Jordaens Van Dyck Panel Paintings Project. Discovered and retrieved by Justin Davies and transcribed by James Innes-Mulraine.
jordaensvandyck.org/archive/will-of-jan-van-belcamp-24-december-1651/ (accessed 10 October 2024)
Left margin: Testamentum Johannis Van Belchampea
In the name of God Amen The 5 day of August in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand sixe hundred fifty one I John Van Belchamp of the parish of St Martins in the feilds in County of Middlesex Gentleman having considered the uncertainty of mans life doe make and ordayne my last will and Testament in forme upright First and principally I commend my soule into the hands of Allmighty God stedfastly believeing through the meritts death and passion of Christ Jesus my only Saviour to bee made pertaken of everlasting and my body I committ unto the Earth or water where it shall please him to call for it, Item I doe bequeath unto the poore of the Netherland Church in London the summe of Five and twenty pounds, The like summe of five and twenty pounds to the poore of Martins in the feilds to bee paid unto them three moneths after my decease to be distributed especially to those as be religious and Communicans, in the Assembly of the sayd parish Church Item I doe bequeath unto the Minister1 of the sayd parish the summe of Five pounds, And unto the seaven Ministers preaching the early sermons at Peters Westminster2 thirty pounds equally to be devided among them Item to the three Ministers of the Netherlands church at London five pounds apeece these sayd moneys to the sayd Ministers to be paid alsoe three moneths after my decease or buriall Item I doe bequeath unto Richard Roose Barber Surgion three pounds unto my servant William [blank] three pounds And unto my whoman servant Vidubury three pounds and unto Herry Morris three pounds And unto Pech the youner three pounds this to be paid fower moneths after my decease or buriall Item I doe bequeath, unto my Nyces Moyhen and Iamehen Van Belchamp daughters of my brother Joost Van Belchampe to every one of them three hundert pounds a yeere, the one to be heyre to the other and in case theb leave noe lawfull heyre of their owne body begotten then the sayd moneys to fall unto the next heyres of their fathers side only, these moneys
to be paid unto them twelve monts after my decease or burial Item I doe bequeathe unto Mrs Mary Dubois my Eben Cabinett upper and lower parte and pictures conteyned in the same what is in the drawers taken out of it to be preserved for my Executors hereafter named Item I doe bequeath alsoe unto Mrs Dubois the picture of a buriall hanging by and a picture or festoone of Rooses hanging in the same chamber Item I doe bequeath unto Abraham Otgeers two pictures now hanging in my parlour at Chacyle with the Duke of Richmond in little and two pictures one of the late Kinge and one of the Queene now hanging above the table
No translation available.
in the forechamber one payre stayres upon the streete side, Item I doe bequeath unto Mary Otgeer his eldest daughter one of the late Kinge Queene Prince and Princess in little now hangeing in the Damask Roome next to the Parlour all these sayd pictures togeather each with his guilt carved frame about it. J. V. Belcamp Item I doe bequeath Mr Anthony Tyrens a payre of prospectives with the late Kings picture at length in black clodes in little in it, now hanging in the sayd greene and redd damaske Roome Item I doe bequeath unto Mr Tymothy Crusoe a payre of prospectives with the late Kings picture in Royall Robes in little in it Item to myn heer Shaep Ambassadour of Holland [A picture]c of the Prins of Elector and his brother in little now hangeing in the damaske Roome And I doe make my two brothers now dwelling at Haerlem or neere the same namely Peter and James Van Belcamp my only Executors and sole heyres of all my resting goods the abovesayd legacies being first paid as alsoe my right and expectacion of Rebells lands bought in Ireland for the which I at first paid sixe hundred pounds on the Acte in the name of Abraham Otgeers and afterwards on the sayd name and Ordinance of Parliament hunderfiftie pounds more for them to enioy by equall right and proportions they their heyres to Inherit for want of issue of their owne body in lawfull matrimonye togeather the one to be heyre to the other and after them or their issue unto these my above sayd Neeces and their issue they haveing noe issue in lawfull matrimony begotten then to descend on my fathers brothers children as wilbe further expressed in the following appendix And I doe require my three freinds Mr Dirrick Hoaste Elder of the Netherland London Congregation and Mr Tymothy Cruso and Mr Anthony Tyrence London Merchants to bee Overseer of this my last will and Testament and give them hereby power in the absence of my abovesayd brothers Executors and heyres to Inventarye secure and take Accompte settle and ordayne things necessary for my buriall takeing discharge for the payment in absence of my sayd Executors The sayd freinds Overseers to be further assistant to my abovesayd brothers Executors in recovering my debts or dues as otherwise for the use of my sayd brothers Executors, their heyres, Executors, Administrators or Assignes And for their paines I give them Twenty pounds a peece to bee payed unto them halfe a yeare after my decease or buriall Lastly I doe annull and make voide all former wills by mee made and doe publickly declare this to bee my last will and Testament conteyned in this two sids of paper with theise present witnesses hereunder written alsoe my hand & sigill Johannes V: Belcamp William Fawson: Now followes the Appendix concerning the Rebells lands in Ireland and the Inventary of goods remayning in my house as alsoe where – I forgott – Mr Rantzoa my will is alsoe hee have a mourning Cloake Johannes V: Belcamp
An Appendix concerning the above sayd Rebells lands in Ireland First I doe give it to ioyntly to my aforenamed two brethren Peeter and James Van Belcamp or any of them if the other leave noe heyre Male in lawfull Matrimony begotten and in case both dye without such lawfull heyre Males then to descend to my above named two Neeces or any of them, but with this Caution if any should marrie into the Irish blood those children not to Inherit but the sayd Lands and Royaltyes then to descend after their naturall life unto the eldest sonne of my Cosen Joost Van Belcamp who was sonne to Otto Van Belcamp my fathers brother and his issue soe long as they doe not contract into the Irish blood those as doe soe to loose their right, the otherwayes might claime be they Male or Female and after him his heyres Males fayleing then to descend on his other brothers ioyntly and after them their issue Male fayleing, then on the Male of Otto Van Belcamp now Minister of Leiders Deepe being alsoe sonne unto my father brother Otto Van Belcamp, his heyres fayleing then to descend on the sonne of Gyles Van Belcampe who was sonne to my fathers brother Matheus Van Belcamp and if they faylinge by want of male issue then to descend on the other of the children of my sayd fathers brother Otto
No translation available.
