great grandfather's journeyman certificate

susandeloresjones1

I am asking for help translating the lines between the red marks of this document. It is a journey certificate from Germany written in 1660 for my 9th great grandfather's journey from Schmalkalden, Germany to Eskilstuna, Sweden to work and teach as a blacksmith. I would appreciate the help of anyone willing to translate those lines.

Thanks, Susan

Ulrich Neitzel

@susandeloresjones1

Hello Susan, as I said before the problem with this document is not so much reading it but translating the old German into understandable English. Also the sentences in this document are very long and nested, so I transcribed/translated additional 3 1/2 lines until the full stop.

Transcription (by line): 

...... Vincentz Ungerecht, Georg

Ungerechts gewesenen Bürger und Schneiders alhier sel. eheleiblicher Sohn und __ Schmittgeselle durch Schickung des

Allerhöchsten sich in Schweden 12 meilen hinder Stockholm zu Eskilithen ehlichen niedergelaßen daß ihm nuhmehr(?) wegen sei-

ner ehlichen Geburt red:(?) und ehrlichen Herkommens bei hiesiger Statt Schmalkalden eines glaubwürdigen Scheines ___

sich deßen erheischender noturfft nach haben zu gebrauchen von nothen und zu dem ende nicht allein zwei schreiben von gedachtem

seinem Stieff Sohn anstatt Special Volmacht in Originali vorgezeigt, sondern auch Sieben ehrliche und untadelhaffte und

mehrentheils alte betagte Personen aus Unsern mit Bürgern, nahmentlich Thomas Jäger, Hanß Reß, Veit Kohler,

Veit Möller, Vincentz Kaupert, Adam Meurer und Bastian Hörchner zu tüchtigen und unverwerfflichen

Zeugen vorgestellt, dießelbe hierüber eidlich und mit Fleiß zu hören und zu befragen und den hierauff ein beglaubtes attesta-

tum seinem stieff Sohn Vincentz Ungerechtem mitzutheilen bittlichen ersucht.

Tentative translation of this part:

.... Vincentz Ungerecht, legitimate son of the late local citizen and tailor Georg Ungerecht, a journeyman blackmith [who] by the will of the Almighty settled down in marriage in Eskilstuna 12 miles behind Stockholm and that he now because of his legitimate birth and honest origin at this town Schmalkalden needed a credible certificate which he can use if the need arises and for that purpose, [Michael Happich] showed not only two letters from his stepson instead of a Special power of attorney in original but presented also seven honest and irreproachable, mostly elderly people of our fellow citizens, namely Thomas Jäger, Hanß Reß, Veit Kohler, Veit Möller, Vincentz Kaupert, Adam Meurer, and Bastian Hörchner as capable and reliable witnesses, to hear and question the same on oath and with diligence, and then requests to provide his stepson Vincentz Ungerecht with a certified attestation.

susandeloresjones1

Thank you Brother Neitzel, I really appreciate your willingness to help me with this. It is so exciting for me to know what it says. I would like to eventually have the entire certificate translated but I do not expect you to do it all (unless you enjoy doing it). I understand what you're telling me about the sentences being long. It is difficult for me to determine where a sentence ends. I will mark out another section in a few days and post if you would like to continue, or we could see if someone else takes the challenge.

Again, thank you so much for your help!

Ulrich Neitzel

@susandeloresjones1

The second to last line is very hard to decipher because of the fold. Here is the last part as far as I can read it:

So ist dießem nach an manniglichen? Hiermit unser Dienst: u. freundliches bitten Die=
selbe wollen mehrgemelten Vincentz Ungerechten ihnen beßter maßen recommendiret sein und seiner statt kundigen ehlichen
Geburt und redligkeit, wie auch so wol seiner lieben Eltern, als seines selbst wolverhaltens und gutter ankunfft, sonderlich dießen
unser beglaubten Kundschafft genießlich empfinden laßen ihre gunst, beförderung und geneigten guten willen erweißen, deßen wirt
er sich wiederumb __ gebür nach Dankbärlich zuvor halten wißen. Und wir sint es auch umb einen Jeden nach standes ge=
bühr beheg: und freundlich zu temerieren gefließen. —- In Urkund deßen haben wir Bürgermeister und
Rahtt dießen offenen brieff unser Stadt .... <unreadable>
Gegeben und geschehen in Schmalkalden den 10. January. Im Jahr nach unser Erlößers geburt Sechzehn
hundert und Sechszig.

