Patent of nobility
No. 1531
|
Adam Leijel was born in Stockholm on 8 December 1669, the second son of Henrik Lyell (1627–1710) and his wife Judit Rokes (1647–1705). |
|
Click on the first image
|
We, Charles, etc., hereby make known that, just as We are pleased to look with royal favour and goodwill upon those of Our loyal subjects who have not only made themselves fit for service to Us and the Fatherland through study and the acquisition of useful knowledge, but who have also subsequently, through faithful service, given ample proof both of the knowledge they have acquired and of their devotion, loyalty, and integrity; So have We now graciously turned Our attention to Our faithful servant and Assessor of Our Royal Board of Mines, our beloved Adam Leyell, who, from his youth, pursued academic studies both at the University of Uppsala and at various universities abroad. He also spent several years at the most prominent mining establishments in foreign countries, thereby acquiring a thorough knowledge of the matters necessary for the proper operation and administration of mines and mining enterprises. Thereafter, he served as an Auscultant (trainee official) at Our Royal Board of Mines, until, in the year 1700, he was appointed by Our gracious royal commission as Mining Master for the Eastern and Western Mining Districts. In this position, as well as in various other duties entrusted to him, he earned the high praise of his superiors and demonstrated such clear evidence of his competence that, in the year 1713, We were graciously moved to appoint him Assessor of Our Royal Board of Mines, an office which he continues to discharge to Our gracious satisfaction. And whereas, in the performance of these duties, as well as in various commissions entrusted to him in the mining districts, he has consistently demonstrated his ability, together with his humble loyalty and integrity, and has thereby made himself worthy of further royal favour and recognition; Therefore, wishing to honour him and his descendants with a gracious reward for his commendable conduct, We have, by this Our open letter and by virtue of Our royal power and authority, resolved to grant, bestow, and confer upon him and his legitimate descendants by birth, both female and male, whether already born or yet to be born, the rank and dignity of nobility, together with the following coat of arms, which his ancestors in Scotland had formerly borne: A blue shield, bearing a gold chevron between three crosses of the same metal. Above the shield stands an open tournament helmet, from which rises the upper half of a red lion, holding a golden fleur-de-lis in its right paw. The wreath and mantling are of gold and blue, exactly as this coat of arms is depicted here in its proper colours. We further permit him and his heirs to retain their former surname, Leyell, and to bear and use the above-mentioned coat of arms in all noble and chivalric activities and gatherings, including battles, skirmishes, tournaments, jousting at the ring, and on all other occasions, whether in sport or in earnest, according to their own will and pleasure, in the same manner as other noblemen of Our Realm. Furthermore, they shall enjoy and exercise all the privileges, liberties, and rights that have been granted to the Nobility and the Order of Knights, or that may hereafter be conferred upon them. We therefore kindly and respectfully request all Sovereigns, Emperors, Kings, Princes, Free Republics, and all others, according to their respective rank and dignity, and likewise command and enjoin all those, collectively and individually, who owe Us obedience and allegiance, to acknowledge... ...the aforementioned Adam Leyell, together with his children and legitimate descendants, as true members of the nobility, showing him and them the honour and respect due to their noble rank, and in no way placing any obstacle, hindrance, injury, or disadvantage in their path. In witness whereof, We have signed this document with Our own hand and caused it to be duly confirmed by the attachment of Our Great Royal Seal. Given at Lund, on the 23rd day of April, in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventeen (1717). Lund, 23 April 1717. |
No. 1532
|
David Leijel was born in Stockholm on 7 August 1660, the first son of David Leijel (1621–1676) and Katarina Honnon (1635–1670). |
|
Click on the first image
|
We, Charles, etc., make it known that we are always willing, through royal favour and grace, to encourage those of our loyal subjects who have prepared themselves for our service through study and other learning, and who have then discharged the duties entrusted to them with tireless diligence and integrity. We wish them to continue in their loyalty, devotion and commendable conduct, so that others may follow their example and make themselves worthy of our gracious recognition. We now therefore graciously take into consideration our faithful servant and assessor in our Board of Mines, our beloved David Leijell. He devoted his youth to scholarly study and the acquisition of other knowledge. He then served as a trainee, first at our Great Sea Customs Office for five years and afterwards at the Board of Mines for four years, until, in 1691, His Royal Majesty our late father appointed him mining superintendent in Roslagen and western Norrland. In that position he demonstrated such commendable ability, integrity and good conduct that, in 1714, we graciously saw fit to entrust him with the office of assessor in our Board of Mines. He has continued to carry out that office to our satisfaction. So that he may enjoy some reward for his tireless work and his good and useful services, we hereby, by the authority of this open letter and through our royal grace and power, grant and bestow upon him, his wife and his legitimate descendants, female as well as male, both born and yet unborn, noble status and dignity, together with the following coat of arms, which his ancestors in Scotland also formerly used: A blue shield bearing a gold chevron between three leaves of the same metal. Above the shield is an open tournament helmet, from which rises the upper half of a red lion holding a gold lily in its right forepaw. The wreath and mantling are gold and blue, exactly as this coat of arms is depicted here in its proper colours. We also permit him and them to retain his former surname, Leyell, and to bear and use the above coat of arms in all noble and knightly proceedings and gatherings, such as etc. Lund, 28 May 1717. Patent of arms for Assessor
|
No. 1533
|
Adam Leijel was born in December 1658, the first son of Jacob Leijel (1612–1678) and his second wife, Barbara Maria Dress (1632–1694). |
|
Click on the first image
|
We, Carolus, etc., make it known that, since God has blessed our kingdom with precious metals and mines in addition to its other advantages, we, like our illustrious predecessors, the kings of Sweden, have shown royal favour and grace to those of our loyal subjects who, alongside virtue and integrity, have spared neither time, effort nor expense in advancing mining and making proper use of its resources. Through such examples, others may also be encouraged to acquire this knowledge and lead a virtuous life. With this in mind, we have now graciously taken into consideration our faithful subject and works manager, our beloved Adam Jacobson Leijell. His ancestors, of noble Scottish lineage, settled in our kingdom. After studying the liberal arts at Uppsala University, he found that he had both an inclination and an aptitude for mining and the management of industrial works, and therefore devoted himself to establishing and operating such enterprises. He has taken care to have iron forged on the properties he held [the word for properties is uncertain], and to have useful kinds of iron plate manufactured for the benefit and advantage of our kingdom and then sent abroad. He has also invested his means in developing and improving mining, both in [uncertain: the mining district of Västerbotten] and at the Hällefors silver works. He is expected to continue as long as careful and diligent working offers hope of bringing a vein of ore into production [the wording of this final clause is uncertain]. Therefore, so that he may enjoy some reward for the effort he has expended, the loyalty he has always shown and his honourable conduct, we hereby, by the authority of this open letter and through our royal power and authority, graciously grant and bestow upon him and his future legitimate descendants, female as well as male, noble status and dignity, together with the following coat of arms, which his ancestors also formerly used: A blue shield bearing a gold chevron between three leaves of the same metal. Above the shield is an open tournament helmet, from which rises the upper half of a red lion holding a gold lily in its right forepaw. The wreath and mantling are gold and blue, exactly as this coat of arms is depicted here in its proper colours. We also permit him to retain his former surname, Leyell, and the above coat of arms. Etc., etc. |
