The klaarbank of the Engelander Holt

Last year, Bram and I were asked by the Geldersch Landschap en Kasteelen (Gelders Castles and Countryside Foundation) to help with a part of their Engelander Holt project. The Engelander Holt is an estate near Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, managed by the Foundation. The project consisted of nature inventories as well as some historical investigations, mostly done by volunteers. One of the historic sites on the estate is the Herenhul, a small hill with the so-called gerechtssteen, a megalitic stone that marked the place of a klaarbank, a kind of open air courthouse. The Herenhul has a long history as a place of justice. It could even have been one of the first court places in the Netherlands (the Engelander Holt is already mentioned in 801), and perhaps the place was already in use as a Germanic Althing. During the 13th century to the 17th century the Ducal Supreme Court of the Veluwe Quarter resided here. This court or klaarbank dealt with death penalty cases in the court of Gelre, and many of the case files of the klaarbank have been preserved (and - from 1423 onwards - can be found in the Provincial Archive in Arnhem). The site was also used for the inauguration of a new duke, for meetings of the Hanseatic League, etc.

The gerechtssteen on the Engelanderholt estate.

For instance in 1368, when representatives of Deventer, Zutphen, Harderwijk and Elburg held counsel here on the war between the Hanseatic League and Denmark. At least once a year the Ducal Supreme Court took place at this site with the Duke of Guelders and all the lesser nobility of the Veluwe Quarter (approximately 40 knights), as well as the representatives (the peinders) of the five cities of the Veluwe (Arnhem, Wageningen, Harderwijk, Hattem and Elburg) attending.

The accounts tell us that in 1432 Wijnant Leiermoell receives payment for painting a Airn on a blue shield voir die herberch tot Engelanderholt [for the inn at Engelanderholt] where the delegates resided. A bill of the city ??of Arnhem mentions that on October 12, 1461 the mayor of Arnhem, Steven van Delden, with seven other delegates, is gereden en gevaren tot Engelanderholt ter clarynge mit tween wagenen [went to the court at Engelanderholt with two carts]. They took their food with them, among others the following: 6 molder oats, some eggs, a Hamel, 28 pounds beef, 34 pounds hams and shoulders, five sizes of butter, a portion of salt, 3 pairs of chickens, a pot of mustard, bread and necessary spysekruyt [spices], one bottle of old wine. And this all for a few days.

Bringing many delegates and defendants under one roof will also have caused housing problems. Delegates from Arnhem stayed at the Red Deer inn during court, representatives of the smaller cities would have to find shelter in another nearby inn, such as The Golden Lion or the Aap [Monkey] in Beekbergen. The latter inn, also served as a prison for the suspects; and the Dutch proverb in de aap gelogeerd [stayed at the Monkey, or in other words: you are in serious trouble] originates from these times. Much of the Veluwe knighthood is likely to have camped in campaign tents. During a session of the Supreme Court also a large market was held and merchants set up their stalls in the neighbourhood to sell their wares to the public.

Portrait of Claes Heynenzoon, the Herald Guelders. Dated 1395.
M.S. 15652-56 Armorial Gelre, folio 122r, Bibliothèque Royale de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium.

But things were to change for the uncomfortable klaarbank at Herenhul: in the morning of 22 in September 1573 the Court was opened at the Engelander Holt, but afterwards the delegates went directly to Arnhem to continue the meeting there in a more comfortable environment. Having made all their decisions, they returned back to the Engelander Holt to pronounce them in the required order. After 1620 no more courts were held at the Engelander Holt.

The klaarbank of 1563

In the archives of the province Gelderland in Arnhem, some documents were found dealing with the construction of a new klaarbank in 1563. Also two parchment sheets with sketches of the klaarbank, made by the executive carpenter Master Aelbert, were found, as well as some drawings from 1875 based on these sketches (Caerte van de bancke van Engellanderholt; inv No. 592).

The overview sketch of the klaarbank of 1563 and the surrounding walls. Gelders Archief, No. 592-0002.

