Last Will and Testament of Juan Martinez de Larrume.
Written in the port of Butus (Red Bay, Labrador)
in “the province of Terranoba” on 22 June 1577
In the name of God, amen, let it be known by this written letter of testament and last and ultimate will that I, Juan Martínez de Larrume, burgess [inhabitant] of the town of Orio, being ill in bed but sound of my natural mind that it hath pleased Our Lord to give me, ordain and establish this my said testament in the following way.
Firstly, I commend my soul to God the Father who raised and redeemed it with the precious blood of His only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and my body to the earth from which it was formed.
Item, I ask that after it has served Our Lord Jesus Christ to take me from this present life, my funeral services and rites be performed in the parish church of Saint Nicholas in the town of Orio, on whichever tomb Ana de Ernialde my wife desires, on the third and ninth days and at the end of the first and second years, in accordance with the respect due to my person.
Item, I ask that four low masses be said for me at the four altars of the said church of Saint Nicholas and that they be paid for from my possessions.
Item, I ask that four other low masses be said for me at the four altars of [the chapel of] Saint Martin in the said town of Orio and that they be paid for from my possessions.
Item, I ask that a low mass be said for me in the church of Our Lady of Irun Uranzu [in the town of Irun] and that a donation of one real be given for the lamp of Our Lady.
Item, I ask that a mass be said for me in [the chapel of] Our Lady of Hua [in the municipality of San Sebastián], with a donation of half a real for the lamp.
Item, I give a donation of a quarter of a real for the lamp of [the church of] Saint Catherine in the town of San Sebastián.
Item, I give another quarter of a real for the lamp of [the chapel of] Saint Clare in the town of San Sebastián.
Item, I give to [the church of] Saint Sebastian “el Antiguo” in the town of San Sebastián and to [the chapel of] Saint Martin a quarter of a real each.
Item, I offer a low mass in pilgrimage to [the chapel of] Saint Stephen of the town of Usurbil.
Item, I ask that two low masses be said for the souls in purgatory.
Item, I offer in pilgrimage to Our Lady of Aranzazu [a sanctuary near Oñate] whatever Ana de Ernialde, my wife, desires.
Item, I ask that a low mass be said in [the chapel of] Saint Pelayo of [the town of] Zarautz.
Item, I ask that a low mass be said in [the chapel of] the Holy Crucifix of Burgos [in the city of Burgos].
Item, I ask that another mass be said in [the chapel of] Saint Blas of Zarautz.
Item, I ask that another low mass be said at the altar of Our Lady in the parish church of the town of Orio.
Item, I ask that the hospital of the town of Orio be paid twenty-four reales that I owe, and more if some amount has been collected in my absence from Domingo de Echabe.
Item, I ask that a jug of oil that I took from the master of the ship for thirteen reales be paid for.
Item, I ask that Sebastián de Aranburu be paid the three and a half reales that I owe him.
Item, I declare that Juanes de Senper and Jorge and the son of Juanes de Arbe and Juanes de Çubiechea and Pedro de Horibar and Baltasar owe me thirteen reales for a jug of oil that I gave them from our ship and for which I was made responsible, I ask that they be collected.
Item, I declare that Lançarote owes me one ducat that I lent him in money, I ask that it be collected.
Item, I declare that Martín de Arbelaiz owes me twenty reales that I lent him in money, I ask that they be collected.
Item, I declare that the caulker owes me four reales, I ask that they be collected.
Item, I declare that Nicolás de Yçeta owes me fourteen reales minus a quarter of a real, I ask that they be collected.
Item, I declare that Juanes de Porcheta owes me seven reales, I ask that they be collected.
Item, I state and declare that if by chance my daughter, María de Larrume, should die before she comes of age and if my sister, Domicuça de Larrume, should collect the money owed me by master Martín de Liçarça, that the money be divided equally between my father and Ana de Ernialde, my wife, and that if my said daughter should die while still a minor that the [silver] cup which I took with me when I married should be given back to my said father.
Item, I name and declare as universal heir of all my personal and landed property, rights and actions, - if my said daughter dies - the said Ana de Ernialde, my legitimate wife, and I ask that this my said testament be respected and carried out in the manner herein stipulated, and I give my legal power to all judges of his His Majesty to see that it is thus carried out and respected, to which were present as witnesses Juanes de Urdaide and Domingo de Hechebarria and Cristóbal de Arriaga, burgesses of the said town of Orio, and for the said Juan Martínez de Larrume, at his request, the said Cristóbal de Arriaga signed, since due to his grave illness and weakness he was unable to sign, done in Butus, which is in the province of Terranoba, on the twenty-second day of the month of June of the year 1577.
At the request of the party,
[signed:]
Xtobal de Arriaga
[Translated by Selma and Michael Barkham.Regarding this will see:
S. Barkham, “Two Documents Written in Labrador, 1572 and 1577”, Canadian Historical Review, 57, nº 2 (June 1976), pp. 235-38, and “First Will and Testament on the Labrador Coast”, The Geographical Magazine, 49, nº 9 (June 1977), pp. 574-81.]
