Baybayin Handwriting from the 1600s

These are a few of the samples of 17th century Tagalog Baybayin handwriting that are kept in the archive of the University of Santo Tomás (UST Archivos Libros, tomo 22).  These images were traced from photos in a book by Alberto Santamaría, El 'Baybayin' en el archivo de Sto. Tomás, 1938. Here are six signatures and exerpts from two land deeds. Notice in the first example that Don Dionisio Kapolong wrote a kudlit above and below the letter "Da" in order to write both "Don" and "Di" with just one character. Kapolong was the son of Lakan Dula.
 


Don Dionisio Kapolong

Don Dionisio Kapolong


Don Gabriel Lagiyan

Don Gabriel Lagiyan


Juan Sarmiento

Juan Sarmiento

Don Agustin Kasso

Don Agustin Kasso


Agustin Lumabas

Agustin Lumabas


Don Agustin Wika

Don Agustin Wika


Ang lapad ay apatnapung dipa. Ang haba ay siyamnapu. - The width is 40 fathoms; the length, 90.

Ang lapad ay apatnapúng dipá. Ang habà siyámnapû.
The width is forty fathoms. The length ninety.
 

Apado (?) nang bukid nagbili sa mag-ina nang sipi ni Doña Maria Marlongkoha - Apado (?) of farmland sold to the mother and daughter by copy (?) of Doña Maria Marlongkoha.

The transliteration that accompanies this sample reads as follows:
Apado (?) nang bukid nagbilí sa mag-iná nang sipì ni Doña Maria Marlangkoha.
Apado (?) of farmland sold to the mother and child by copy (?) of Doña Maria Marlongkoha.

 

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Source:
William H. Scott. Prehispanic Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History, Revised Edition, 1984
Latest update: 11 March 2003