Besides these drawings, a few bills and orders given to the sheriffs of the municipalities of Apeldoorn, Ede and Velp to take actions serving the construction of the klaarbank were found as an appendix to the accounts of the Land Steward in 1563 (Gelders Archief, inv Nos 1729 and 1743). These accounts do not provide any measurements of sizes of the klaarbank, only that the klaarbank was made of poplar (Populus spp.) and spruce (Picea abies). The trees were likely hewn in the Arnhem area (both Ede and Velp had to arrange carts for transport). In addition to the trees, 26 boards that were already in the Bushuis (the arsenal) were also used for the construction. The preparatory work (squaring and planing) was done by Master Aelbert in Arnhem, who assembled the klaarbank later with his servant at the Herenhul. The busmaker [the cannon smith] of Arnhem supplied hinges for the doors as well as a new lock with a staple to close the principal door of the klaarbank. 

The klaarbank had a closed rear wall at which a sauvegarde [asylum or safe conduct] was attached. The latter, however, was done by an artist, called Johan Houten. Finally, there is bill of a payment to a nailer for 1000 lasnagels and 5100 zoldernagels [two types of nails] for the klaarbank. As the ordered nails are not necessary for the construction of the furniture (the benches and chairs), they therefore were likely used for carpentry of the walls and floors. The klaarbank was made August 1563, assembled in early September 1563, and demolished after the trial and stored in the Bushuis at Arnhem.

The lay-out sketch of the klaarbank of 1563 with the sizes given in the text. Note that the benches on the sides have been shortened in comparison with the previous sketch. Gelders Archief, No. 592-0001.

The set-up of the klaarbank

So, what we were asked to do for the Engelander Holt project was to give an insight in what kind of furniture was used at the klaarbank. How did it look like and how was it constructed. But before we did, we first looked at the set-up of the court.

Roughly, the klaarbank consisted of a simple building (possibly only three walls) with a roof (the latter could even have been of canvas), some benches places at different heights for the knighthood, councillors and peinders, well as a chair for the sheriff and a high chair for the Duke. On the grounds, there was a bench and a table for the registrar and a scribe. The whole was surrounded by a wooden fence.The councilors reached their seats through side stairs, for which an opening is indicated in the side wall on the sketch of the construction. The set-up such that the Duke can only reach his high chair via the stairs at the banks of the councilors.

 Our model of the klaarbank, with doors at the sides for the counsilors.

Some measurements are given in the text scribbled on the sketches of 1563. The finished bank is made up of three layers, with each successive layer 1.5 foot higher than the previous one. The height and width of the banks was similar to the distance between two banks: 1.5 feet. Dukes chair was at the highest level, 4.5 feet above the ground. One foot measured at that time between 23 and 32 cm, depending on the place and country. For example, a Rhenish feet was 0.314 meters and an Amsterdam feet 0.283 meters. 1.5 Feet is also the height of a bench, and translates to approximately 45 cm, which is now also a common height for a seating. On the basis of the sketch of the cross-sections and the text, we deduced the arrangement as shown in our 3D model of the klaarbank. A next post will deal with the furniture involved at the klaarbank.

A 17th century Lit de Justice

 The raised dais for the chairs of the ruler and his cousillors of the Lit de Justice in Chateaudun castle.

Call it coincidence or luck; when we were on holiday in France last year we visited Castle Châteaudun at the foot of the river Loir and the city with the same name as the castle. In the basement of the castle we found that an (almost) complete 17th century court (Lit de Justice) has survived. There are several similarities but also differences with the klaarbank of the Engelander Holt. The court of Châteaudun is small and square and almost fills an entire room. In a corner against the wall is a raised platform for the ruler with a coat of arms above it, as well as a place for the councilors next to it. The knighthood (on the right side) and the representatives (on the left side) sat facing the ruler in two rows separated by a wooden partition. The court has no seating now, but there were probably benches; the space between the wooden partition is almost one meter; enough space for a bench. The crowned L (Louis) on the walls indicates that it was originally royal or princely court.

