A population study in which the relationship of Remy Wauthy to his father (Henry), his mother (Elisabeth), his wife (Marie) and his children is briefly explored is:

La reconstitution des populations anciennes: Sart-Eustache, 1710-1910 by M. Poulain. (As of 2024-12-09, presently not viewable online.)

ChatGPT translated this portion (provided by MW) - a typewritten paragraph, that substantiates information already known...

WAUTHY family...

Remy WAUTHY, son of Henry WAUTHY of Gougnies, married Marie BRUIRE in Sart-Eustache in 1686. Fifty years later, the parish priest recorded in his register the golden wedding anniversary of the WAUTHY-BRUIRE couple.

Their children are as follows: Marie (born in 1687), Jean (1688), Marie-Marguerite (1691), Marie-Françoise (1692), Marie (1695), Feuillen (1696), Honorinne (1699), Marie-Agnès (1701), and Benoît (1703).

The family later emigrated (from Gougnies), taking many belongings, to Sart-Eustache. Feuillen is particularly noted in Hymiée, where he was the root of a strong lineage of the Wauthy family in the region.

Additionally, it is worth noting that we also found the marriage contract of Remy and Marie Bruire, written on parchment, and also dating from 1686.

It is this portion of the excerpt that is discussed here, and by researcher MW in his video entitled Henry Wauthy de Gougnies, at this link.

Because the Poulain book is not presently online, there is no more information available from it at the moment about the parchment that he (they) found. Not any part of the content, not its size, not about its originality or authenticity, only his (their) opinion that the parchment was a record of the Remy Wauthy/Marie Bruire marriage.

The Wauthy copy was split into two parts due to the restrictions of copy paper size. There is some overlap. To make it easier to read, I stitched the images together using the overlap as a guide. This is what the copy of the parchment looks like now. Click on it to view it in its full size (estimated to be 24" in its wider dimension). While it may have been intended to be rolled up, it appears to have been folded three times into 1/8ths. It is not clear what is going on along the bottom.

One of the techniques employed in its translation is the highlighting of possible words and phrases. The highlighting identified numerous places at which keywords were found along with many language-supportive words - articles, pronouns, nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and the like. Not enough has been found to understand fully what the document is about but there are strong hints. Click on the image to view what the highlighting revealed at a point during the process. (It will be updated as more is learned.)

Google's image translator produced this translation. Both this translator and ChatGPT's image translator are just incapable of reading the low grade hand-written image. Having said that, there may be the odd word or two that could become clues, that may either be right or are suggestive. Opening the three images in different windows or tabs such that they overlay could be a way of comparing them. The larger the screen, the better.

This is a look at the upper left corner. What is apparent is that the parchment itself seems to be discoloured, it is not a photocopier issue or there wouldn't be a clear margin. And the creases don't extend into the margin so they are in the parchment.

The upper right corner shows the same traits.

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Proper names...

Of course, proper names won't translate but they still need to be found nonetheless. Since this is a handwritten document prepared at a time when the spelling of names was not precise, it is fortunate that as many names as have been found have been found in this document.

Remy Wauthy, his wife Marie Bruÿre, Anthonio Bruÿre, Jacques Bertrand, his wife Anne Preumont, mayor François Taÿenne, and the location Sart-Eustache have been found, some more than once.

Language-supportive words (articles, adjectives, adverbs) can help with translating if they modify an adjacent word, for example. For nouns or verbs without them, they can be more difficult.

Since it is an official document of some kind, looking for and finding words that come up when discussing the two proposed meanings can be very helpful. Many words seem to have to do with buildings and the condition they are in, few words seem to be the kind used when discussing marriages.

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Suggested findings...

ChatGPT provided 25 words (on request) to look for in regards to land transactions - how they might be used, with appropriate modifiers.

