A LATIN DOCUMENT SIGNED BY PRINCE WILLIAM OF ORANGE JUST DAYS AFTER THE OFFICIAL END OF THE FRANCO-DUTCH WAR

WILLIAM (WILLEM HENDRIK) OF ORANGE (1650-1702). Willem Hendrik of Orange was the Prince of Orange, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic, and eventually King William III of England, Ireland, and Scotland.  He was half of the William and Mary duo.

DS. 1pg. September 12, 1678. The Hague. A large, official document signed “Prince of Orange” at the conclusion. It is written in Latin and signed before he became King of England. The document appoints Johanns van den Bergh to the Canonry and Prebend of the Collegiate Church of St. John the Baptist in Diest, modern-day Belgium.  “Willem Hendrik by the grace of God prince of Orange to the venerable Dean and Chapter of the Collegiate Church of St. John the Baptist of our town of Diest greetings. We cause it to be known that the Canonry and Prebend which now are vacant by the death of Hendrik Lenars, and which by virtue of our Barony of Diest fully concern and belong to our grant, right of appointment or whatever other disposition, we have given and conferred, and do give and confer, to Johanns van den Bergh; and we have made provision and do make provision of the same Canonry and Prebend by transmitting to him full investiture of the same by these present letters. Wherefore we require of you, at the same time commanding you, that you appoint and admit, or do cause to be appointed and admitted, the aforesaid Johanns van den Bergh or his lawful representative on his behalf, into the corporeal, real and actual possession of the said Canonry and Prebend and the rights and prerogatives of the same, and that you receive him as your Canon and Fellow by assigning him a stall in the Choir and seat in the Chapter with the full rights of a Canon (as is customary), and that you be accountable to him for all proceeds and profits, rights and revenues of the aforesaid Canonry and Prebend, or that you cause account to be made fully or perfectly by others whom it concerns or may in the future concern, the rites having been applied that are usually applied in such matters. Done at The Hague on the 12th day of September 1678. [in French] Prince of Orange By order of his Highness A? C? Buijsero [in Dutch] Canonry for Johanni van den Bergh in Diest”. The document is dated just a month after the signing of the first Treaty of Nijmegen and two days after the signing of the second Treaty of Nijmegen. These two treaties ended the Franco-Dutch War and left the Dutch Republic intact after six years of fighting. It is in very good condition with some areas of dampstaing towards the top; the seal is attached.