 The view from the dais towards the entrance of the court.

(Left) The two rows of seating for the layman (without benches). These would be situated on the left side of the ruler; on the right side the nobility would be seated. (Right) The rear seating row of the laymen is on a small wooden platform. Both seating rows are divided by a wooden partition. 

There are also a few images in late medieval and later manuscripts depicting a Lit de Justice in a royal setting. The most famous one is that by Jean Fouquet in 1450. What can be seen is that all show the square arrangement of the court with the ruler on a dais in the corner.

(Left) The Lit de Justice of Charles V in  Le Livre des propriétés des choses by Barthélémy lAnglais.
Bibliotheque National de France, Paris, France, Ms. Français 22532, folio 9. (Right) Lit de Justice of Charles VII at the parliament of Paris of 1450.  Des cas des nobles hommes et femmes, illumination by Jean Fouquet, dated between 1458 and 1465. Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich, Germany, Cod. Gall. 6, folio 2v.

(Left) The Lit de Justice of Louis XIII held after the death of his father (1610). Archives Nationales de France AE-II-3890. (Right) Copper engraving showing a court case against an animal, a practice that was also common during medieval times.

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The furniture at the Engelanderholt klaarbank Part 1

While the outlines of the klaarbank at the Engelanderholt are more or less straightforward, the furniture within is based on much speculation and assumptions. However, keeping this in mind, Bram and I think that the furniture within the klaarbank could have looked like those presented below. We did have some clues, however, as the backside of one of the sketches made by the carpenter shows some side-views of the furniture pieces. For the rest, we looked at contemporary pieces of  furniture that might be similar to those of the klaarbank. One of the assumptions made was that the furniture pieces had to be constructed in a relatively short amount of time, and that they should easily be disassembled and stored for reuse.

A cross section of the finished klaarbank at the back of one of the sketches made by master carpenter Aelbert (Photo copyright Gelders Archive, detail of 529-003). The large chair with canopy for the Duke can be seen on the left, as well as five sets of benches. On the far right you can see a table.

The chair of the Duke (or Stadhouder)

Left: Detail of the chair from the outline sketch by Master Aelbert (Photo copyright Gelders Archive, detail of 529-002).

On the sketch containing the structure of the side walls (see previous post), the seat of the Duke is shown in more detail. It is a richly ornamented chair with a high panelled backrest and armrests. The top of the back rest has a pair of ornamented pinnacles. The backrest is horizontally divided into two parts; the lower part seems to consist of a linenfold pattern, while the top part has a carved appearance. However, the cross-section (see figure above) shows the chair having a canopy.

Chairs of a ruler (like the stadhouder or the Duke) that were used for official meetings needed to be representative and impressive. During the larger part of the Middle Ages this was almost always a throne or a sella curulis (a type of folding chair) decorated with lion heads at the ends. At the end of the 14th century and early 15th century the chair type changed to a folding chair with a high backrest, which in turn in the 15th and 16th centuries was succeeded by a box- or panelled high chair. It is probably this last type of chair that was used by the Duke at the klaarbank.

This kind of chair can be equipped with a storage compartment under the seat; most of the surviving examples have such a compartment. In such cases, the chair is called a box chair or in Dutch a sittekist. The photos below show several extant examples of such chairs. Basically this chair consists of a frame, where the backrest, front and sides are filled with panels. In the late Middle Ages (15th century) these were often parchment and linenfold panels, while in the 16th century more figurative carved and X-shaped panels were used. The outline of the seat of the Duke (the detail from 529-002) shows a nice transition between the two panel styles: the bottom half uses a linenfold panel and the upper half a figurative carved panel. This figurative panel could for example be the heraldic shield of the Duchy of Guelders. The components of the frame itself are joined using mortise and tenons, secured by wooden nails. For the decorations on the top of the backrest we propose (Guelders) lions. The boxed/panel high chairs could also be fitted with a balcony at the top of the backrest (see photo below).

