(I do know some Dutch and would probably be able to work my way through this if it were in modern type. As it’s in an old fashioned manuscript hand, I’m hoping those more fluent than I will be less daunted by the script.)
From the metadata provided by the Utrecht Archive, it’s something to do with the Teutonic Knights, bailiwick of Utrecht. The verso was annotated and/or signed across the top, like a modern bank check, and dated 1397. Is this a sort of letter of credit, perhaps?
That makes my head hurt. I can give you most of the first sentence:
Allen den ghenen die dezen brief zullen zien of horen lezen doe ik…
It is a somewhat standard start of a proclamation or act way back when.
All those who read this letter or hear it read, I…
If you want to take the letters you can now recognize and substitute them through the rest of the text, I think there are enough Dutchies on the board to help you out. It is pretty hard to read, though.
It references 16 years, payments in halves, gold and silver, a bunch of stuff I can almost make out, and apparently the letter was sealed with his seal.
Thanks for looking.
The salutation, then, sounds much like that sometimes seen in old English-language legal documents, e.g. “To all men to whom these presents come, greeting:”
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I’m happy to translate anything dutch for you. but this handwriting is hard, to my eyes most of it is nonsense
the first part seems to be a greeting, the second part a description of payment ( I think it is a lease) conditions and the third part a description of how the letter was sealed.
(this is what I’m reading; feel free to make improvements inside the quote)
This is enormously helpful!
daem van zradewije is almost certainly would be “daem van schadewyck” using contemporary spelling; this individual is a collateral ancestor whose much altered surname I bear today. Daem is, or was, a Dutch version of the name Adam.
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update
I love the Dope-even when I can’t understand a word of what is being said!
The line I could make out in my first reading changed in Librarians effort in red:
Allen den ghenen die dezen brief zullen zien of horen lezen doe ik Adam van Schadewyck rond en inke-
sar is ghehuert hebbe weghens son lamtomender en den ghemenen boucme banden duytzaken
hup tuircry. Een boulbinghe gheleghen te komen die zich willaimme zoen van rem in huer
waren placht te hebben en komt an boef poeken elfrenhaline ighen lande tussen my of
meer zestien jaer lang elk jaer om die oude branorro zolde goet van goude en zilver
van ghelding of payment baer boer daer men die oude gelde om royen mark turnicht inder
wippel. En om burthien Roemre. Die een helft met den Goenren te betalen op den porzzanot
En die ander helft op den perkament of binnen Vierthien daghen na elfen termijn ombegre-
pen In Remissen de waorheyt want is zelv ghenezight en hebbe zo hebbe is ghebeden
gherijt van Schadewyck sar hi dezen brief oner my wille bezeghelen. En ik ghoni boul hebbe om
bede willd daeme Bourghe dezen brief bezeghelt met mijnen zegel Degeme om jaer one heid
suzent sriehondt zijne eidtneghenisch die dinpdaghte na onzer broedben dach te hintnippe…
Seconded!! 
Surely someone can now give an English translation?
Half of the text is still gibberish, even in Dutch which is my first language.
in the year of our lord 1391?
Allen den ghenen die dezen brief zullen zien of horen lezen doe ik Adam van Schadewyck rond en inke-
All who will see this letter or hear it be read, do I Adam van Schadewyck … and …-
sar is ghehuert hebbe weghens son lamtomender en den ghemenen boucme banden duytzaken
… is hired/rented have because his … and the common … … …
hup tuircry. Een boulbinghe gheleghen te komen die zich willaimme zoen van rem in huer
… … . A building placed to be who Willem son of … … …
waren placht te hebben en komt an boef poeken elfrenhaline ighen lande tussen my of
used to have and will … … … … in the lands between my or
meer zestien jaer lang elk jaer om die oude branorro zolde goet van goude en zilver
more sixteen years long every year … … … … … goods of gold and silver
van ghelding of payment baer boer daer men die oude gelde om royen mark turnicht inder
of accepted means of cash payment … 'cause the old money … … mark … in the
geldig - legal/accepted
baar - cash
wippel. En om burthien Roemre. Die een helft met den Goenren te betalen op den porzzanot
… . and in turn … . Who will pay one half with goods on the …
En die ander helft op den perkament of binnen Vierthien daghen na elfen termijn ombegre-
And the other half on paper or inside 14 days after the eleventh period included
pen In Remissen de waorheyt want is zelv ghenezight en hebbe zo hebbe is ghebeden
… In remiss the truth itself is healing and has so it is prayed
gherijt van Schadewyck sar hi dezen brief oner my wille bezeghelen. En ik ghoni boul hebbe om
… van Schadewyck … he this letter under my will be sealed. And I … … have …
bede willd daeme Bourghe dezen brief bezeghelt met mijnen zegel Degeme in het jaar ons here
requested … … … this letter sealed with my seal. … in the year of our Lord
duizend driehonderd ende enenegentig die dinpdaghte na onzer broedben dach te hintnippe…
Thousand threehundert and ninetyone … … after our … … … … … …
Banden looks like modern bonden, plural simple past tense “bound”, as to a contract or some other arrangement.
Perkament is parchment, still translated as such by Google. (Just like 14th Century Google would have done).
I’d like to find out what lamtomender could possibly be; taking another look at the document.
The sentence with “lantomender” seems to be about the credentials of the writer.
“Den gemehnen banden boucme duytzaken”
Gemehnen - common
Banden - bonds
Boucme - books
Duytzaken - financial
Librarian – I was only a reader of this thread but ------- you are awesome! Thanks!
