Extending the discussion of small ephemeral slips in the previous chapters, the focus remains on tiny objects that are not supposed to exist anymore. Kept in the massive vault of the regional archives in Leiden (Erfgoed Leiden en Omstreken), these tiny slips tell a powerful story. In fact, more than in any other medieval document I have encountered, no more personal and intimate view of medieval life is offered than the small name tags discussed here. A fair warning is appropriate, however; make sure you have a tissue at hand.

Name Tags

These fifteenth-century strips are written in Middle Dutch and are part of the archive of the medieval Holy Spirit Orphanage (Heilige Geest-of Arme Wees-en Kinderhuis) in the city of Leiden. Founded in 1316, the orphanage was connected to the parish of St. Peter, and was in operation until the 1980s. The building survives and is situated less than a hundred metres from the massive Church of St. Peter (Hooglandse Kerk), which can be seen towering over the city from miles away. Until the middle of the twentieth century, the charitable organization was responsible for the care of foundlings and children.

The paper slips, some of which are as small as 1 cm × 3 cm, add a real-world dimension to what we know about medieval orphanages. The example shown here reads: “This child's name is William” (“Dit kint hiet Willem,” Figure 98). Each slip shows a pair of holes as well as the indent of a pin, which explains what we are looking at: name tags pinned on a foundling's clothing as they entered the orphanage. As far as I know, this is the only surviving collection of medieval name tags, and it is a mystery why they were kept in the orphanage's archive for five centuries.

Who Wrote Them?

The tag collection can be divided into two categories. Some were probably written by one of the masters of the orphanage. The one seen in Figure 98, for example, is done by an experienced, professional hand. Others, however, are written in a less experienced hand, less accustomed to writing.