(Left) Oak box chair (1490-1500) from Chateau Martainville, France with a large carved panel in the backrest.  Two lions can be found at the top of the backrest. Height 186 cm, 74 cm wide. (Middle) Oak box chair with an attached canopy. Height 227 cm, width 71 cm. Image scanned from J. Boccador - Le mobilier Francais du moyen age a la renaissance. (Right) Oak box chair with linenfold panels from the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Photo copyright Rijksmuseum). The chair is dated around 1500. Also here two shield bearing lions are found at the backrest. Height 143 cm, width 73 cm.

Such box seats were variable in size. The width varied between 60 and 90 cm and the height between 1.13 and 2.26 meters. The seat height is generally 45 cm and depth of the seat between 45 and 59 cm. However, the space for the ducal seat in the klaarbank is limited due to the restricted surface area of ??the plateau on which the seat stands (4 by 2 feet). For a stable placement, the chair must have been smaller than the platform; a chair with a width of 75 cm and a depth of 45 cm with a height of 1.85 meters, like the one shown below, may well have been used at the klaarbank.

High-backed panel chairs from that time are invariably made of oak. Since the construction of such a chair relatively takes a long time, and since the chair has a representative and impressive function, it is more likely that the ducal seat was taken from the ducal inventory and not constructed on site. To make such a chair, one needs a good joiner, rather than a master carpenter who also needs to put together a klaarbank. Furthermore, spruce or poplar (the wood used for the klaarbank) is inappropriate and unsuitable for such an important seat.

The proposed seat of the duke at the klaarbank (© St. Thomas Guild).

The benches for the counselors, nobility, peinders and registrar

Left: The side of one of the benches; detail from the sketch by Master Aelbert (Photo copyright Gelders Archive, detail of 529-003).

The plan of the klaarbank shows six long forms meant for the counselors, the knighthood and the representatives of the Veluwe cities (peinders). The seventh, a much smaller stool behind a table, was intended for the registrar and the writer. The backside of the sketch of the floor plan shows the sides of the various benches, which all look similar. They consisted of (two) uprights that were connected to each other by two smaller boards (an sometimes a stretcher) where the seating board rested on top. This construction is called a wangenbank or boarded stool, a type that was first seen in the 15th century and remained popular two centuries afterwards. This seating type existed in all sizes, from a single-seated stool to a bank for dozens of people, and was made in various types of wood. Examples of such banks from the 16th century can be found in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (see below); a simple version of a boarded stool was fished out of the wreck of the Mary Rose.

The construction of a boarded form is simple and consists of five boards: the seat, two uprights (sides) and two cheeks on the length of the bench to support the seat. The boards [wangen] are fixed to the uprights with nails or could be hooked together cross-wise. The latter is most likely when the banks quickly had to be disassembled. For added reinforcement often there was also a low stretcher through a mortise and secured with  a wedge to the uprights. These banks could easily be extended by adding extra uprights and stretchers with wedges to support the longer seating. The scheme below shows a possible construction of the long forms. As mentioned previously, these benches are easy to make (by a carpenter), disassemble, transport and store, which also happened to the klaarbank.

Two 16th century oak forms originating from the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK. The cheeks of these forms are hooked into the uprights. (Top) Object W.78-1924: Height 45.7 cm, 1.55 m long and 26.8 cm deep (Photo copyright V & A, London; http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O113387/bench/). (Bottom) Object W. 67-1921. Height 53.4 cm, length 2.36 m and depth 28 cm. Image scanned from C. Tracy - English medieval furniture and woodwork.

(Left) The elm boarded stool from the Mary Rose. The standing panels are slightly notched to accomodate the side boards. These are nailed to the uprights. Image scanned from Chapter 9 Plain and Functional: Furniture on the Mary Rose by V. Chinnery in Before the mast: life and death aboard the Mary Rose. (Right) The underside of an elm boarded stool dating from 1550. item no 1136. 22 inch wide, 21.5 inch height, 11.5 inch deep. Photo from Period Oak Antiques, UK. 

