I now suffer Read and attentively consider the holy Books of the Kings Having said this his head was struck off and fastened to a stake for a monument and example to others JOHN MATHIAS Primus hic e Batavis Muntzeri dogma sequutus Turbavit miris Westphala regna modis THE CONTENTS JOHN MATHIAS repairs to Munster his severe ediâ—â—s he becomes a malicious executioner of Hubert Trutiling for contumelious expressions touching him his own desperate end IN the year of our Lord God M. D. XXXII at Munster which is the Metropolis of Westphalia a certain Priest called Bernardus Rotmannus undertook to preach the Gospel of Christ which being done with great successe certain messengers were sent to Marpyrgum a place in Hassia whose business was to bring along with them some men of learning and good conversation who should bee helpfull in the propagation of the Gospel From Marpyrgum were there some dispatched who arriving at Munster reduced the principall heads of Christian Religion into thirty nine Articles which they proposed to the Magistrate being ready as they pretended to make good and prove the said heads by places of the holy Scriptures which was effected The Religious and as they are called the spiritual who were possessed of the chiefest Church could by no means digest this so that departing the City they caused much trouble to the Citizens Upon this weighty businesse the Magistrates and Citizens sate in long and prudent consultations At length there was a certain agreement upon these terms viz. That all injuries committed in those Tumults should be pardoned and that the Gospel should be freely preached in six Parish Churches and that the Church of our Lord only should be absolutely reserved to them These conditions were readily subscribed to by both sides and thereupon all things laid asleep in peace But this peace was not long undisturbed by the Devill that irreconcileable enemy of peace and virtue and therefore by doing at Munster what hee had done at other places that is by raising up out of the jaws of Hell the seditious and pestiferous Anabaptists those importunate disturbers and turn-pikes of the Gospel his design was not onely to discourage the good and godly but withall shamefully to destroy the Gospel it self For in the same year there rise up at Harlem a Baker called John Mathias a man utterly unlearned yet crafty and boldly eloquent This man being excessively lecherous neglected and slighted his own wife who being somewhat well stricken in years was so much the lesse fit for the exercises of Venus Being therefore over head and ears in love with a certain Viâ—age who was an Alehouse-keepers daughter he could not resolve of any way more advantageous to seduce then by an Angelical carriage and a counterfeit sanctity He made frequent visits to her and entertaining her with his visions and revelations he thereby drew her to his opinion and conveighed her into a secret place in Amsterdam where he professed himself a Doctor and a Preacher affirming that God had revealed certain secrets unto him not yet revealed to others and that he was Enoch the second high Priest of God Upon some he laid hands and sent them two by two as Apostles and messengers of Christ dispatching to Munster one Gerard a Bookseller and John Buckhold the Botcher of Leyden others into other places These emissary messengers of Christ or rather of Satan boyled over with their various opinions held marriages of no account and dreamed diverse other things Some taught by parables and their own illusive dreams others acknowledged not him a Brother who desiled his Baptisme with sins others preferred the Baptisme of John before that of Christ others taught that all Magistrates and whoever were unsatisfied with their Religion ought to bee destroied root and branch some would acknowledge nothing but their own visions and prophecies others that all the Prophets and Teachers that were departed this life should shortly rise again and should reign with Christ upon earth a thousand years and should receive a hundred fold for what ever they had left behind them Some of these men affirmed that they had communication with God some with Angels but the more discreet and wiser sort of men conceived that their conferences had been with the Divel Here upon the great Prophet John Mathias upon whose account his most vain Apostles already proclaimed a Peace perceiving an occasion by this means of domineering in this world consecrated in his stead his disciple James Campensis a Sawyer Bishop at Amsterdam committing unto his charge the people to be seduced with the same zeal as he had begun These things being thus fairly carried he repaired to Munster to his Apostle and Ambassadour John Buckhold whom hee made Governour of the City who presently published these severe edicts That every man should bring his gold and silver and whatever were of greater importance into the common heap and that no man should detain any thing at his house for the receiving of which things so collected a place was appointed Though the people were not a little astonished at the rigour and severity of the edict yet did they submit thereto Moreover he forbad the reading of all books but the Bible all which that they ought to bee burnt the divine authority had by him its witnesse commanded At this very time a certain Tradesman whose name was Hubert Trutiling had scattered some contumelious expressions concerning this great Prophet where at he being immeasurably incensed even to the loss of all compassion caused the foresaid Trutiling to be brought into the Market place where he is accused and sentenced Whereupon he himself laying his violent hands upon this innocent man lays him along