French Word	Possible Modifiers - *	Used in a Common Phrase	English Translation
Acte	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	acte de vente	deed of sale
Achat	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	achat de la terre	purchase of the land
Appartenant	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	bien appartenant	belonging property
Bornes	des, les, mes, tes, ses, nos, vos, leurs	Bornes de la propriété	Boundaries of the property
Conditions	des, les, mes, tes, ses, nos, vos, leurs	conditions de la vente	conditions of the sale
Consens	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	consentement donné	given consent
Contrat	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	contrat signé	signed contract
Domaine	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	domaine du seigneur	lord's domain
Don	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	don de terre	gift of land
Droit	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	droit de vendre	right to sell
Fiefs	une, la, ma, ta, sa, notre, leur, sa	transmission des fiefs	transfer of the fiefs
Héritage	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	héritage familial	family inheritance
Loyer	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	loyer annuel	annual rent
Maire/Maieur	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	autorisation du maire	mayor's authorization
Mesures	des, les, mes, tes, ses, nos, vos, leurs	mesures de la parcelle	measurements of the parcel
Obligation	une, la, ma, ta, sa, notre, leur, sa	obligation de paiement	obligation to pay
Paiement	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	paiement effectué	payment made
Propriété	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	transfert de propriété	transfer of property
Reçu	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	reçu de paiement	payment receipt
Rente	une, la, ma, ta, sa, notre, leur, sa	rente due	rent due
Seigneur	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	seigneur de la terre	lord of the land
Témoin	une, la, ma, ta, sa, notre, leur, sa	signature du témoin	witness signature
Terre	une, la, ma, ta, sa, notre, leur, sa	parcelle de terre	parcel of land
Tiers	un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son	tiers intéressé	interested third party
Vente	une, la, ma, ta, sa, notre, leur, sa	vente conclue	finalized sale

* - Masculine: un, le, mon, ton, son, notre, leur, son ... a, an, the, my, your, his, our, their, its.

* - Feminine: une, la, ma, ta, sa, notre, leur, sa ... a, an, the, my, your, his, our, their, its.

* - Plural (no gender): des, les, mes, tes, ses, nos, vos, leurs ... some, the, my, your, his, our, your, their.

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In a separate query, I asked this of ChatGPT:

Q: "For a land transaction agreement in 1686 Belgium that is written in French, what should I expect to see as far as amounts go? What was the currency, was money always involved, were there boilerplate phrases that would be found consistently in such documents?"

ChatGPT: In a land transaction agreement from 1686 Belgium, particularly one written in French, you can expect the following regarding amounts, currency, involvement of money, and common boilerplate phrases:

Currency

Livres, sous, and deniers: These were typical units of currency in France and regions under French influence during the period.

A livre was the primary monetary unit, subdivided into 20 sous, and each sou was further divided into 12 deniers.

For example, you might see amounts written as "50 livres, 10 sous, et 6 deniers."

Patagon or local equivalents: In regions like the Austrian Netherlands, Spanish Netherlands, or Prince-Bishopric of Liège, coins like the patagon (equivalent to the Spanish dollar) or local equivalents might be mentioned if the area used different monetary systems.

Involvement of Money

Money was common, but not always the sole component.

Land transactions might involve a monetary payment, often reflecting the agreed purchase price, inheritance settlement, or compensation for rights being transferred.

Barter or in-kind payments: Sometimes, other forms of value were exchanged, such as agricultural goods, livestock, or obligations like labor or services, particularly if the parties were farmers.

Deferred payments: Agreements could include installment payments or an annuité (annual payment), particularly in arrangements where the land was tied to ongoing obligations.

Rents and dues: For properties subject to feudal obligations, agreements might specify rents or annual dues (e.g., cens, champart) to be paid to the lord.

Expected Phrasing and Boilerplate

Opening formula: These documents typically began with formalities, identifying the parties involved, their titles, and their relationships.

Example: "Par-devant nous, [name], mayeur, et témoins soussignés..." ("Before us, [name], mayor, and undersigned witnesses...")

Land description: Expect precise details about the property being sold, including its size, boundaries, adjacent properties, and landmarks.

Example: "...située à [village], contenant environ [measurements] jouxtant [neighboring properties or landmarks]."

Transaction amount: The agreed monetary sum (or equivalent value) would be stated explicitly.

Example: "...pour la somme de [amount] livres tournois..."

Guarantees and assurances: Boilerplate phrases were often used to ensure that the seller guaranteed clear title to the buyer.

Example: "...avec promesse de garantie contre tous troubles, saisies, et empêchements quelconques..." ("...with a promise of guarantee against all troubles, seizures, and any impediments whatsoever...")

