Lambert Twent named first postmaster of Delft

Date: 
July 4, 1678

Lambert Twent had been running a postal service for several years. On July 4, 1678, the mayors named him the first postmaster of Delft. WikiDelft.nl dates it September 10, 1679. Click to enlarge the images.

Summary

Because of its inefficiences, the two postal services at the time, run by Antony Lesier and Lambert Twent, were by decision of the mayors combined into one service under Twent's direction. Twent would not be able to refuse sevice to anyone or prejudice their service in any way. He was further instructed to pay compensation of 7 guilders per week to Lesier and fifty guilders per year to his widow, should she survive Lesier.

Appointment of Lambert Twent as Delft's first postmaster
page 74v

page 75 top

page 75 bottom

page 75v

Dutch

De Heeren Burgemeesteren ende Regeerders dese Stad Delft, completelijk vergadert sijnde, hebben naar rijke deliberatie en requand? nemende dat eenigen tijd herwaarts de posterije deser Stad soodanig niet is gehand haeft geweest, als den dienst en het gerieft van de goede ingestenen van dien in 't spoedig bestellen van de incomende en uitgaan de brieven en ander sints is vereijs schende, eenpariglijk goet gevonden en verstaan dat twee de posterijen jegenwoordig waar genomen wendende bij Lambert van Twent en Antonij Lesier met den 10 deser lopende maand Julij tot malkanderen sullen werd ingewoegd en gecombineert,

en vervolgens dat den voorn: Lambert van Twent voor 't toecomende sal hebben, behouden en waarnemen beijde de voorn. posterijen te samen en als eene posterije, dat mede den selven van Twent, privatiselijk en allen met exclusie van de voorn Lesier sal genieten Trecken en profiteeren alle porten, baten, en profiten van de voorn: posterije van alle incomende en uijtgaan de pacquetten en brieven, sonder dat hem directelijk ofte indirectelijk ijmand daar in eenig belet ofte prejuditie sal komen ofte vermogen te doen, directelijk ofte indirectelijk,

mits dat den voorn Lambert van Twent ofte die gene die indesselfs ?laatse in de voorn: generale posterije sal komen te succederen, jaarlijcx geduiren de 't leven van de voorn Antonij Lesier alle weeken aan den selseen Lesier sal uijt-reijken de somme van seven gulden eens en in cas van overlijden van de voorn Antonij Lesier, dat desselfs wed. haar leven lang geduijrende van de voorn. Lambert van Twent ofte desselfs successeur in de voorn: Generale posterijen jaarlijks sal trecken de comme van vijftig gulden eens, van welk genesolveende den voorn Lambert van Twent en Antonij Lesier en desselfs huijsvrouw communicatie gegeven synde hebben deselve ten weder sijden daen medegenomen contentement aldus gedaan en genesolveert binnen Delft den 4 Julij 1678.

English (my translation; feel free to make suggestions to improve it)

The mayors and governors of Delft, being fully gathered, have after abundant deliberation and requand? taken that for some time hither the postal service in this City has not been good enough, as the service and the convenience of the good ingestenen of those in the speedy delivery of incoming and outgoing letters and other since is demanding damages. They find and understand that the two postal services presently directed by Lambert van Twent and Antonij Lesier on the 10th of the current month of July will be mixed and combined with one another;

and subsequently that the forenamed Lambert van Twent will for the future manage and make the most of both of the forenamed postal services, that Twent, privately and to the exclusion of the forenamed Lesier, will enjoy profiting from all of the postage charges, benefits, and profits of the forenamed postal services for all incoming and outgoing packets and letters, without anyone having the power of direct or indirect refusal of service or prejudice to anyone,

with that the forenamed Lambert van Twent or those who shall come to succeed him in the forenamed general postal service, yearly during the life of the forenamed Antonij Lesier will pay Lesier the sum of seven guilders and in the case of the death of the forenamed Antonij Lesier, that his widow during her life shall yearly shall draw the sum of fifty guilders from the forenamed Lambert van Twent or his successor in the forenamed general postal service, of which paying off of the forenamed Lambert van Twent. Antonij Lesier and his housewife being content with this arrangement, it was thus done in Delft on July 4, 1678.

 

Document: 

OAD 17.4 fol 74v-75v 1678-07-04

Sources