16TH- AND 17TH-CENT. DOCUMENTS ARRANGED, TITLED AND BOUND

[Archives] [Mayorazgo documents] [Medina del Campo] [1531 onwards].

An interesting archival object, comprising documents stated to be from 1531, 1552, 1579, 1580, 1593 and 1642 (the last actually on paper with an official stamp dated 1653), sewn into an attractive dossier binding in the eighteenth or possibly early nineteenth century. The documents comprise a marriage contract; two dowry agreements; two payment agreements (one to somebody’s daughter); and another marriage contract. There is also a legal consultation, sewn-in sideways. The dossier relates to a mayorazgo (an estate legally designed to pass to a single heir rather than split up). It was near Medina del Campo (where notaries here are described as coming from), in the region of Valladolid. The documents include some itemised accounts (overall around eight pages in two items). An engaging study-piece.

Details 

Manuscript, 32.4 cms. x 23 cms., bound dossier, comprising documents of the 16th -century (4 items) and 17th century (1 item). ([4]; [23]; [12]; [9]; [8]), each document set stab-stitched into an 18th- or early 19th-century bifolium, the front leaf with summary of contents to recto and the back leaf blank. + 1 early modern 2-leaf document (bifolium) folded and sewn in sideways, again within a folded covering sheet. The covers to the dossier of an old choral manuscript, leather external sewing supports to spine, leather button and thong fastener. Two documents loosening, one (the third) with mouse-munching, and some other damage, somewhat affecting text, overall very good. Label to front cover: ‘Legajo 1.o Num. 1,2,3,4,5 y 6’.