Nuns’ Care of the Mentally Disabled

The Norbertine cloister (Norbertinesenklooster) in Rekem, Limburg took in a mentally handicapped man named Jan III Moretus (1610–1663).

His brother, Bathasar II Moretus paid for his care, which included food, lodging, shoes, socks, bathing, shaving, and a personal assistant (likely a man) in addition to the nuns help.

Jan ultimately fell in the Willebroek canal and drowned.

Adi 7 Octobre 1661. Ioannes Moretus mijnen broeder debet de somme van dryhondert ende twee guldens, ende sesthien stuyvers, aen Heer Nicolas betaelt volghens syne ordre in handen van Catharina de Wint tot betaelinghe van het naervolghende Voor een half iaer montkosten verschenen tot Bamis 1661 fl. 250 – Voor een half iaer huere van den knecht fl. 25 – Voor een half iaer wasschen fl. 10 – Voor een iaer scheren fl. 9 – Voor twee paer schoenen fl. 4 – 8. Voor een paer caussens fl. 3 – 6. Voor lint en caussebanden fl. 1 – 2. Totaal: fl. 302 – 16

“Adi 7 Octobre 1661. Ioannes Moretus my brother debits the sum of dry hundred and two golds, and sethien stuyvers, and Lord Nicolas pays his order in the hands of Catharina de Wint to pay for the subsequent For half an year mounting costs appeared to Bamis 1661 fl. 250 – For half an hour rent van den knecht fl. 25 – Before washing half an year fl. 10 – For an egg shaving fl. 9 – For two pairs of shoes fl. 4 – 8. For a pair of caussens fl. 3 – 6. For ribbon and cause bands fl. 1 – 2. Total: fl. 302 – 16”

Source: Museum Plantin Moretus

https://www.facebook.com/museumplantinmoretus/posts/pfbid02uEofN2bJYpCMx5AC5FFbKELmst3km9uxc72YcfYyDPeRpPRwtM84JyBoNrsCXMsAl

loc rekem loc wallonia tag charity tag religion and education

Reciprocity as a Cultural Norm Between Low Countries Nobility

Recipriocity up and down the social ladder (rather than strict heirarchical obligations) was an important principle to the “propeterial classes” in the Low Countries.

This was a concept alien to Philip II and the Spaniards.

(WP: Why? What does that say a/b Spanish cultural norms?)

Source: Marshal, Dutch Gentry, pg xv

ppl philip ii tag class and nobility

Dutch Gentry Analogues

Gentry often identified with specific manorial holding (with noble / legal rights), but many had additional properties in other provinces – even in the Holy Roman Empire.

Those living in towns had class affinity with their rural counterparts due to the income they made from their country properties (even though they did not reside there).

Source: Dutch Gentry, Marshall, pg xvi

tag class and nobility

Low Countries Reformed Synods Timeline

1st organizational synod in Emden 1571
1st national Reformed synod in 1578 in Dordrecht’s Grote Kerk
Decades of organization culminate in the Synod of Dort 1618-1619.

Source: Landscpae & Power, 2nd Edition, Mitchel, pg 60

loc dordtrecht loc emden loc northern netherlands loc rhine / westphalia tag reformed yr 1570-74 yr 1575-79 yr 1615-19

Dutch Dairy Cows

Dutch Cows known for size, milk production, and cheese. This was popular sentiment since 16th century, especially Frisia.

A healthy bull was regarded with patriotic sentiment

Source: Landscape & Power, pg 68

loc eastern netherlands tag culture of the low countries tag nature and environment

Gentry not a concept or term in Dutch

“Gentry” does not exist as a term in Dutch.

Lagere adel, (lesser nobility) is what was used.

Generally not from long standing of “nobility of the blood” and usually less well off financially.

e.g. Hendrick van Brederode writing Louis van Nassau as “brother.”

Source: Marshall, Dutch Gentry, pg. xvi

loc northern netherlands ppl hendick van brederode ppl louis van nassau tag class and nobility

Archbishop Frederik Challenges in Utrecht

By agreement between Philip II and Rome in the spirit of the Counter-Reformation, the low countries (at that time a loose set of Seventeen Provinces) received its own archbishoprics, which besides Utrecht were Mechelen and Cambrai. This was an attempt to give the various parts of the low countries some self-government as a way of fending off the Protestant Reformation. These measures were not very successful, and Scheck van Toutenburg’s archbishopric saw the Catholic reaction against the Council of Trent in the northern Netherlands. Governor Margaret of Parma forced him to lead support for the decrees of the Council of Trent and led him to call a provincial synod in 1565. The clergy and canons were fiercely opposed to the new disciplinary measures and tried to frustrate their introduction, but Schenck van Toutenburg used his power to break the opposition and to give leadership in the fight against Protestantism.

Schenck van Toutenburg was unable to unite the Catholics under his archbishopric. Under his tenure, many good Catholic Utrecht burgers became secret Protestants. As the Dutch Revolt began and William the Silent, stadtholder since 1559, fled, Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard was named the official stadtholder of the Netherlands in 1567 with his base in Utrecht at Vredenburg (castle). Like Schenck van Toutenburg, he met with insurrection with those under his command. After unsuccessfully preventing the Capture of Brielle in April–June 1572, he convened a meeting of the States General in The Hague in July 1572, but many representatives convened a new meeting in Dordrecht later that month, in which they pledged allegiance to William the Silent (or now, William of Orange). As the country turned to Protestantism and the Orange sympathies grew, Hénin-Liétard was taken prisoner at the Battle on the Zuiderzee on 11 October 1573. His Spanish troops based at Vredenburg thus lost their local leader.

The nearby city of Oudewater was massacred by Spanish troops for its participation in rebellion on 7 August 1575. Only those who could pay ransom money escaped. This shocked many leading Utrecht burgers. Though Hénin-Liétard was released as a term of treaty in the Pacification of Ghent in 1576, he no longer had command of Vredenburg and chose the side of William of Orange. This caused a problem of loyalties among the Spanish stationed at Utrecht. The city council of Utrecht sent representatives to Archbishop Schenk van Toutenburg to borrow money to pay the Spanish mercenaries at Vredenburg who had as a result pointed their canons at the city itself. These Spanish troops still had no leader and worse, had not been paid. Schenk van Toutenburg refused to pay, and the city fathers forced the lock on his money chest to “loan” 40,000 guilders.

This was the end of Utrecht’s allegiance with Catholicism, as they feared a fate like Oudewater.

In June 1580 the city council of Utrecht decided to ban Catholic services in Utrecht. The archbishop died later that summer, on 25 August

(From Wikipedia)

loc utrecht ppl frederik schenck van toutenburg tag counter-reformation