Payment terms: These might outline the schedule for payments or any additional obligations.

Example: "...payable immédiatement..." ("...payable immediately...") or "...payable en trois termes égaux..." ("...payable in three equal installments...")

Witnesses and validation: A closing formula with witnesses and official validation was standard.

Example: "Fait et passé en notre présence à [location], le [date]."

Additional Notes

Measurements might be listed in local units (e.g., verges, arpents), and it's useful to convert them to modern equivalents if needed.

If it''s an inheritance-related transaction, the document might include details about familial obligations or how proceeds will be divided among heirs.

The language was often formulaic, reflecting legal norms, so identifying these stock phrases will help in interpreting the document efficiently.

Understanding these elements should help you anticipate and decode the monetary and structural aspects of the transaction in your historical analysis.

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Google and ChatGPT translators...

The Google translator can be used for words and phrases as well as images. While its image reader failed to read this parchment due to its low quality, it was easily able to translate words and phrases read from the parchment by the human eye.

https://translate.google.ca/?sl=auto&tl=en&op=translate

No assurance that the words in this table actually appear in the parchment, but if certain of them are in it, they do seem to lean towards a land agreement rather than a marriage contract.

Read in the Parchment Text *	Translated to English	Read in the Parchment Text *	Translated to English
aller	go	faire	do
a dix ans	has ten years	fait	does
autres maniore juste	other fair manner
aux proprietaires	to the owners	jusque ce jourd'hui	until this day
avoir la jouissance jusque	have the enjoyment up to	la serre nommez	the greenhouse name
avet la maison	with the house	le notaire Frahan et realize	the notary Frahan and realize
bastiment a faire fix	building to be fixed	lesdites	the said
bestiaux	livestock
chauxme	thatch	nous	we
comme	like	paissage	grazing
commodité	convenience	prendment	taking
comparant	comparing	procurer près les cours subalte	procure near the subordinate courts
come par	come by	purge des	purging of
consesiut	advice
de	of	que	that
deux	two	que ledit Jacques Bertrand	that the said Jacques Bertrand
de puis	from then on	quelque, quelle que	whatever
de tout	of all
deja passe quil	already passed that it	qui	who
de la maison	of the house	quil vendirat	that he would sell
de la ditte maison	of the said house	quils	that they
demouvez	move
dix	ten	representant	representative
droits	rights	satisfaits	satisfied
du mesurage en fait	of the measurement in fact
echevin et greffier	alderman and clerk	tenus	held
edifice	building	usage	use
en fait	in fact
entre leurs limites et joindants	between their limits and joining	vendrai	will sell

ChaGPT's image translator had similar difficulty, but it is quite as ready and able to translate what is provided by a human reader.

In this effort (done after December 22nd and not included in the Notepad images below), the translation is based on what I could see in the document, not on what ChatGPT's translator could see.

Based on what I uploaded and on a conversation about the possibilities I was having with ChatGPT at the time, this is the analysis I received in return...

Observations: The word "au chauxme" is clearly present, and the "x" is visible. This aligns with your observation that it isn’t chaume but something lime-related, like chaux (lime). The phrase "au meme de dommain" appears with a slight curve in the handwriting, but it is legible with minimal distortion. The last part, "ce qui de vendrat", is written in a slightly less clear manner, but it appears closer to vendrat than alternatives like rendrat.

Transcription (Tentative): "au chauxmée au meme de demain ce qui de vendrat"

Translation (Tentative): "... in the lime-prepared land, at the same as tomorrow, what will sell."

Interpretation: This might refer to a plot of land treated with lime or property prepared for use, tied to some transaction (vendrat implies a future sale). The exact meaning of au meme de demain could depend on surrounding text—possibly specifying a date or condition tied to the transaction.

While the science of treating land with lime may not have been known or understood, the benefits would have been.

Lime is typically applied to land for two main purposes:

Fertilization (Soil pH adjustment): Lime helps to raise the pH of acidic soils, making the environment more favorable for plant growth. It doesn't directly fertilize by adding nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium, but it improves nutrient availability. Plants can better access essential nutrients (like calcium, magnesium, and potassium) when the soil's pH is within a suitable range, generally around 6 to 7.

