Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
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A04548
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A true relation of Go[ds] vvonderfull mercies in preseruing one aliue, which hanged fiue dayes, who was falsely accused.
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1605
(1605)
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STC 14668; ESTC S106553
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5,082
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14
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A True relation of Goâ—â— vvonderfull mercies in preseruing one aliue which hanged fiue dayes who was falsely accused LONDON Printed by Edw Allde dwelling on Lambard-hill 〈…〉 A True Relation of a most wonderfull and strange accident which hapned on a young man borne at Dort a towne in Holland who trauailing betweene Franckfort and Antwerp was falsely accused for a robbery and executed for the same at a Towne called Bon where he hanged fiue dayes was by God mightily preserued to the great astonishment of all the beholders YN the towne of Dort vpon the long reede Banke neere the signe of the three Pidgions there dwelled a man whose name was Iohn Peterson borne in the Citie of Antwerp who maried with a young woman borne at Dort aforesaid This Iohn Peterson with his wife liued many yeares together he being a waterman who vsed to ferry passengers from Dort to Rotterdam and his wife vsed the trade of dressing of Flax these two hauing had diuers children it pleased God that all dyed sauing two Sonnes whose names were the one Nicholas Iohnson who now dwelleth at the Brill the other Iohn Iohnson for often they take their surnames of their Fathers Christen name of which Iohn Iohnson we are heereafter to intreat whose Parents dyed in the yeare of our Lord 1600. being very poore This Iohn Peterson being deceased hauing a brother yet dwelling in the Citie of Antwerp who vnderstanding of the death of his brother sent to Dort for Iohn Iohnson the youngest son of his brother deceased being a pretty youth who thought it fitter to keepe one of his owne kinsmen then the sonne of any stranger When this youth came to Antwerp his Vncle gaue him very kinde welcome being ioyfull to see him for he had neuer seene him before that time Now it pleased his Vncle to imploy this Iohn Iohnson about his affaires who vsed such diligence in all things he went about that he procured such loue of his Vncle as if he had bene his deare childe he could neuer haue respected him with more regard and the rather for that he gaue his minde to all vertuous godly exercises Insomuch that whatsoeuer the young man did it was most pleasing to his Vncle as also to most who knew him He was many times assailed by Iesuits and others of that religion to conuert him from the true religion which he then professed but he continuing constant by no meanes would yeild vnto them which being bruited in the Citie he was of all the godly generally well respected To come to the matter his Vncle being a man of great trading in marchandize had occasion with diuers other marchants to trauaile to Francfort Mart for he vsed much to go thither and thought it fit to take his kinsman Iohn Iohnson along with him to acquaint him in those partes that he might the better afterwards haue knowledge in his busines his Vncle delighted greatly in his company by reason he was giuen to much honest mirth for which all that knew him did exceedingly affect him and called him the Hollander demaunding often of him if all Hollanders were so pleasant as himselfe was passing on the way After their long iourney they came to Francfort euery man taking his leaue of other intending to goe about their affaires And after some few daies of their continuance in Francfort there came a Letter to this Iohn Iohnsons Vncle from Antwerp to certifye him of busines of great import which was speedily to be disspatched at home whervpon his Vncle hauing as yet effected little busines did thinke it most conuenient to send the said Iohn Iohnson to Antwerp knowing his sufficient care in any of his imployments whilst he himselfe stayed till the end of the Mart. Now hauing commaundement of his Vncle to depart for Antwerp hee tooke his leaue and set forward on his iourney without any feare for he had little to loose and taking his iourneys to the same Townes and Innes where before he with his Vncle other Marchants had lyen At length he came to Bon to the same Inne where he before had lodged which was neere the market-place at the signe of the Swan without suspect of any danger where also lodged diuers Marchants with whome this Iohn Iohnson that night supped hauing had very good fare and passing the time away with pleasant discoursings vntill it grew towards bed-time and being shewed their chambers the young-man desired the Host that he would call him vp very early who promising so to doe departed This Host hauing espied one of the other Marchants to haue a Budget wherein was good store of money who lodged in the same Chamber where the young man lodged thought with himselfe how he might get this Budget and to liue vnsuspected at last he deuised with himselfe that hauing the mony he would work so cuÌ„ningly that none should be suspected but the young man The Host in the night came stealing into their chamber there taking away the Marchants Budget with money and the young mans Wallet wherein was some foule linnen and shooes and such like When this Host had opened the Marchants Budget and taken out the mony he found also in the same a Seale Ring an Obligation which Obligation and Seale-ring the Host tooke out and with a siluer Tonne of his owne whereon the Hosts marke was grauen and which his guests did drinke in the night before at Supper hee put these three in the young mans wallet and tyed it vp as it was afore and entring the Chamber againe laid the wallet in the place from whence he tooke it In the morning the Host according to his promise calles vp the young man who presently rising made him ready paid his reckoning tooke his leaue and went his way on his iourney hauing the Marchants King and Obligation with the Hosts siluer Tonne tyed vp in his wallet vnknowne vnto him so trauayling on without any mistrust it fortuned that the Marchant arysing and missing his Budget with his money presently called out saying he was robd and being exceedingly perplexed and in a great fury the Host as if hee had not knowne any thing come speedily vnto him demaunding the occasion of his outrage To whome hee replyed that his Budget with his money was stolne away from him The Host answering that if hee had loft any thing there was none could haue it but the youth who lodged that night in the Chamber and was so sodainely gone away in the morning Therefore let vs with all speede take horse we shall surely ouertake him Wherevpon with all haste that might be the Marchant with the treacherous hoast tooke their Horses and in very short time they ouertooke this Iohn Iohnson The Hoast speaking very furiously vnto him charged him of Fellony saying thou hast robbed this Marchant who lay this night in the same Chamber where thy selfe didst lodge of all his money The modest young man at the first being greatly affrighted stood amazed