Original held by Archivo Histrico de Protocolos de Guipúzcoa, Oati.
in “the province of Terranoba” on 22 June 1577
In the name of God, amen, let it be known by this written letter of testament and last and ultimate will that I, Juan Martínez de Larrume, burgess [inhabitant] of the town of Orio, being ill in bed but sound of my natural mind that it hath pleased Our Lord to give me, ordain and establish this my said testament in the following way.
Firstly, I commend my soul to God the Father who raised and redeemed it with the precious blood of His only Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and my body to the earth from which it was formed.
Item, I ask that after it has served Our Lord Jesus Christ to take me from this present life, my funeral services and rites be performed in the parish church of Saint Nicholas in the town of Orio, on whichever tomb Ana de Ernialde my wife desires, on the third and ninth days and at the end of the first and second years, in accordance with the respect due to my person.
Item, I ask that four low masses be said for me at the four altars of the said church of Saint Nicholas and that they be paid for from my possessions.
Item, I ask that four other low masses be said for me at the four altars of [the chapel of] Saint Martin in the said town of Orio and that they be paid for from my possessions.
Item, I ask that a low mass be said for me in the church of Our Lady of Irun Uranzu [in the town of Irun] and that a donation of one real be given for the lamp of Our Lady.
Item, I ask that a mass be said for me in [the chapel of] Our Lady of Hua [in the municipality of San Sebastián], with a donation of half a real for the lamp.
Item, I give a donation of a quarter of a real for the lamp of [the church of] Saint Catherine in the town of San Sebastián.
Item, I give another quarter of a real for the lamp of [the chapel of] Saint Clare in the town of San Sebastián.
Item, I give to [the church of] Saint Sebastian “el Antiguo” in the town of San Sebastián and to [the chapel of] Saint Martin a quarter of a real each.
Item, I offer a low mass in pilgrimage to [the chapel of] Saint Stephen of the town of Usurbil.
Item, I ask that two low masses be said for the souls in purgatory.
Item, I offer in pilgrimage to Our Lady of Aranzazu [a sanctuary near Oñate] whatever Ana de Ernialde, my wife, desires.
Item, I ask that a low mass be said in [the chapel of] Saint Pelayo of [the town of] Zarautz.
Item, I ask that a low mass be said in [the chapel of] the Holy Crucifix of Burgos [in the city of Burgos].
Item, I ask that another mass be said in [the chapel of] Saint Blas of Zarautz.
Item, I ask that another low mass be said at the altar of Our Lady in the parish church of the town of Orio.
Item, I ask that the hospital of the town of Orio be paid twenty-four reales that I owe, and more if some amount has been collected in my absence from Domingo de Echabe.
Item, I ask that a jug of oil that I took from the master of the ship for thirteen reales be paid for.
Item, I ask that Sebastián de Aranburu be paid the three and a half reales that I owe him.
Item, I declare that Juanes de Senper and Jorge and the son of Juanes de Arbe and Juanes de Çubiechea and Pedro de Horibar and Baltasar owe me thirteen reales for a jug of oil that I gave them from our ship and for which I was made responsible, I ask that they be collected.
Item, I declare that Lançarote owes me one ducat that I lent him in money, I ask that it be collected.
Item, I declare that Martín de Arbelaiz owes me twenty reales that I lent him in money, I ask that they be collected.
Item, I declare that the caulker owes me four reales, I ask that they be collected.
Item, I declare that Nicolás de Yçeta owes me fourteen reales minus a quarter of a real, I ask that they be collected.
Item, I declare that Juanes de Porcheta owes me seven reales, I ask that they be collected.
Item, I state and declare that if by chance my daughter, María de Larrume, should die before she comes of age and if my sister, Domicuça de Larrume, should collect the money owed me by master Martín de Liçarça, that the money be divided equally between my father and Ana de Ernialde, my wife, and that if my said daughter should die while still a minor that the [silver] cup which I took with me when I married should be given back to my said father.
Item, I name and declare as universal heir of all my personal and landed property, rights and actions, - if my said daughter dies - the said Ana de Ernialde, my legitimate wife, and I ask that this my said testament be respected and carried out in the manner herein stipulated, and I give my legal power to all judges of his His Majesty to see that it is thus carried out and respected, to which were present as witnesses Juanes de Urdaide and Domingo de Hechebarria and Cristóbal de Arriaga, burgesses of the said town of Orio, and for the said Juan Martínez de Larrume, at his request, the said Cristóbal de Arriaga signed, since due to his grave illness and weakness he was unable to sign, done in Butus, which is in the province of Terranoba, on the twenty-second day of the month of June of the year 1577.
At the request of the party,
[signed:]
Xtobal de Arriaga
[Translated by Selma and Michael Barkham.Regarding this will see:
S. Barkham, “Two Documents Written in Labrador, 1572 and 1577”, Canadian Historical Review, 57, nº 2 (June 1976), pp. 235-38, and “First Will and Testament on the Labrador Coast”, The Geographical Magazine, 49, nº 9 (June 1977), pp. 574-81.]
Original held by Archivo Histrico de Protocolos de Guipúzcoa, Oati.