Improvement of soil structure: Lime can also help to improve soil structure by reducing soil acidity, which can make the soil more workable and less compacted. This can improve root development and water infiltration.

It is far from certain that lime treatment is involved here, though.

From this, one can imagine how much back-and-forth would have to take place to read the entire document and how speculative the resulting analysis would be.

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Using Windows Notepad...

Creating a document in Windows Notepad eliminates problems with justification and spacing. I used Notepad to lay out the rough equivalent of where the found words occur in the text in an effort to support the yellow highlighting of their positions.

This is what the found words would look like approximately if overlaid...

One recent observation can be added, what may be mayor Francois Tayenne's name as a signature at the bottom, line 25.

Use this link to download the latest version of the text.

As of 2024-12-22, above is the layout of possible French words found in the parchment. Below is the same layout translated to English.

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ChatGPT's AI is more intuitive than Google's AI...

Given the task of providing a number of words or phrases that may appear in a land transfer document in 1686 Belgium, this is what was received.

ChatGPT is very good at interpreting instructions when it comes to laying out a table of data, but the final form comes from Adobe GoLive.

French Term	English Translation	Definition or Desription
Arrêt	Decree	A judicial ruling or order, often related to property disputes.
Bail	Lease	A contract for the rental of property.
Baux	Rents	Payments made for the use of leased property.
Bénéfice	Benefit	The profit or advantage gained from property ownership or use.
Bourgeois	Burgess	A town resident, often of higher status or landowner.
Capacité	Capacity	Legal ability or eligibility to own or transfer property.
Cession	Transfer	The act of transferring property or rights from one party to another.
Concession	Grant	The act of giving or granting rights or land to another person.
Constatation	Acknowledgment	Official confirmation of a transaction or event, especially legal.
Contrat	Contract	A formal agreement, often legal, between parties.
Délégation	Delegation	The act of assigning rights or duties, especially related to property.
Domaine	Estate	A large property, often including both land and buildings.
Dominium	Dominion	Ownership or control over land or property.
Droit de passage	Right of way	The right to travel through someone else's land.
Droit de Seigneur	Lord's Right	Rights held by a lord over tenants or land.
Fief	Fief	A feudal estate granted to a vassal in exchange for services.
Frais	Fees	Charges or costs associated with property transactions.
Héritage	Heritage	Inheritance; property passed down through generations.
Hypothèque	Mortgage	A loan secured by property, often for purchasing land or homes.
Levée	Levy	The collection of taxes or rents from tenants or property owners.
Lieu	Place	A location, often referring to land or property.
Litige	Dispute	A legal conflict or disagreement, often regarding property.
Mayeur	Mayor	A seigneurial agent, assistant to the lord in justice and tax.
Notaire	Notary	A legal professional who witnesses and authenticates documents.
Acte Notarié	Notarial Deed	A legal document drawn up by a notary, often for property.
Payer en nature	Pay in kind	Payment made with goods or services instead of money.
Prêt	Loan	Money lent, often secured against property.
Propriétaire	Owner	A person who legally owns property or land.
Réclamation	Claim	A request or demand for property or compensation.
Registre	Register	A formal record of transactions, often related to land or property.
Revenu	Revenue	Income derived from property or land.
Rétablissement	Restoration	The act of returning property to its rightful owner or condition.
Saisie	Seizure	The action of taking possession of property due to legal reasons.
Seigneurie	Seigneury	A domain or land governed by a lord, with rights over the inhabitants.
Témoin	Witness	A person who attests to the authenticity of a legal document.
Terre	Land	Property or land, often referring to agricultural land.
Terrains en friche	Uncultivated Land	Land that has not been worked or cultivated.
Testaments	Wills	Legal documents outlining how a person's property should be distributed upon death.
Usufruit	Usufruct	The right to use and benefit from property without owning it.
Vente	Sale	The act of selling property or goods.

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Characters that may appear in the original French text...

à, â, ç, é, è, ê, ë, î, ï, ô, ù, û, ü, ÿ

Notably, in the spelling of Bruire, it appears to be Bruÿre in this document.

(For expediency and on a temporary basis, I sometimes leave the accents out.)