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THEODOR the Botcher turnes Adamite, he affirmes strange things, his blasphemy in forgiving of sins, he burns his cloathes, &c. and causeth his companions to do the like. He and his rabble goe naked through Amsterdam, in the dead of night,
denouncing their woes, &c. and terrifie the people. They are taken and imprisoned by the Burghe••s, but continue shamelesse. May 5. 1535. they are put to death; some of their last words.
IN the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred thirty and five,* 1.1 upon the third of February at Am∣sterdam, in a street called Salar street, at the house of Iohn Si••rid a cloth-worker, who at that time was gone into Austria about some businesse, there 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••even 〈…〉〈…〉, and five women of the same perswasion;* 1.2 of which flock, the Bell-weather was Theo∣doru•• Sartor, who rapt into a strange enthusiasme and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, stretching himself upon the ground stark-naked upon his back before his brethren and sisters, seemed to pray unto God with a certain religious dread and horrour. Having ended his prayers, he affirmed that he had beheld God with his eyes in the excessive and inef∣••••ble 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of his glory,* 1.3 and that he had had communica∣tion with him, both in heaven and in hell, and that the day of his judgement was at hand. After which he said to one of his companions, Thou art decreed to eternal 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and shalt be cast into the bottomless pit; at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the other cried out, The Lord God of Mercy 〈…〉〈…〉 passion on me; the Prophet said to him, be of good 〈◊〉〈◊〉,* 1.4 now art thou the sonne of God, thy sins are forgiven thee. Upon the eleventh day of Febru∣ary, the foresaid year, the persons aforementioned, un∣known to their husbands, repaired to the same Augias's stable. This Prophet, or Seer, having entertained them with a Sermon of three or four hours long, casts a hel∣met, a brest plate, a sword, and other armes, together with all his cloathes into the fire.* 1.5 Being thus stark na∣ked, and his companions who yet had their cloaths, be∣ing uncovered, he peremptorily commanded them to do the like, as being such as must be as safe as himself. He further affirmed, that the children of God ought to look upon all things of this world with contempt and indignation. And since Truth, which is most glorious in her nakednesse, will not admit the deformity of any earthly disguise whatsoever, he affirmed that they ought in all things to conform themselves to that example of
Truth and Justice. A great many hearing these things, having quite cashier'd all 〈◊〉〈◊〉, offered up their shirts, smocks, and petticoats, and whatsoever 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of earth, as a burnt-offering unto God. The Mistresse of the house being awaken by the stink which these cloath•• made in burning, and going up into the upper cham∣bers, she findes this deplorable 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of immodesty and impudence; but the 〈…〉〈…〉 in∣fluence of propheticall integrity 〈…〉〈…〉 to that passe, that she was drawn in 〈…〉〈…〉 in the same ••ire of 〈…〉〈…〉 he ad∣vised to continue alwayes a constant 〈…〉〈…〉 to the un∣blameable truth.* 1.6 Going out of the house in this po∣sture, about three of the clock; the 〈…〉〈…〉 and wo∣men marched barefoot after him, crying 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with a horrid voyce, Woe, woe, woe, the heavy wrath of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the heavy wrath of God, &c. In this fanatick errour 〈…〉〈…〉 hy∣pocondriack rabble run about the streets, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 such a horrid nois••, that all Amsterdam seeme•• 〈…〉〈…〉 and tremble at it, as if it had been assaulted 〈…〉〈…〉 enemy. The Burghers not having the least 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of such a strange and unlook'd for Accident, (for this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 action happen'd in the dead of nig••t) 〈…〉〈…〉; and getting these people (lost to all 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and mode∣sty) up to the Palace,* 1.7 clap•• them into prison. Being so disposed of, they would owne no thoughts of shame or chastity, but would justifie their most 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and naked Truth. In the mean time, the fire being 〈◊〉〈◊〉, they broke into the house where it was, and wondring 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their casting off their cloathes into the fire, which had since reached the bed, they made a shift to quench it. But the other distracted and mad people, such as deserved to be sent to their kindred, the Savages and Heathens, inconvincibly persisted in their pestiferous opinion, and so upon the fifth of May the same year,* 1.8 they expiated their wicked impieties by their death. Ones farewell saying, was, Praise the Lord incessantly! Anothers was,* 1.9 O God revenge thou these our sufferings! Others cried out, Woe, woe, shut thine eyes!
ANNO 1535.
Theodorus Sartor an Ad••∣mite.
He affirmes strange things.
His blasphemy in forgiving of sins.
He burns his cloathes, &c. and causeth his companions to do the like.
He and his rab∣ble go••naked through Am∣sterdam in the dead of night, denouncing their woes, &c. and terrifie the people.
They are taken and imprisoned by the Burgh∣ers, but conti∣nue shamelesse.
May the fifth 1535. they are put to death.
Some of their last words.