upon the ground in that posture he runs him through with a spear but finding by the palpitation that there was some remainder of life he made him to be conveighed thence and taking a musket from one that stood by which was charged killed him intimating that hee was commanded by God that is to say his own who was a murtherer from the beginning to do what he had done This noble exploit performed he took a long lance in his hand and hastily â—an about the City crying out that hee was commanded by God the Father to put to flight the enemy which at that time had closely besieged Munster Having taken the said weapon and running like a mad man upon the enemy hee himself was run through by a souldier of Misna JOHN BUCKHOLD or JOHN of LEYDEN Agresâ—â—â—ssque nefas magnum et memorabile Regem Somniat abjeâ—ta forfiee sceptra gerens THE CONTENTS JOHN BUCKHOLD his character his disputing and contention with the Ecclesiasticks concerning Paedobaptisme he succeeds John Mathias he comforts the people with a pretended revelation he makes Bernard Knipperdoling of a Consul to become common executioner Buckhold feigneth himself dumb he assumes the Magistracy he allowes Polygamy
he takes to himself three wives he is made King and appoints Officers under him his sumptuous apparell his Titles were King of Justice King of the new Jerusalem his throne his Coin and motto thereon The King Queen and Courtiers waite on the people at a Feast with other digressions The King endeavours to raise commotions abroad is haply prevented He suspects his own safety his large promises to his Captaines himself executes one of his wives he feignes himself sick and deludes the people with an expectation of deliverance in the time of famine forgets community he is betrayed by his confident is brought prisoner before the Bishop who checks him his jesting answer and proposall he is put to a Non plus is convinced of his offences his deserved and severe execution JOHN BUCKHOLD was a Botcher of Leyden a crafty fellow eloquent very perfect in the Scriptures subtle confident more changeable then Proteus a serious student of sedition briefly a most servent Anabaptist This man being sent by John Mathias to Munster was a perpetuall thorn in the sides of the Ecclesiasticks craftily sisting them about the businesse of Paedobaptisme in which employment he spent nine whole moneths and most commonly making his party good with them both as to disputation and litigious contention while in the mean time he secretly spawn'd and scatter'd the doctrine of Anabaptisme as much as lay in his power About that time a certain unknown Preacher of the word of God one Hermanus Stapreda of Meurs came to Munster who supplying the place of Rotmannus in preaching seduced him and leavened him with Anabaptisme and he also publickly anathematized Pedobaptisme This gave occasion of raising tumults among the people they who before were onely secretly instructed by John Buckhold discover themselves openly to the world and lay aside all disguises of their intentions in most parts of the City they have their frequent meetings in divers houses but all in the night time whereat the Magnistrates being incensed and offended prohibited their Conventicles and some they banished But they weigh not this any thing and being sent out at one gate they came in at another and lay concealed among those that were the favourers of their Sect. Hereupon the Senate caused all the Ecclesiasticks to assemble at the Palace to dispute the businesse of Paedobaptisme In this Assembly Rotmannus stood tooth and naile for the Anabaptists but those of the Reformation fully refuted their errors as the publick acts concerning that businesse do abundantly testifie At this very time the Minsters of the Church of Argentoratum signed and set out an account of their Faith in a printed Book Hereupon the Senate of Munster by a publick edict banished the Anabaptists out of the City which edict they persisting in contention opposed being now arrived to that rashnesse and impudence that they thrust a reformed Preacher one Peter Werthemius out of the Church Yea some of them rioting about the City whereof the Ringleader was Henry Rollius cryed out as they went Repent and be rebaptized otherwise will the heavy wrath of God fall upon you These things hapned about the end of the year M. D. XXXIII and the beginning of M. D. XXXIV Some honest-hearted and harmlesse men partly out of an apprehension of divine wrath as they made them believe partly for fear of men suffered themselves to be washed in the laver of Anabaptisme For the Anabaptists leaving their dennes broke into the City without any controll and with an unanimous violence assaulting the Market place they soon possessed themselves of the Palace and the Magazine sentencing with loud conclamations and such as required a greater voice then that of Stentor that all were to be destroyed as so many Heathens and Reprobates that did not embrace Anabaptisme In this tumult a certain young man of Burchstenford was killed This gave occasion both to the Papists and to those of the Reformation to provide for their safety The chiefest Patrons of the Anabaptistical Heresy were Bernard Rotman John Buckhold Bernard Knipperdoling Gerard Knippenburch Bernard Krachting c. These two parties having skirmished with as great eagernesse and animosity as greater armies exasperated one against another for some days there followed a Truce whereby it was agreed that every one should quietly enjoy and persever in his own Religion However the surges of Anabaptisme were not yet laid till they had entered into a conspiracy to drive those of the Reformation out of the City The most eminent of the Conclave