Joris (really Joriszoon, i. e. Georg'sson, hence also trailed Georgii), David, founder of an Anabaptist sect of the 16th century, known under the name oi Davidists, or more generally under that of Jorists, himself altogether a most extraordinary character, was born either in 1501 or 1502, at Delft, in Holland, or, as Nippold thinks, at Ghent. He has generally been spoken of as of low parentage, but Nippol(l holds that David's father was originally a mer- chant, and afterwards the head of a company who went about acting the play of the life of David the Psalmist, but tliat his mother was of noble origin. David was early placed at school, but the boy's inclination was more to a roving hfe, like that of his father, than to books. He early evinced a particular fondness for the art of glass painting. He was therefore finally taken from school and apprenticed to a glass painter, and soon displayed great aptitude in his profession. To perfect himself in this art he set out on a journey to neighboring countries, and travelled through Belgium, France, and England, initil a dangerous disease hastened his return to Holland. He now (1524) settled at Delft, and mar- ried, llitlierto tlie young painter had ilisplayed no ex- traordinary religious zeal; it is true he had been strict in all liis religious observances, and had freijuently de- clared himself in favor of vitil iii.fy. Imi ilii<. at a time when the reformatory nKivcim m \\,i^ in it^ inrancv, was not remarkable. Even m.w he idntiiiucd liis attention to his business, and only on a few public occasions dur- ing tlie religious commotions of this time he dropped a word against the fanatic zeal of the Romish clergy, and the religious excesses of the Romish Church. In 1530, however, he appears more prominently on the stage. It is true he had previously written a few pamphlets against Ifomanism, but these had failed to provoke reply, or a demand for interference on the part of the authori- ties. But this year, while a procession of Roman Cath- olics was moving through the streets of Delft, he stop- ped the priests and accused them of the crime of de- ceiving the people by false teachings; he especiaUy reproached them for tlieir worship of images and pic- tures. 'I'lie burgomaster of Delft favored Joris not a little, being a friend of his; but this daring action could not go unpunished, and Joris was arrested and impris- oned for some time. After a trial, however, he escaped, no <loubt by the aid of his friend, without any severe punishment. He quitted Delft for six vears, and it was during liis wanderings at this time that he became estranged from tlie true Reformation principles and an a Ihcreut to Anabaptist views, and finally even the founder of an independent sect. His roving life, so very much akin to that of all the Anabaptist leaders mclmed liim to their cause; but. being as yet more mo.U.rate than tliey, and opposed to their tumultuous proceedings, especially to their views of establishin.^
their authority by the sword, it was not until 1534 that he actually joined them by rebaptism. At this time the Anabaptists were at the zenith of their success, es- pecially at jMiinster. See Anabaptists. Being re- quested to preach and espouse their cause before the l)eople, he at first hesitated, and pleaded incompetency ; but at last was prevailed upon, and was consecrated by Dammas, Ubbo, and others as bishop of Delft. The same zeal which he had manifested in the cause of the Lu- therans he now displayed in behalf of the Anabaptists, and we may infer from the hesitancy of the authorities to interfere with Joris that his influence had become quite extended and his followers very numerous. Cer- tainly Joris himself was quite conscious of the extent of his power, and he hesitated not to use it for the ac- complisliinent of the one great object that seemed to be nearest his heart, the union of all Anabaptist forces un- der one common leader, the secure establishment of the principles which he himself espoused, and wViich no doubt he as yet believed to be based on the Scriptures and indorsed by divine favor. But his course soon aroused suspicion among the other Anabaptist leaders. They were not slow to recognise in Joris an able and determined leader, and, jealous of the success he had al- ready achieved, and fearfid of their own position, they openly disavowed him. Such a course was adopted, es- pecially, by Batenburg himself, the founder of an Ana- baptist sect, a determined ruffian, void of all feeling, who, under the garb of religion, sought the enjoyment of wealth and power. He preached the extmction of all non-Anabaptists by the sword. Strangely enough, however, his very followers, after his decease, became the most faithful adherents of Joris. Opposed within the camp of the Anabaptists, Joris, in 1536, at the Con- vocation of Anabaptists held at Bocholt, assumed a still more independent position, and proudly declared him- self divinely appointed as leader. This further provoked the jealousy of the other leaders; and as, immediately after the Convocation of Bocholt, Joris issued a pamph- let calling all parties to a peaceful union, the wrath of the different leaders was stimulated anew, and resulted in an entire estrangement of most of the Anabaptists. Those who now continued to espouse his cause were hereafter known as Jorists or Davidists. Providence seemed to favor his effort. Letters came to him from .\11 directions urging him to stand firm in this trj-ing hour : to these were added visions and revelations which he fancied he had. Even the persecutions to which his followers were now subjected by the authorities were interpreted by him as a further proof of the divine fa- vor. Was it not gain for them to die? From Hol- land we see him hasten to A^'estphalia, and thence back again to his native state to comfort his suffering adher- ents, and to attend and animate them in their djdng hours. Nor did he waver when he saw his own mother led to the scaffold (at Delft, 1537), attesting in her dying hour the doctrines which her son was propagating. The extent of his influence may be inferred from the number who at this time became the subjects of perse- cution. At Delft thirty-five persons were executed for their adherence to Joris; at Haarlem, Amsterdam, Ley- den, Rotterdam, and other cities also many suffered Ukewise. In the space of two years more than two hundred betokened their faithfulness to Anabaptist views at the expense of their life. Nor was Joris him- self safe from persecution. He was obliged to leave Delft, where he had lived for a while secretly, and, after fleeing from place to place in his native coimtry, he at last quitted Holland. A monitory letter which he dis- patched to the senate of his native land cost the bearer his head. To return to Holland then became for Joris a hazardous undertaking ; he therefore sought a home within the dominions of the landgrave of Hesse, but the latter also refused the weary wanderer a resting-place unless he came as a Lutheran. Of course Joris was not now Ukely to yield up all that his imagination had fan- cied to be divine truth, and he continued his roviugs