moody ends up in the Netherlands

[wkossen]

Hi,

I have a lot of people named Mudde in my Ancestry. They are descendents of people from Scotland called Moody or Moodie or Mudie. More precise: Robert Mudie of Masterton, Fife. I have the lineage and the information more or less complete, but I'm missing the story.

Why did these Mudie people come to the Netherlands? I know that in the 17th century a lot of Scottish people were mercenary soldiers in our local wars, but they might also have been traders or fishermen. How can I find out?

It was Thomas Mudie, born in Masterton, baptized in Dunfermline january 21, 1621 that married Elizabeth Steven on October 6, 1664 in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and started the Mudde Family in the Netherlands as all of his kids were born there. Why did he come? Rotterdam is a port-town and was back then. was it trade? Or did he trade his military skills? How can I find out?

Now I can't travel to Scotland to search in books in archives. Are there online resources? Or is anyone able to have a look in a book?

I'ld love to find out what made them emigrate, not a small step today, certainly not a small step then

Kind regards,

Willem Kossen