writ to the Anabaptists of the Cities adjoining viz. to these of Dulmen Coesvelt Soyst Warendorp and Osenburg that leaving all things behind them they should repair with all speed to Munster promising they should have ten-fold what ever they left Being enticed by these propositions husbands and wives leaving all behind them came in swarms to Munster A great number of the more religious Inhabitants looking on that strange rabble as an insufferable grievance to their City left it to the disposal of the Anabaptists who being by this means increased in number became also more extravagant degraded the Senate and chose another out of themselves wherein were Consuls Gerard Knippenburg and Bernard Knipperdoling whose Effiges is the ensuing BERNARD KNIPPERDOLING Quo non fastus abit quid non Rex impius audet Carnificem fecit qui modò Consulerat BEing now become Lords and Masters they in the first place seized on Maurice Church and burnt it and the houses all about it thence falling forcibly upon other holy places and Monasteries they carried away Gold Silver Ornaments and Utensils and whatsoever else was of any consequence Upon the fourth day after those rapines trudging up and down the streets and high-ways they with a horrible howling uttered Repent Repent to which is added Depart depart bee gone yee wicked otherwise woe bee to you This done they immediately went armed in multitudes and with unspeakable barbarisme and cruelty turned out their miserable fellow-citizens as enemies to their Religion out of their houses and possessions and thrust them out of the City without any consideration of age or sex so that many women with child had this misfortune seconded with that of dangerous abortions The Anabaptists presently by what right they please seize to themselves the possessions of the banished so that the honest and godly party being cast out of the City fell into the hands of the souldiers who had block'd up the City and all the avenues as among enemies by whom some were taken others unadvisedly killed at which entreaty the other honester part of citizens being discouraged and seeing that guilty and not guilty fared alike would not stirre a loot out of the City which being closely besieged by the Bishops Army all places were filled with blood sighs tears Now do the mad men of Munster and such as no Hellebore can have any effect on grow insufferably insolent and above all that great Prophet John
sumptuousnesse Some money he caused to be coin'd whereon was this Latin Inscription VERBUM CARO FACTUM QUOD HABITAT IN NOBIS that is The word made flesh which dwelleth in us The City being all this while besieg'd the Prophets and the Doctors published the book callid THE RESTITUTIONS wherein they endeavoured to defend that monstrous I would say Munstrous and seditious tumult and all those almost infinite inconveniences that were consequent to it but to prevent that poysonous Hydra a Gospell antidote was prescrib'd In the moneth of August about S. Bartholomew's day John Tuysentschreuer went sounding a Trumpet through all the streets thereby inviting all to the Lords Palace where there being a sumptuous feast prepared he magnificently entertained all that came The King himself the Queen and all the Courtiers waited on them At the last course he gave to every one a loaf of unleavened bread saying Take â—at and celebrate the Lords death which done the Queen in like manner carried about the Cup by which ceremony the Supper of the Lord or rather that Scean of pleasure wantonness and temerity was certainly very frolickly celebrated Hunger being banished saâ—e enough by this feast the Prophet Tuysentschreuer goes up to preach requiring of them obedience and complyance with the word of God whereunto with one head and as with one eye they unanimously consented This obtained he acquaints them that it was revealed from the heavenly Father that eight and twenty Ecclesiasticks should depart out of this City that should preach our doctrine throughout the world whose names he recommended and designed the way they were to take their journey that is to say six for Osenburg as many for Warendorp eight for Soyst for which quarter he himself was one and the rest for Coesveld These exercises performed the King went to Supper and at the second watch of the night caused the fore-mentioned Apostles to take their journey giving unto each of them a peece of gold with this charge that neglecting their own safety they should deposit it for a note and testimony of consequent condemnation wherever they bestowed it They went their wayes and never returned again all having except one who escaped the Gallows met with punishments corespondent to their sedition For being entred the fore-recommended Cities they in a direfull manner howl'd out their Kepent repent the axe is laid to the roat of the Tree if you repent not and be rebaptised woe be to you ye are undone But the severall Senates of the said Cities caused them to be apprehended and brought before them to give an account of themselves who answered That they were divine Preachers of the Gospel called and sent by God and that all those who would receive their doctrine must be baptized and that all things were to be made common but to those that should neglect these things they were to leave the golden coin of eternal damnation Nay further That the Gospel had not been preached as it should have been since the times of Christ and the Apostles but that there were two Prophets the Progeny of truth it self slipp'd down as it were from heaven viz John of Leyden and David George born at Delph in the Low-countries that there were many false Prophets that is to say the Pope of Rome and Martin Luther