An Answer to a Great Number of Blasphemous Cavillations

And by the occasion of this answer there was a paction made between them. The copy whereof, the magistrates sent to the Landgrave, desiring him, that he would assist them, in the maintenance of the Gospel, and their common wealth, Then sent he unto them, certain of his servants, through whose coming unto them▪ y• peace was made, and being reconciled, and the grief trodden under foot, they lived in peace togethers: That the Gospel might be preached in six churches, and that y• impieties, and superstitions, which were in religion might be taken away: That in the cathedral church, nothing should be changed, and that the citizens should not think that to appertain any thing at all unto them. This form of peace in writing was signed by the Landgrave, by the Bishop, and his adherents, with the noble men, and all the people the 14. of February the year of our salvation. 1533. After this manner, things being appeased there came unto Monster a botcher of garments, named John Leiden borne in Holland, which was a vehement anabaptist. This man after he was entered into familiarity with y• preachers, he privily asked of them, whether they thought, that it were mete to baptise children or no: and when they answered yea, he as one utterly of the contrary judgement, began to laugh, and despise their ⟨p. 422⟩judgement, which thing, when •••nard Rotmā of whom we spake before perceived, he exhorted the people in his preaching to call upon God that he would give them grace to stand, and continue in the trueth, and that he would keep them from being corrupt with heresies, and chiefly from the opinion of the Anabaptists, which now privily do crepe in among them, and gather them selves together. For (said he) if their opinion get the upper hand, the state, not only of the common wealth, but also of religion will be very miserable, and poor. At the same time came to the town one Herman Stapred, which being made companion with Rotman did publicly inveigh against the baptism of infants. He was scholar unto one Henry of Roll,¹ who a little before was put to death at Traiectine, for anabaptistry. And this was as it were an other steppe forward in this new kind of doctrine. This came to pas that the Anabaptists taught through all the City, although it were in private houses, & secretly, and none was received of them, except they, that were of their sect.