About 1533 John Becold an Hollander of Leiden, by occupation a Taylor: cometh to Munster a City in Westphalia, with one Cniperdoling: where with their adherents & followers, having gotten some advantage into their hand: Command is given, that such who were not rebaptized, should be put to death, as Pagans and wicked: but these troubles were issued by composition. In February 1534 contrary to their Faith & promise, they secretly fill the City with their own party. In the beginning they talked of nothing but spirit & Holiness, they said it was not lawful for a Christian to be a Magistrate, and that it was not lawful to bear arms. But after they had gotten power into their hands, then it was lawful to seize the public arms, to take the Town-house, to choose Magistrates to their mind, to reject those who were ordained of God, to thrust themselves into their places. They that before cried Repent, Repent, now change their voice, and cried Depart, Depart, if you will not die. Pillaging & stripping honest people of all they had; forcing them out of house & City with their wives and little ones, all that were not of their mind, without regard to age or sex. Where (saith the Author) are those fair speeches now which were wont to be in their mouths. Do not resist evil, He that will take away thy coat, give him thy cloak also. They command Community of all goods upon pain of death, they abolish Schools and Church-assemblies, 1yea so far (saith Spanh•mius) proceeded the madness of this villainous fellow, meaning John of Leiden, that by the craft of a gold-smith of Warrendorp, suborned by him, who feigned a ⟨p. 43⟩revelation & inspiration, and the blockishness of the bewitched people: This scum of the earth was set upon a Kingly throne, & exercised a stage-player-like Kingdom in an oppressed City, prepared himself Princely furniture, and attendants, useth all manner of cruelty, with whoredoms, murders & unheard-of tyranny, distributed amongst his followers, Principalities & Dukedoms at his pleasure, by his messengers: every where stirring up the country-people to mutiny and rebellion; yea, attempted such mischiefs, as will scarce find Credit with posterity: ascribing to himself this frantic title: John King of new-Jerusalem, King of righteousness over the whole world.
About 1533 John Becold an Hollander of Leyden, by occupation a Taylor: commeth to Munster a Citty in Westphalia, with one Cniperdoling: where with their adherents & followers, having gotten some advantage into their hand: Command is given, that such who were not rebaptised, should be put to death, as Pagans and wicked: but these troubles were issued by composition. In February 1534 contary to their Faith & promise, they secretly fill the Citty with their own party. In the beginning they talked of nothing but spirit & Holiness, they said it was not lawfull for a Christian to be a Magistrate, and that it was not lawfull to bear armes. But after they had gotten power into their hands, then it was lawfull to seize the publick armes, to take the Town-house, to choose Magistrates to their mind, to reject those who were ordained of God, to thrust themselves into their places. They that before cryed Repent, Repent, now change their voyce, and cryed Depart, Depart, if you will not die. Pillaging & stripping honest people of all they had; forcing them out of house & Citty with their wives and little ones, all that were not of their mind, without regard to age or sex. Where (saith the Author) are those fair speeches now which were wont to be in their mouths. Do not resist evil, He that will take away thy coat, give him thy cloak also. They command Community of all goods upon pain of death, they abolish Schooles and Courch-assemblies, 1yea so far (saith Spanh•mius) proceeded the madness of this villanous fellow, meaning John of Leyden, that by the craft of a gold-smith of Warrendorp, suborned by him, who feigned a ⟨p. 43⟩revelation & inspiration, and the blockishness of the bewitched people: This scum of the earth was set upon a Kingly throne, & excercised a stage-player-like Kingdom in an oppressed Citty, prepared himselfe Princely furniture, and attendants, useth all manner of cruelty, with whoredoms, murders & unheard-of tyrannie, distributed amongst his followers, Principalities & Dukedoms at his pleasure, by his messengers: every where stirring up the country-people to mutinie and rebellion; yea, attempted such mischiefs, as will scarce find Credit with posterity: ascribing to himself this frantick title: John King of new-Jerusalem, King of righteousness over the whole world.
- 1Spanhem. historic. Narrat. Cap. 2.