of â—ittemburg who was worse then the Pope Being taken and cast into Irons they were asked by what right or priviledge they had thrust out of the City so many godly people together with their wives and children not granting them any toleration for their Religion and had disinherited them of all they had To which they replied That the time was now drawing nigh wherein the meek and the humble should inherit the earth and that they followed the example of the Israelites who with Gods approbation â—ook away from the Egyptians their fewels and ear-rings Moreover they hoasted that Munster was well furnished with provisions ammunition and all things requisite to war and that the King did daily expect great recruits out of Holland Zealand and other places by the means and assistance whereof hee should bring the whole world under subjection and all wicked and refractory Princes being subdued should establish the peaceful reign of Justice About the same time another Prophet fel down from heaven one Henry Hilverse a notable knave This man acquainted the King that it was revealed to him from heaven that God was pleased to bestow on him three most rich Cities Amsteâ—dam Daventry resâ—l near Lippa Upon this Divine message hee advises with his Counsellours whom he were best to send â—â—ither to baptise them with his baptisme In the first place he sends John Campensis to Amsterdam to bee the chiefest man in that City to whom he assigned for companion and co-Apostle John Matthias of Mtellburg These being sent into Holland issuing out of their holes kept themselves among those of their own tribe and infected most Cities with the mortall infection of their doctrines For at Leyden about January in the year following viz. one thousand five hundred thirty and five very many by the perswasion of Anabaptisme and by the means of its contagious Conventicles were baptized into the baptisme of death About the end of the year one thousand five hundred thirty and five this Kingly Botcher sent into Friezland a most subtle fellow and one very well experienced in warlike affairs whom he furnished with very great summs of money which had been raised out of the sacrileges wherewith he should raise souldiers in Zealand and should raise the close siege which was then before the City He being departed managed his affairs very secretly with the assistance of those of his way and at length upon the last of March one thousand five hundred thirty and five having gotten together some hundreds of souldiers he setupon the Monastery which also was called old Munster drove away the Monks and having plundered all he there pitched his tents out of hope thereby to strengthen his party by the accession of any that should come in But George Sckenck the then Gouernor of Friesland having with as much expedition as could be got together certain expeditionary forces besieges these tumultuary Rioters and gave an assault to the place which though they avoided as much as might be by a gallant defence yet had they their bellyâ—ull of murther blood and dry blowes so that they were all destroied save threescore and two who being brought to Leoward were paid for their audacious folly with the wages of death The Ring-leader of this businesse who was also the Camp-mâ—ster John Geel escaping at this fight flies to Amsterdam to prove the occasion of a greater slaughter For many Anabaptists being found in that place whom John Campensis had strangely fascinated to engage them the more they made promises to them of golden mountains and talk'd highly of the Magnificence and Liberty of
the Anabaptists of Munster and cried up the new kingdome of Justice upon earth for the report of the siege and defence of Munster had smitten and raised up the minds of a many in regard the City being closely besieged by a potent Army yet performed religious duties without any disturbance Hence came it to passe that the Liberty and Liberality of the City was celebrated beyond all truth and belief and there wanted not a many who desired to be embarqu'd in the same Fortune There was therefore at Amsterdam a Burgher called Henry Gotbelit a strong man and warlikely given who being bathed in the waters of Anabaptisme joyned his endeavours with those of John Geel For by divers pretences and crafty shifts which it is not worth our labour to repeat in this place they drew together six hundred Anabaptists with whose assistance their intention was to have possessed themselves of Amsterdam to enrich themselves and to introduce the Religion of those of Munster Whereupon upon the tenth day of May the chiefest that were engaged in this conspiracy having their Rendezvous at the house of Peter Gael broke out in the night time to the Market place wherin being more and more seconded by some of their own they killed some of the Watch and some they kept prisoners But the Burghers making head discharged some Musquets at the Anabaptists who most unworthily when their Consuls were cruelly killed entrusted their safety to their heels so that the others courages being heightened by this they violently ran upon the Deuterobaptists and after a most bloody engagement put them to the worst wherein John Geel and Gothe it were slain James Campensis was taken and put to death Now other Tumults had already forced others from those places the prevention whereof could not be possibly without the infinite inconveniences which fell upon the lionester sort There wanted not also some clandestine vipers who diguisedly waited for the restauration of the kingdome of Israel as they called it whereof one being apprehended at Leyden and upon examination put to the question confessed That the King of the Anabaptists who was a Hollander