Van Belcampe beginning from the next and oldest and soe in order to their Sisters and sisters children for want of other issue, and after them on my fathers Sisters children by want of Males or being contracted into the Irish blood Then Doctor Gomariss and Francis Gomariss and their issue being at Leiders to succeede and after them the children of Joost Van Belcamp my fathers brother & theise aforesayd to have noe power to alienate those lands or Royalties or parte of it but to leave it unto the next heyres free as it came Unto them nor to contracte any Leases longer then thirty yeares reserving a yearely Rent to halfe of the yearely value that the next heyre may then confirme those leases, this to bee inrouled in the Chauncery in England as alsoe in Ireland and at Haerlein, in Holland to the true intente of the donor that those rules may continue for the future and remayne a rule and Condicions of those possessions that if possessions may not become alienated to the Common Wealth of England And theise premisses observed the enioyments may bee happy and prosperous unto thee possessors with comfort unto them as have relation hereunto unto this I alsoe sett my hand and sigill togeather with these witnesses William Fawson Johannes V: Belcamp.
Friends note that after the last Accompt of Mr Abram Otgeers one hundert pounds is added Note alsoe that 150 pounds is in a bound of Walrave Lodowich due from Mr Wallopp and about eight yeares interest which sayd bound is now in suite and presented by the Lodowicks Note also that 200 pounds is due to my in a bound on Jan Stevens name of a greater summe belonging to Mr Van Accres and about seaven yeares Interests, Note alsoe that I had 100 in a bound of William Alsen and his sonne John Steevens demanded the 300 pond hee could pay but 200 pound when Jan Steevens lay in sicke & dyed presently after Mrs Stevens and her Exequtors have noe power to deceive mee of my proportionable part of my hundred pound out of the 200 pound received now Walrave Lodowycke had not power to case the bound to chensed then on my name for the honder pounds which William Alsen could not pay the truth of this I know not till about 3 yeares after that I and Mr Abram Otgeers went to him in Peeters house whoe made whole relation of it, the which I doubt not he will further testifie and I have formerly writt it to Walrave Lodowycke in the 12 articles but would mak mee noe reparation under pretence that his Sisters once had made an end of all, this case being different from the rest and not soe much as debated Note alsoe that I am allowed 1420 pounds in the list and that I have secured some 5 pictures is contract for in my debt by order of the Comitty of Trustees that yee may first dispatch and gett an order of delivery and to bee abate into the Treasurie/ And that there is above 1500 pounds more due unto my since 1642/ for my many other debt of Lords and Ladyes and others I will not trouble you noe further becase written in my books and may doe as you see cause Sir Balthazar Gerbier hath a picture of my now this is almost two yeares since which hee was to restore or to pay for it 15 pounds Hee hather borrowed alsoe 2 pounds of mee.
This Will was proved at London before John Exton doctor of Lawes and Surrogate to the right worshipfull Sir Nathaniell Brent Knight Doctor of Lawes and Master Keeper of the Prerogative Court the fower and twentieth day of December in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand sixe hundred fiftie one by the Oathes of Peter and James Van Belchampe the brothers of the deceased and Executors herein named To whome Administration of all and singular the goods chattels and debts of the sayd deceased which any manner of way concerne the same will was graunted and committed They being first legally sworne well and faithfully to Administer the same.
a. Latin: the will of Jan Van Belcamp
b. Sic
c. In right margin with caret.
[1] Gabriel Sangar MA (1608 – 1678) Rector of St Martin’s 1648 – 1660, a well-connected Puritan.
[2] Westminster Abbey, re-established as the Collegiate Church of St Peter by Queen Elizabeth I in 1560.
No translation available.