knowing himselfe without fault answered Truly I am as cleer from such offence as any person in the world Yet notwithstanding the Host was marueylous importunate to haue the young mans wallet searcht which being opened there appeared to their fight the Hosts siluer Tonne with the Marchants Obligation and seale King which when the Marchant espied he thought verily that none had his money but he The young man when he saw these things pulled out of his Mallet almost dyed with griefe excusing himselfe that he neuer knew how they came into his Wallet but the Boast vowed that hee should be hanged if it should cost him an hundreth pound So causing the youth to returne backe againe to Bon they brought him before the Magistrates who after his examination he still denying the fact was committed to prison put vpon the Racke and grieuously tormented the youth feeling this miserable paine cryed to God for ayde and voluntarily confest that he had done the deed although indeed he did it not Afterward being brought to the publike place of tryall he was there adiudged to be hanged for that oftence But when he perceaued that he must needs die the shamefull death he lamenting all his sinfull life past which he had committed against the Maiestie of Almighty God he hoped to be saued in the faith he had in Iesus Christ So being led to the place of execution in the presence of all the beholders said I am here come to suffer death in this place and now in presence of you all I take God to be my witnes therewith wept most bitterly that I neuer knew of the stealing either of the Marchants money neither of the Hoasts siluer Tonne nor can any way deuise by what meanes they should come into my Mallet and in respect I am cleere of this fact for which I am heere condemned to die I doe beseech Almightie God that it will please him through his great power to shew some miracle on me whereby the truth may be known and that all men may perceane that I suffered innocently the people grieued much to heare him inuocate the name of God in that extremity prayed also with him and lamented his timeles death if he were as he saide without fault so hauing ended his prayers he was turned off the Ladder and hanged but the Lord God hauing heard his prayers and knowing his innocencie did most miraculously preserue him as heereafter you shall heare His Uncle hauing ended all his busines at Francfort in the company of diuers other Marchants tooke their iournies homewards towards Antwerp and according to their wonted manner they tooke their Inne where before they were accustomed at the Signe of the Swan in the Towne of Bon. In the morning following when these Marchants intended to depart from thence The hoast being amongst them tolde them that there was a young man which was in their company the last time that they lodged there who had robbed him of a siluer Tonne which they vsed to drinke in and a Marchant which lodged in the house of a great summe of money for which offence the young man was apprehended and afterwards confest the fact and then adiudged to be hanged which is now fiue daies since he was executed and still hangeth on the gallowes without the gates The young mans Vncle being stroken into wonderful admiration at this speech demanded of the Host what manner a fellow he was which committed the robbery he being well assured that his kinsman would not commit any such abuse but by the Hoasts description in all things it was his kinsman wherevpon because he would be certaine whether it was he or no he earnestly requested the other Marchants which were with him to take so much paines as to goe with him to see him for hee could hardly yet belieue it to be him And comming to the place where the young man hanged so soone as he came neere him he espied him to be his kinsman at the sight wherof he sodainely fell downe in a swound but the Marchants helping him vp comforted him with all their helpes Presently the young-man there hanging spake to his Vncle in this manner following O my louing and most deere Vncle although I heere hang most shamefully yet am I not dead for it hath pleased Almighty God to preserue me by placing a stoole vnder my feete which to you is not perceaued vpon the which I stand And the Angell of the Lord from heauen hath fed me heere fiue dayes I beseech you take the paines to returne to the Towne of Bon and certifye the Maiestrater there in what manner you haue found me and request them to come with you and I will let them vnderstand that I am heere hanged without any offence The Marchants hearing the young man speaking in this manner were much astonyed and straight-way departed from thence and when they came before the Magistrates they before them vpon their Oathes deliuered what the young man had related vnto them whereat the Magistrates maruailed and presently with the Marchants they went to the place where the young man did hang and perceiuing al to be true which the Marchants had reported vnto them they caused him to be presently taken downe who was then in perfect health although he had hanged fiue dayes But God the defender of all that put their whole trust in his mercies seeing this young mans innocencie to make his wondrous workes to seeme the more admirable and to bring the truth to light preserued him all this time without any perill or danger Then the Magistrates in the company of those Marchants hauing seene this miraculous worke of the Lord brought this Iohn Iohnson into the Towne where they examined this youth throughly of all doubts who certifyed them of all the manner first of his coÌ„ming to such an Inne then how he requested his Host to call him vp in the morning then of his departing and afterwards how the Host with the Marchant came riding after him and apprehended him which when they perceaued presently they sent for the Host to examine him vpon the perticulers touching this young man but when the Host beheld the young man still to be aliue the Host presently confessed the deed how hee himselfe had wrongfully accused that youth of those fellonies which he himselfe had coÌ„mitted When these Magistrats heard all the truth of this busines they praised God for preseruing this young man and brigning to light the wretched offender And so sentence was pronounced vpon this Host that he should be conueyed to prison and the next day to be bound to a Stake neere the place where the young-man was hanged and there to be burnt which was accordingly performed And likewise it was ordered by those Iudges that the young man should possesse to his own vse the somme of three thousand Guilders of the Hosts money in recompence of the iniurie was done vnto him After this execution was â—inished the young man with his Uncle the other Marchants taking their leaues of the Magistrates departed towards Antwerp where now this Iohn Johnson with his Uncle Gerard Atthonyson doe at this day remaine neere a place called the Meere or water Whosoeuer doe repaire to that place may be an eye-witnes see the party who was executed as before is declared The Magistrates of Bon caused this to be Printed to set forth the mighty power and glorie of God as themselues were witnesses thereof FINIS