sojourned then at Utricht and had not yet began his reign but that according to the good hope they had conceived of him and the confidence placed in him they doubted not but he would undertake iâ— Having with what 's above gotten out of this fellow that some gold and silver vessels and other ornaments had by a most wicked surprise been taken out of their Churches by the means of their King and who with his followers had attempted some most detestable villanies it was dicover'd that there could no other be meant then David George I crave thy pardon courteous Reader if I acquaint thee that it is not any thing the lesse for thy advantage if in the description of these rotten and contemptible rags and menstruous clouts of humanity I have woven a longer web of discourse then thou didst expect Although John Buckhold and the other Prophets had entertained the ignorant greedy vulgar with hopes of more then Arabian wealth yet the citizens being daily more and more streightned by the siege were accordingly brought into greater perplexities and being brought low by the famine which is the consummation of all misery began as it for the most part happens upon the barking of the stomack to snarle at one another to grumble and complain and to hold private consultations about the taking of their King and by delivering him to the enemies to better the terms of their composition But the King the stitcher and botcher of all deceit being afraid of himself chose out of all the people twelve men in whom he could place most confidence and these he called his Captains assigning to them their severall guards and posts in the City which they were to make good This done he promised the Citizens that the close siege should be raised before Easter for he was confident that a certain emissary whom he had sent into Zeland Holland and Friezland should return with such supplies as by a furious and desperate assault made upon the besiegers should deliver the City But hope it self was to him become hopelesse nor could safety it self save him To his Captains as he called them 't is incredible what wealth he promised such as the fabulous riches of Pactolus and the treasures of Midas should not make good with oceans of goods which happly must be paid them out of his dreams and that after the City were relieved they should be Dukes and Governours of Provinces and particularly that John Denker should be Elector of Saxony But behold in the moneth of February a sad face of things appeared many being meerly starved to death which occasioned that one of his Queens for he had gotten a many Elza or Elisabeth who was distinguished by the name of the Glove maker had bin often heard to say that the most cruel sword of Famine came not from God which though he had not heard himself having caused her to be brought with his other wives into the Market place he struck of her head kneeling in the midst of them which done insulting â—…er her he affirmed that she had carried her self as a common prostituted whore and had been disobedient to him while in the mean time her fellow Queens sung this hymne Glory be to God on high c. Easter day being now dawning and no hope of deliverance shining on them the common people with just reason were extreamly astonished nor confideâ—ing how things were carried could they have any longer patience In this conjuncture of affairs to elude the people according to his wonted insinuations he feigns himself to bee sick and that after six daies he would appear publickly in the Market-place but that as to the deliverance which they were to expect according to his intimation it was to be understood after a spiritual manner and so it should certainly come to passe For he affirmed for a most certain truth that in a divine dream he saw himself riding on an Asse and bearing the unspeakable weight of fin and that all that had followed him were freed from their sins But indeed they may be fitly said to be like Asses that rub one another or to the Blinde leading about the Blinde It is a great affliction it is a pennance to repeat the miseries and the wofull consequences of Famine and want There were a many who being impatient of so long hunger revolted to the enemy not so much out of hope of compassion as to accelerate their own deaths not a few creeping upon all four endeavored to get away for being weak and strengthlesse they could hardly fasten their feet on the ground some falling down were content to give up the ghost in the place where they lay There you might see a sad spectacle of foreheads and cheeks pale as ashes temples fallen eies sunk into hollownesse sharp noses
ears shrivel'd lips black and blew throats slender as those of Spiders to bee short Hippocratical faces living carcases and excellent shadows of men They had sown certain kinds of seeds and pulses in the City which for a time served for high delicacies to the grumbling stomach but these being soon devoured by the hungry belly Cats Dormice and Rats which themselves were almost starv'd to anatomie became doubtful entertainments Some were reduced to that inhumane necessity that they fed on the flesh of the buried carcasses some drest the feet of sweaty woollen socks some cut to pieces the parings of tanned leather and mincing them with some other things bak'd them and made them serve for bread To this wee may add that the most wickedly obstinate citizens were not yet convinced that by crafty infinuations and specious suggestions they were brought into the noose whom therefore he stil entertained with considerations of Magnanimity and the deliverance they were yet constantly to expect from God but as for those who admitted any thoughts of running away and endeavoured