In nomine Domini Amen!

Nos Hermannus Wulhase nec non Johannes Wulhase, filius Christiani, bonae memoriae, oppidani in Lüchowe Verdensis Dioecesis cupientes deliberata, matura et digesta nostra in nobis de instaurando, faciendo et dotando perpetuum Eccle­siasticum beneficium, consilia concepta et proposita ad lucem et effectum deducere claviorum in honorem omnipotentis Dei Beati Andreae Apostoli nec non sancti Celestini  Altare in Ecclesia parochia extra muros praedicti oppidi Lüchowe situm prope altere sancti Nicolae de honorabilis viri Domini Ottonis quondam praepositi dictae Ecclesiae, consensu fecimus, fundavimus et ereximus, ut ibidem cultus divinus augeatur et memoria parentum nostrorum ac nostra et heredum nostrorum perennatur.

In the name of God, Amen!

We, Hermann Wulhase and Hans Wulhase, son of the late Karsten, citizens of the town of Lüchow belonging to the Diocese of Verden, now intend to put into effect our long-considered and well-deliberated plan to establish and endow a perpetual spiritual foundation.

To the honor of Almighty God, the Apostle Andrew, and Saint Celestine, we have— with the consent of the venerable Lord Otto, formerly the provost of this church— endowed, beside the altar of Saint Nicholas in the parish church outside the town, an altar of our own.
This we have done for the increase of divine services and for the perpetual commemoration of our ancestors, ourselves, and our heirs.

Cul quidam beneficio pro dote et ipsius nomine bona infra scripta assignavimus, tribuimus et ascripsimus ad ipsum perpetuo permansura: imprimis unam mansum situatum inter Bona civium in campo qui vulgariter Dieckstede nominatur, prope dictum oppidum Lüchowe extra vallam Soltwedelensem cujus reditus fructus et proventus annui ad unum chorum Siliginis et ad unum marcum Lüne­burgensium Denariorum se extendunt. – Insuper unam curiam in villa Bussowe Hencke nunc inhabitat, cuius reditus ad quatuor marcas Lüneburgensium Denariorum annui census se extendunt. Et cum hoc pullos, ova, pisa nec non alia legumena et servitia. Solita idem villicus, quoties fuit requisitus, per eundem vicarium sibi praestare tenetur.
Insuper unam curiam in villa Crümasele, quam nunc inhabitat Arnecke et Tideke filii Büsschens, cuius reditus annui ad tres marcas Lüneburgensium Denariorum et ad quatuor modios tritici nec non ad quatuor modios Siliginis se extendunt et cum hoc pullos, ova, pisa et alia legumena et servitia solita, quando cumque fuerit requisitus, per eundem vicarium sibi praestare tenetur, prout in literis de super confectis plenius continetur. Quorum bonorum ius et proprietatem perpetuum sicut ad nos pertinuit, Dicto beneficio ac fructus reditus et proventus ex ipsis venientibus beneficiato ipsius damus, tradimus et assigna­mus.- Insuper sex marcas Lunaeburgensium Denariorum de Domibus et possessionibus nostris annuatim et solvendis idem Vicario damus et assignamus tamdiu quousque idem census in alia bona fuerit plene permutatus et translatus.

First, a Hufe (farmholding) in the Bargerfeld, on the so-called Diekstede outside the Salzwedel Gate, which yields annually one Wispel of rye and one mark of Lüneburg pennies as rent.

Next, a farm in the village of Bussau, currently cultivated by Henke, which brings in four Werk of Lüneburg pennies in yearly rent, in addition to chickens, eggs, peas, and other vegetables, as well as the customary services required of a tenant farmer, which the vicar is entitled to receive.

Furthermore, a farm in the village of Krummesel, currently occupied by Arneke and Tideke Busch, whose income consists of three marks of Lüneburg pennies, four Scheffel of wheat, and four Scheffel of rye, along with chickens, eggs, peas, and other vegetables, as well as the customary services that belong to the duties owed to a vicar— all of which are documented in the detailed deed issued on this matter.

We transfer full ownership of these properties—just as we have possessed them—to our foundation, along with the right to enjoy their income.
In addition, we assign to the vicar an annual pension of six marks of Lüneburg pennies from our houses and other possessions, which will later be converted into a permanent endowment.

Cuius vicariae ius patronatus nobis retinemus et nobis de hoc vita sublatis apud filios et filias nostras et exinde apud eorum heredes ab eis legitime descendentes volumus remanere ius patro­natus antedictum ita quod nos aut aliquis seu aliqui de preedictis gradu suo expresso post mortem Johannis Wulhasen Clerici dictae Dioecesis, quem primum volumus esse ejusdem beneficii beneficiatum, ad ipsum cum vacaverit, modo debito praesentabimus aut, praesentabit seu praesentabunt. Quod si de his nullus aut nulla superstes fuerit ex tunc ius patronatus preedictum apud praepositum Ecclesiae Dicti oppidi Lüchow perpetuo remanebit.

