| Commentary | On 28 November 1620, Mathijs van Ceulen (signs Ceullen), from Aachen, merchant's employee (koopgesel), 25, assisted by his father Abraham van Ceulen, living on the Bloemmarct, was betrothed to Margarethe Heuchelen, also from Aachen, assisted by her father Carel Heuchelen (DTB 425/148). On 9 August 1626, Matthijs van Ceulen and Margaret Heuchelaen had their daughter Margriet baptized in the N.K. in the presence of Elias van Ceulen (DTB 40/355). Elias van Ceulen was Mathijs's cousin (the son of his uncle Nicolaes van Ceulen (see the NOTES to R 37031 of Montias2). Mathijs van Ceulen, living near the O.Z. Achterburchwal in the Dwarstraet of the Spinhuis, paid a tax of 25 f. in 1631 (Kohier, fol. 244vo, p. 56). On 17 July 1632, Mathijs van Ceulen, director of the W.I.C. sold to Juffr. Maria Tijbergeen a tenth part of certain colonies (colonien) (presumably in Brasil), in which he was participating with Samuel Godijn (of INVNO 1123) under the jurisdiction (resort) of the W.I.C. (NA 991, fol. 22, Not. J. Bosch). The same day he declared that he was a creditor of the merchant Joost Willemsz. Nieukerck (for 1,000 florins at 36 groten) and that he had been appointed one of the curators of his estate. Juffr. Tybergeen was also a creditor (ibid.) On 15 January 1638, when her son Jean de Fourmestraulx signed a pre-nuptial contract with Maria Castel, assisted by her uncle Thomas Maurois and by her other uncles Jean and Steven du Pont and by her other uncles [...] and Michiel Castel, merchants in London, Maria Tybergeen was said to be the widow of Jasper de Fourmestraulx. Jean de Fourmestraulx was accompanied by Nicolaes Ruts (II?) and Jan van Loon, his nephews (NA 988, act 16, Not. J. Bosch). On 20 September 1632, Mathijs van Ceulen named Jacques Boursse (II) to replace him as curator over the bankrupt estate of Pieter Romburgh (of R 29548) (NA 991, fol.42, Not. J. Bosch). Finally, on October 1, a week before his departure for Brasil, he named Isaack van Beck to take over his affairs during his absence (ibid. fol. 42vo.) On the same day, Maria Seulijns, Pieter Seulijns (probably of INVNO 1306), and Mathijs van Ceulen declared before Notary Bosch that Maria Seulijns and her late husband Abraham van Ceulen (Mathijs's father) had drawn up a testament on 14 July 1624, naming Pieter Seulijns, Herman Amia, and Mathijs van Ceulen as executors. Pieter Seulijns (Seulin) of INVNO 1306 was married to Sara van Ceulen (Collen). He remarried with Maria van Collen in 1619. Some time between 1624 and 1632, Herman Amia had died. Mathijs van Ceulen, on his way to Pernambuco, named Jacques Boursse (II) to replace him (ibid. fol. 44). On 16 January 1638, the honorable Pierre Carlier, merchant, named Pieter (Daniel?) and Isaack Hochepied to represent him concerning the disputes that had arisen over the succession of Jean Buret, who was probably related (perhaps the brother of) Catharian Buretti, the wife of Mattheus Seullin and the mother of Hester Seullin (who married Etienne de Lespierre of R 33167). Maria Seulijn, widow of Abraham van Ceulen, was cited (NA 952, Not. B. Baddel). Maria Seulijns is presumed to have been Mathijs van Ceulen's mother (unless he was born from an earlier marriage of his father Abraham van Ceulen). On 8 October 1632, Mathijs van Ceulen left Holland via Texel and arrived in Pernambuco on 5 December of the same year to head the company there with Johan Gijsselingh. He returned to Holland on 6 November 1634 (Beredeneerd Register op de werken der Linschoten-Vereenining, part 26, 1957, p.127). On 17 June 1636, Mathijs van Ceulen and Johan van Haringhoeck (cited in the NOTES to R 33141 of Montias2) made a deposition at the request of the W.I.C. concerning a ship that had just arrived in Amsterdam (NA 1278, Not. Schaeff). On 22 May 1637, Sr. Albert Cuyper, 51 (cited in the NOTES to R 42566 of Montias2), and Mathijs van Ceulen, 42, both merchants, made a deposition at the request of Jacob Maneth van Elbach. Cuyper said that, a year ago, he had been in the house of Isaack van Geelvinck op 't Water, in the Geelsalm, had spoken there with the burgomaster of Goes named Jan Schrijvers ( NA 1420, fol. 37). Jacques Boursse (II), cited in the INTRO and above, was the father of Jean Boursse II of INVNO 898 (see also the NOTES to R 20074 of Montias2). Isaack van Beck, also cited in the INTRO, witnessed Rembrandt's purchase of a grave on 22 July 1642 and, on 11 January 1653, declared himself co-guarantor, along with Dirck Dircksz. Grijp (probably of R 25116 of Montias2), of the payment for the house that Rembrandt had bought in 1639 (Strauss, Rembrandt Documents, pp. 225 and 295-6). Joost van Beeck Isaacksz. was presumably his son. The father of Isaack van Beck was almost certainly Joost van Beck I, born in Aachen, who became a citizen of Amsterdam in 1604. He was married to Catelijne Symons, the mother of Bartholomeus Moor (of R 21230) from an earlier marriage. Isaack van Beck is not identical with Isaack Beck of R 2873 of Montias. Among the books in the inventory: Sleydanus and Institutio Calvini. A note in the inventory indicated that 3 gulden were paid to Sr. van Beeck (probably Isaack van Beck cited above) for de rariteyten van vissgens (probably dried fish, naturalia). |
