_Ronse._ “Tell us as near as you know.”
_Joos._ “Between twenty and thirty years.” Then their clerk wrote: “Between thirty and forty.”
_Ronse._ “When were you to confession last?”
_Joos._ “Why do you ask this?”
_Ronse._ “I want to know it.”
_Joos._ “You did not have me apprehended? you well know how it is with me.”
_Ans._ “We do.”
_Joos._ “Of whom are you, or in whose name have you come to me?”
_Ans._ “In the name of God.”
_Joos._ “I don’t believe this.”
_Ques._ “Why?”
_Joos._ “Because you have apprehended me, to find out how it is with me; for all whom the Lord has sent to go and teach, imprisoned no one; for he sent them out, and commanded them, that if they came to a place, and were not received, they should shake off the dust from their feet, and depart from there.” Matt. 10:14.
_Polet._ “You have doubtless read, that Paul delivered some to the devil.” 1 Cor. 5:5.
_Joos._ “Show me where Paul cast them into prison; this I want to know of you.”
_Polet._ “I don’t know.”
_Joos._ “Why then do you undertake to quote Scriptures to any one, which you do not understand yourself? yea, more than that, to apprehend people, to bring them to the faith, even if your faith were good, which I do not hold to be the case, for I do not believe that you are from God.”
_Ques._ “Why?”
_Joos._ “Because the Lord says: ‘I will have obedience, and not sacrifice’ (1 Sam. 15:22); and because ye do not obey him.”
_Ques._ “Wherein?”
_Joos._ “Because Christ commanded to point the erring to the right way; now, you say that I have gone astray--why then did you not show me what is right? for I seek nothing but what is right.”
_Ans._ “For this purpose we have come.”
_Joos._ “Then you should have come to the place where I lived.”
_Ans._ “We did not know where you lived.”
_Joos._ “You knew it well enough to send the Bailiff.”
_Ans._ “Had you been a good sheep, it would not have been necessary.”
_Joos._ “Christ left the ninety and nine, and went to seek that which was lost.”
Then Ronse said: “Do you not believe that I am appointed your superior, by our holy father, the Pope, and our gracious lord, the Emperor?”
_Joos._ “I know no superior save Christ.”
_Ques._ “How; don’t you recognize the Emperor at all?”
I told him, that I was well content to have him be my superior according to the flesh. Then they wrote that I recognized no superior according to the spirit save Christ, and the Emperor according to the flesh.
Ronse then said: “When were you to confession last, tell me this?”
_Joos._ “I do not wish to speak to you here.”
_Ques._ “Why?”
_Joos._ “I shall speak before the lords in full court.”
“There,” said they, “it would be at the risk of your life, if you should say anything of consequence. Tell me,” said he, “what do you think of infant baptism?” Being urged to speak, I replied: “Nothing.”
_Ronse._ “Yea, in what baptism then do you believe?”
_Joos._ “I know of but one faith, and one baptism.”
_Ronse_. “How long since you were baptized?”
_Joos._ “Half a year, or thereabout.” This they noted down.
_Ques._ “What do you hold concerning the Roman church?”
_Joos._ “I do not hold the least article of all they hold.”
This was also written down. They asked me so much, that I said to them: “I have freely confessed my faith, and am ready to go alive into the fire for it; hence be content that you know my faith.” They asked a great deal. I said: “Go away from me; I regard you as enemies of the cross of Christ; hence, go away from me, for you know the ground of my faith, which I have freely confessed to you. Do therefore to me what you please; for it is through the grace of the Lord that I have these members, and I am also ready to give them up by the grace of the Lord, yea, to present them for his holy praise.” 2 Macc. 7:11. They spoke much, but I said: “Go away from me, and come no more where I am, for you are against God. Matt. 12:30. Do you not fear the Lord? See what is written Matt. 13, concerning the tares of the field. Now since you say that I am evil, the Lord has commanded that it should be left to grow until the harvest.”