A boarded oak stool from 1600 joined by a stretcher and fixed with a wedge. 20.5 inch high, 21 inch wide and 13 inch deep. Item nr. 1046. Photos from Period Oak Antiques, UK.

The measurements of the benches are provided in the text on the sketch of the klaarbank [no. 592-0001] or can be deduced from these measurements. Thus, the height of the bench must be 1.5 feet or 45 cm, the same as the depth of the form. The length of all banks is given in the text:

De Bank van de Kanselier en Raden, lang 40 voeten;
Bank van de ridderschap, lang 52 voet;
Tweede bank van de ridderschap, lang in alles 40 voet;
Bank van de peindere, dr. etc. hoog 1,5 voet, lang 27 voet;
Elk van deze banken is breed 1,5 voet en staan van de andere 1,5 voet;
Bank van griffier (en) landschrijver etc. lang 8 voet.

[The Bank of the Chancellor and Council, 40 feet long;
Bank of the Knighthood, 52 feet long;
Second bank of the Knighthood, all 40 feet long;
Bank of peindere, Dr etc. 1.5 feet high, 27 feet long;
Each of these banks is 1.5 feet wide and 1.5 feet in front of the other;
Bank of the Registrar (and) writer etc. 8 feet long.]

The proposed form for the nobility at the klaarbank (© St. Thomas Guild).

Only the number of uprights for the long benches are unknown. The stool for the registrar probably had two, the distance between them is little more than 2 m. The number of uprights for the long benches were probably 5 for the peinders, 11 for the second bench of the knighthood, twelve (2 x 6) for the first bench of the knighthood and eight (2 x 4) for the bank of the chancellor and council. The nobles and dignitaries had to attend the entire session of the klaarbank. You can imagine that prolonged sitting on a hard wooden bench was not very comfortable. Probably the forms also  had cushions, whether or not taken with them by the delegates.

A next post will concern the remainder of the furniture in the klaarbank at the Engelanderholt.

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The furniture at the Engelanderholt klaarbank Part 2

The previous post on the klaarbank dealt with the benches and the ceremonial chair of the duke/stadhouder of Guelders. In this post I will continue with the remaining furniture at the klaarbank.

The table of the registrar and writer

Left: The side of  the table ; detail from the sketch by Master Aelbert (Photo copyright Gelders Archive, detail of 529-003).

A typical 16th century table for a writer or steward would be one where the table board is also used as a lid for a box that could hold important papers and money pouches. These tables were especially popular in Germany and called Kastentisch. However, given the    size of the table used at the klaarbank (3 by 6 feet, roughly 1 by 2 meters) this is not likely. The table top would be too big and too heavy to be feasible as a lid for a box underneath.

Two writing tables (Kastentisch). Left: An opened lid showing the different boxes inside. 15th centur.y Historisches Museum Basel, Switzerland. Height 77 cm, width 79 cm, length 102 cm. Image scanned from Otto von Falke - Deutsche Mobel des Mittelalters und der Renaissance. Right: Late 16th century oak writing table with (top) panels from linden wood and (lower) from pinewood. Height 80 cm, width 99 cm, length 106 cm. Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Neuremberg, Germany. Image scanned from F. Windisch-Graetz - Mobel Europas von der Romnaik bis zum Spatgotik.

If we look closely at the rather sloppily drawn table side on the sketch, there seems to be two oblique legs that are connected to each other at the top and the bottom with a horizontal beam. This looks a bit like a fixed trestle-style table, that also was found throughout 16th century Germany. The Duchy of Guelders - with the klaarbank - is relatively close to Germany and such tables could be found here as well.

The apostle Johannes writing at a fixed trestle table.  A copperplate engraving by Johannes Wierix from 1579 from a book by Nicolaes de Clerck. Image from Rijsksmuseum, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

 

A long fixed trestle table from the Rathaus in Goslar, Germany. The table top has a breadboard end. Image scanned from Otto von Falke - Deutsche Mobel des Mittelalters und der Renaissance.