to avoyd their miseries he peremptorily sends for and like a publick Robber taking away all that their industry had furnished them with depart says he and be gone to the Hereticks and bid sarewel to this place The King though he had gotten at his house sufficient provision for two months yet was he willing to imbrace all occasions wherby he might keep up the heart of the City which now continually barked for sustenance To which end behold a certain man named John Longstrat being a Nobleman and privie Counsellor to the King and one of whom he was very confident boasted that he would within fourteen days reliev this hunger-starv'd City both with provisions and supplies of men to the number of three hundred By this pretence hee flyes to the enemy and betrays the City to the Bishop for a certain summe of money with his life included The Eve of Saint John was appointed for the execution of this design about ten of the clock at which time hee had obliged himself by oath to cause the gate called the Crosse-gate to be opened This Commissary for provisions returning at length to the City assured the King upon his saith and reputation that the said recruits of provision and forces should be ready within the time appointed The day assigned being come hee acquaints the Guards that the promised forces were to come in in the night which would bee starr-light enough that so they might receive them as friends The gates are hereupon set open and the enemies being admitted into the City as into another Troy upon the Watch-word given soon dispatch'd the Guards and others that were neer Now could bee nothing heard for the cry of Armes Armes The King and his Courtiers being gotten into a body drove back the enemie to the Gates which the citizens had by that time shut again whereupon the rest of them that were without were forced to set Engines to force open the Gates which being once broken open they flourished and set up their Colours The citizens stiffely resisted the first assault and made a strong body in the Market place where the fight became very hot and bloody The King himself Knipperdoling and Krachting fell into the enemies hands but Rotman seeing there was no possibility of safety rushing where the enemy was thickest was trod to pieces hee it seems placing all hopes of life in death The Anabaptists upon the taking of their King being quite cast down and discouraged went and hid themselves in Larders Kitchins and other lurking holes The City was most unmercifully plundered and to make a full search of it there were ten days allotted There was found by those of the Kings Guard at the Royall Palace as much provision as would maintain two hundred for two mouths O Goodman King where is now the Community of goods and provisions which your Religion holds forth This sad fate did that City suffer in the year one thousand five hundred thirty and five The third day after this sacking of the City the King was carried to the Castle of Dulmen three miles off The Bishop having caused the King to bee brought with all speed before him said to him O thou cast away of Mankind by what deplorable means hast thou corrupted and destroyed my people To which the King with an undisturbed and proud deportment made answer thus O thou Pope have wee done thee any injury by delivering into thy hands a most well-fortified and invincible City But if thou thinkest thy self any way injur'd or endammag'd by us if thou wilt but hearken to our advice thou shalt be easily enriched The Bishop hardly abstaining from laughing desired him to discover that secret to which hee replyed Cause an Iron Cage or Basket to bee made and cover it with leather and carry me into all the parts of thy Country to be seen for a shew and if thou take but a penny of every one for the sight assure thy self it will amount to more then all the charges of the war The more eminent Anabaptists wore about their necks a certain medall wherein was the effiges of their King to which were added these ietters D. W. F. whereby was signified that the word was made flesh But the King being carried up and down as a captive with his two associates was shewn to divers Captains and Ecclesiasticks of the Landgrave which gave occasion of dispatation between them about some things as of the Kingdom of Christ and of Magistracy of Justification and of Baptisme of the Lords Supper and of the Incarnation of Christ as also of Matrimony in which disputation they prevailed so far by the divine testimonies of holy writ that they brought the King of the Anabaptists though not acknowledging the least satisfaction to a Non-plus who to obtain another disputation out of hopes of life as was said promised that hee would reduce the Anabapâ—ists which swarmed in Holland Braband England and Friezland and that he would do all honour to the Magistrate Upon the twentieth of January one thousand five hundâ—ed thirty and six he is brought with his companions to Munster where they were secured in severall prisons two days were spent in weeding and rooting up their errors The King indeed confessed his offences and cast himself wholly upon Christ but his companions discover'd a vain obstinacy in the defence of their cause The next day the King is brought to the place of execution fasten'd to a stake and is pulled piece-meal by two executioners with pincers red hot out of the fire The first pains he felt hee suppressed at the second hee implor'd Gods mercy For a whole hour was hee pull'd and delacerated with those instruments and at length to hasten somewhat his death run â—hrough with a sword His companions were dipped with the baptisme of the same punishment which they suffered couragiously all whose carcasses