Now, some one may ask: Why did you go in? O dear friends, my flesh and blood did not impel me to go in there. In vain we run; it is just as the prophet says: “We may flee, but cannot escape.” Ps. 139:7. Hence, we must all come whither our destiny calls us. I had anticipated that my journey to Leyden would not be a fortunate one.
The other servant then asked me whether I wished to go above to the others. I thought to myself that it was now as bad as it could ever become, and went above. They then shut the door after me, and one of them went for the Bailiff. Having been above for a little while, and conversed with our friends, I went below again. They opened the door, and the night Bailiff stood before it. He said: “You will have to remain here a little while.” I then asked whether I should go above. He replied: “Yes.” I then said: Christ had twelve apostles, and one was a Judas; but here were only two, and one was a Judas. However, the Lord be praised for his grace. Without much delay, they shut me up above alone, whereupon I immediately began to sing the hymn: “_O Waerheydt hoe zijt gy nu vertreden!_” Is. 59:14.
I did not, however, enjoy a very long respite; since much people came, and hence they immediately came and took from me my testament, and the hymn about our four friends, which I had composed. They then shut me up with E. S. Soon after, the Bailiff came with the whole council. The gates were shut, and it was reported that there were a dozen in Leyden; hence they were very assiduous, thinking they had caught a great gentleman or captain; but alas! they had not.
The Bailiff then asked: “Where is your rapier?”[256]
[256] A light sword with a very narrow blade.--_Trans_.
I replied: “My Master has not taught me to carry a rapier.”
_Bailiff._ “Who is your Master?”
_Adrian._ “Christ is my Master.”
_Bailiff._ “Christ is the Master of us all.”
_Adrian._ “If Christ were your Master, you would not dare fight against him; but it will be hard for you to kick against the pricks.” Acts 9:5.
_Bailiff._ “We are responsible for that.” They then asked me where I had slept.
_Adrian._ “I have slept well; did you sleep badly?”
_Bailiff._ “No, I shall make you tell.” One of the lords then asked me whether I had been rebaptized. I replied: “No, I was baptized aright once.”
_Bailiff._ “Who baptized you?”
I asked him whether he also wished to be baptized.
_Bailiff._ “Don’t be ashamed to tell; I will tell you, where and by whom I was baptized: here in St. Peter’s church.”
_Adrian._ “If you wish to be also baptized, I will tell you.”
_Bailiff._ “I have no desire for it as yet.”
_Adrian._ “Neither are you fit for it.”
_Bailiff._ “Where is the servant with the hat, that accompanied you?”
_Adrian._ “I know nothing of a servant with a hat.”
_Bailiff._ “We saw him walk with you.”
_Adrian._ “Lord bailiff, you lie; if you are a servant of Christ, you ought not to lie.” Eph. 4:25. They then showed me the hymn about the friends and asked me who had written it.
I replied: “I wrote it.”
Thereupon they asked whether I had also composed it. I told them I wrote it, but said nothing about composing. The under bailiff then said: “You were at my house one Friday, and taught me a refrain about Mary Magdalene?”
_Adrian._ “You have also lied; for my Master has taught me no refrains.”
_Under bailiff._ “Or an exhortation?”
_Adrian._ “It is not so.”