We reserve the right of patronage over this vicarage, and after our death it shall pass to our sons and daughters, as well as to their lawful heirs. Accordingly, upon the death of Johann Wulhase—who is a cleric in our parish and is to be the first to benefit from this foundation—whenever the benefice becomes vacant, we ourselves, or one of our descendants, or several of them who can prove their rightful claim, shall present the new beneficiary in the legally prescribed manner.

Should our descendants in both the male and female lines ever die out, the right of patronage shall belong to the provost of the church for all time.

Cum autem ius patronatus praedictum ad praepositum fuerit eo modo, ut preedicitur, de volutum ipse nullum praesentabit aut instituat ad ipsum beneficium, nisi ac tu Sacerdotem aut qui infra annum in Sacerdotem posset et debeat promoveri, etiam qui nullo alio beneficio fuerit intitulatus.

The provost may not, however, confer this vicarage upon anyone who has not already received priestly ordination, or cannot receive it within the span of one year, nor upon anyone who is already endowed with another benefice.

Ceterum volumus, quod si Dominus Johannes Wulhase vel eius successor in dicto beneficio, mediante sui praeposito licentia personaliter non resideret ne dictum beneficium debitis officiis defraudaretur.
Ex hunc idem beneficiatus suo officianti adminus duo talenta Lüneburgensium Denariorum erogabit. Praeterea vicarius ejusdem beneficii in qualibet Septimena Salten tres missas seu feria prima pro fidelibus defunctis seu feria quarta pro peccatis et Sabbato de beata Virgine Maria, nisi alia festa supervenerint, propter qua praedicta ordinatio impediatur, decenter celebrabit, nisi pro parte praepositi pro missa servanda in parochia fuerit interpellatus.
Volumus etiam, quod idem beneficiatus in duplicibus festis et in maioribus in vesperis et in missis cum aliis beneficiatis in divinis Suplicatis interfit Adjicientes quod ipse vicarius tempore collationis vel praesentationis ipsi rectori seu praeposito obedientiam faciens iurabit ad Sancta Domini Evangelia, quod nulla faciat vel attendabit per se vel alium seu alius public vel occulte verbo vel facto in praeiudicium dicti praepositi vel rectoris, sed jure parochiali penitus in confracto oblationes votiva legata et caetera, quae spectant ad Rectorem, Dicto rectori fideliter exhibebit.

If the aforementioned vicar, Johann Wulhase, or his successor should not reside here in person — with the approval of the provost — then, so that the obligations connected with the foundation are not neglected, he shall maintain a substitute and provide him with at least two pounds of Lüneburg pennies.

The vicar shall celebrate at least three masses each week:
• on Tuesdays for the souls of the departed,
• on Thursdays for sinners,
• and on Saturdays in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
unless church festivals fall on these days, or the provost assigns him to celebrate masses in another church within his jurisdiction.

On feast days lasting two days or more, the vicar shall attend vespers and mass together with all the other clergy.
At his installation, when he pledges obedience to the parish priest or the provost, he shall swear upon the Holy Gospels that he will do nothing, nor permit anything to be done — neither by himself nor through others, neither publicly nor secretly, neither in word nor in deed — to the detriment of the provost or the parish priest.
Rather, he shall, with careful observance of parish rights, faithfully deliver to the parish priest all gifts which — by virtue of vows, last wills, or any other cause — rightfully belong to him.

Datum Anno Domini Millesimo quadringentesimo primo, sub nostris sigillis praesentibus appensis in fidem praemissorum.

Describebam verbotenus quantum coniectura assegui potui.
D 20, Aug. Ao. M D 0 X L (= 1640)
Luneburga
Ludolphus Joachimus Busse

Given in the year of Our Lord fourteen hundred and one, and confirmed with our attached seals.

(translated by Professor Dr. Otto Bussenius, Lübeck, 1901)

Ludolf Joachim Bussius,
son of the Dannenberg citizen Markus Busse, studied theology and law in Dorpat beginning in 1638 and lived in Lüneburg from 1640 to 1643 as a candidate. There he was repeatedly involved in matters concerning the fief and produced, in addition to the oldest family tree, several copies and translations of the foundation charter.
He was not always successful in reading the document correctly or in resolving its numerous and intricate abbreviations; for this reason he himself notes that he often had to resort to conjecture
(see his remark: “quantum coniectura assequi potui” — “as far as I was able to guess”).
He later became consistory assessor in Stade, which had passed to Sweden as a result of the Thirty Years’ War, and died as a councillor in Stockholm.
That he chose a different Latinized form of his name than his cousins (“Bussenius”) is not unusual.
(According to Bussenius, Chronicle.)