Tentative translation:

So this is herewith our service and kind request with regard to him: The above-mentioned Vincentz Ungerecht shall be highly recommend, and because of his honorable birth and integrity, as well as that of his dear parents, and of his own good conduct and good reputation, in particular our authenticated proclamation, shall receive favor, promotion and inclined good will, of which he will know how to be grateful.
And we are also obliged to treat each and everyone with respect and kindness according to their status. In witness whereof we, the mayor and council, let this open letter of our city .... <unreadable>
Given and done in Schmalkalden on January 10. In the year after our Savior's birth sixteen hundred and sixty.

My comment: So, in a way, this is a "passport" according to the rules and customs of that time.

susandeloresjones1

Hello Brother Neitzel, I just wanted to let you know that the community site is having problems and I have been unable to load the next photo of the document. I do not know how long it will be until they have it working again.

If you still have access to the photo and would like to do some more lines that would be wonderful. Otherwise, I will post it again when the site is working properly.

Thank you again for all of your help, my family is very excited about this!

Sincerely, Susan Jones

Ulrich Neitzel

Hello Susan, I am presently travelling and will be back home first end of next week. Then I can take a look ... Regards, Ulrich

Ulrich Neitzel

@susandeloresjones1

Here follows the next part (until the large bow about 9 lines from the bottom).

Transcription (by line): 

Nach dem wir nuhn obge=
melte und vorgestelte Männer als glaubwürdige Zeugen eidlich und mit aufgerichtet? Fingern abgehört und selbige __
bestendigem Warheits grunde ausgesagt wie ihnen allerseits wolwißend daß obgemelter Vincentz Ungerecht war
seinem leiblichen Vatter Georg Ungerecht selig gewesenem Meister des Schneider Handwerks und noch lebendiger Mut=
ter Annen Thomae Hörchners Weißgerbers sel. ehleibliche tochter izo Michael Happichs ehlichen Haußfrawen
als seinen rechten natürlichen Eltern, welche nach Ordnung der Christlichen Kirchen ihre Hochzeitlichen ehrentag und
Christlichen Kirchgang mit auffgesetzten Jungfraulichen ehren:Kranz und banden in Anno 1629 in unser Statt Pfar:
Kirchen zu S. Georg alhier celebriret und hernachen in werendem ehestande dießen ihren Sohn Vincentz aus einem Keu=
schen unbefleckten wolfendiegen? ehbett echt recht und ehlich erzeuget und geboren, denselben auch balt hernach durch den ehrsamen Vin=
centz Kauperten weißgerbers alhier dem HERRN CHRISTUS durch die heil Tauffe vortragen laßen, daß also die=
ser Vincentz Ungerecht eines ehrlichen und untadelhafften herkommens und aller gutten Ornung und Zünfften gleich seinem Vatter
allerdings fähig und würdig, und wir den auch anders nicht als ehr und redlichkeit nachsagen können Und gern hätten sehen mögen, daß Vincentz Ungerecht bei uns verplieben und sich
häußlichen niedergelaßen hätte.

Tentative translation of this part:

After we have now interrogated the above-mentioned and presented men as credible witnesses on oath and with upright? fingers and the same __ testified to the best of their knowledge that the above-mentioned Vincentz Ungerecht was of an honest and irreproachable origin and was indeed capable and worthy of all good order and guilds, like his biological father Georg Ungerecht, the deceased master tailor, and his still alive mother Anna, legitimate daughter of Thomas Hörchner, now legitimate wife of Michael Happich, as his real natural parents, who, according to the order of the Christian churches, celebrated their wedding day and Christian church service with a maidenly wreath of honor and ribbon in our parish church of St. George here in 1629 and thereafter in permanent matrimonial state rightly and truly conceived and gave birth to their son Vincentz in a chaste immaculate marriage bed; the same also soon after was presented to the Lord Christ by the honorable Vincentz Kaupert, a local tanner, through the holy baptism. And that we could not ascribe to him, this Vincentz Ungerecht, anything other than honor and honesty and would have liked to see Vincentz Ungerecht stay with us and would have settled down here.

susandeloresjones1

Thank you again Ulrich! It is always so exciting to receive the next part of this document! I am so grateful to you for taking all the time involved to help me with this (I am sure it is very time consuming)! No one else has responded to any of my posts and I do so appreciate you.

If you have the time and the desire to continue, please do so.

Again, thank you so much!

Sincerely, Susan

susandeloresjones1

Dear Ulrich, I have received your final translation. Words cannot describe my feelings of gratitude to you for all of the time you have been willing to spend to provide this interpretation of such an old document. My family and I are so excited to have this. May God bless you, as you are a very special person to be willing to work so hard to help others learn about their ancestors. Thank you so much!

Sincerely, Susan Jones

Ulrich Neitzel

Thank you for your kind words, Susan! It's my pleasure to help you with your family research.