I recently came across this fascinating 18th-century document from the year 1725. It's a parish register from the village of Vliermael (in present-day Belgium). The document records the goods, lands, leases, and rents belonging to the poor of the parish, managed by the local priest at the time. Here's a transcription of the main part from the front page: "Register of the Goods, Lands, Leases, Rents, etc. belonging to the Poor of the Parish of Vliermael, managed by the Reverend Arnold Stockmans, pastor of Vliermael. Beginning all payments and claims for the year 1725." The document seems to have been carefully maintained by the parish, possibly as a means of overseeing charitable distributions and local financial dealings. Registers like this provide a fascinating glimpse into the local economy and social structure of the time. The condition of the manuscript is quite worn, with some damage to the edges and visible water stains, but the script is still legible. Here are a few images of the manuscript for those who are interested. I’m happy to discuss it further if anyone has questions or insights into this type of record-keeping! What I find particularly interesting: The detailed financial oversight by the parish. The mention of the poor and how their welfare was tied to the parish’s management of lands and rents. The date, 1725, which places this document in a dynamic period of early modern European history. Feel free to share any thoughts or if anyone has come across similar documents in their own research!
It is a bit challenging to read it, but the more I understand the context, the easier it is to read (when you read Dutch of course and a bit of Latin in the last photo).
maybe the script in your 1st pic...was done slower.... with more attention to detail and flair !! ???
And the fact that such care was taken to document it all so precisely. That is often amazing in old documents, but in this case you can see how much responsibility was taken for the poor.