Left: A scribe working at a fixed trestle table (wangentisch), oil painting on a pine panel from the Mömpelgarder Altar, Kunsthistorisches museum, Vienna, Austria. Painted around 1536 by Heinrich Füllmaurer. Right: A simple fixed trestle table from pinewood. Burg Kreuzenstein near Vienna, Austria. 15-16th century. Height 77 cm, width 96 cm, length 106 cm. Image scanned from Otto von Falke - Deutsche Mobel des Mittelalters und der Renaissance.

This kind of table has a simple construction, in which the two trestles are connected to each other by 1 to 4 beams with mortise and tenon joints which are fixed by wedges. The table top consists of several boards which are usually connected at both ends with a breadboard. The underside of the table top has two bars that are fixed to the table top by concealed dovetails. These bars secure the tabletop to the trestles with loose pins. Taken together, it is an easily removable and transportable table. The only limitation could be the length of such a table. Long tables with a thin tabletop have a tendency to sag in the middle, though the long table from Goslar shows a remedy for this.

The proposed table for the registrar at the klaarbank (© St. Thomas Guild).

The chair of the sheriff

Left: Detail of the plan of the klaarbank 592-0001. The top shows the position of the Ducal chair and the stairs. Directly below in the middle of the row of benches the word drost (sheriff) is shown with a backrest of a seat.

On closer inspection of the plan of the klaarbank, between the two sides of the first bench for the nobility, there appears to be a chair. We first mistook this as part of a row of steps leading up to the Ducal chair. The plan, however, shows a semicircular line, as with the seat of the duke. Moreover, the word drost is written here, so it likely represents the seat of the sheriff of the Veluwe county.

The office of the sheriff is of lower esteem than that of the Duke, but more important than the other participants (seated on benches). Therefore, it seems more likely that the seat of the sheriff represents a simpler type of armchair, instead of a second high boxed chair. Armchairs, during the 16th century in the Netherlands, usually have a leather seat and backrest which is attached to an open frame using brass or gold plated nails. The leather of the backrest can be richly decorated, e.g. with heraldic signs. This type of chair is probably also brought from the ducal inventory, like the high chair of the duke.

Left: An early 17th century oak armchair with leather upholstery from the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The armrests and the backrest have carved lions. Right:A 16th-century armchair with leather upholstery in the town hall of Lübeck, Germany. The backrest is heavily decorated with the arms of the town.

The sauvegarde

Left: The sauvegarde hanging above the Ducal high chair. Detail from 529-002.

A sauvegarde (safeguard) is a letter of protection granted by a ruler, such as the Duke/Stadholder of Guelders, that provided a group of people or an institution (such as a monastery or a place of justice) a protection from persecution and violence. A kind of sanctuary or asylum. In order to show that a building and its residents were under the protection of such a sauvegarde, a clearly recognizable sign was attached to the structure. A sauvegarde often showed the heraldic shield of the person that provided the protection. Also the klaarbank contained a sauvegarde, which was hanging above the ducal chair. 

Left: Sauvegarde of Charles V in the rectory of St. Peters Church, Den Bosch, the Netherlands (1593). Photo copyright Stadsarchief s-Hertogenbosch, No. 0,048,668. 8. Right: Another image of a sauvegarde found on internet.

A sauvegarde letter granted by the Duke of Leicester in 1586 to the area around Dongen, the Netherlands. 
The letter is preserved in the archive of Oosterhout, the Netherlands.

To create the sauvegarde for the klaarbank a commission was given to an artist, Mr. Johan Houten. He was also paid for drawing the design and painting of the final object. The accounts concerning the sauvegarde have been preserved. The design of the sauvegarde would have included, among others, the arms of Guelders and the Veluwe county.

Detail of one of the accounts involving the sauvegarde. Photo by E. de Jonge, Gelderland Archive, inventarisnrs. 1729 and 1743.

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