The bailiff then asked: “Where was it that you received your baptism?” _Claes._ “At Antwerp.” _Bailiff._. “Where there?” _Claes._ “Between St. George’s gate and the Koeper gate.” _Bailiff._. “In what house?” _Claes._ “In a small, new house.” _Bailiff._. “What trade was carried on in it?” _Claes._ “I saw no trade carried on there.” _Bailiff._. “Yea, Claes, who was present? there must have been witnesses present to testify that you were a brother?” _Claes._ “There were three or four persons present who lived in the house, and the one who brought me there.” _Bailiff._. “Who was it that brought you there?” _Claes._ “It was a young man.” _Bailiff._. “Where was he from?” _Claes._ “I did not ask him.” _Bailiff._. “How many were baptized with you?” _Claes._ “Three of us.” _Bailiff._. “Where were they from?” _Claes._ “I did not ask them.” _Bailiff._. “What trade did they follow?” _Claes._ “One was a journeyman mason, it seemed to me.” _Bailiff._. “How did he that brought you there know where to find you?” _Claes._ “He set the day when he would meet me at the Koeper gate.” _Bailiff._. “How did you know that the baptizer was in the city?” _Claes._ “I had made inquiries at different times, while out trafficking, and thus heard that he was there.” _Bailiff._ “Where did you hear that he was there?” Then said the chief judge: “They know all their people.” _Bailiff._ “Do they still live in the house where you were baptized, or don’t you know this either?” _Claes._ “Shortly after they were all driven from the house.” _Bailiff._ “Then you can’t tell us anything about it, can you?” _Claes._ “One went to England; another was burnt, and where the rest went to I don’t know.” _Bailiff._ “What kind of a man was he who baptized you?” _Claes._ “He appeared to me to be a blameless man.” _Bailiff._ “Yes, Claes, how do you know that the man that baptized you was blameless?” Then one of the judges said: “He said it appeared to him that he was blameless.”
The chief judge then said: “These people also preach, do they not?” Then the _Bailiff._ remarked to him: “We used to ask all these questions, but we do it no longer.” And they rang the bell for the jailer to come and take me away. This they put on record.
The clerk asked me what persons from Ghent I had left at Emden. I would give him no answer, because it was not his business to ask. The judges then said to me: “Claes, we will send you men that will teach you the true faith.” _Claes._ “I trust I have the true faith, and if they will confirm me therein, they will be welcome; but if they want to draw me away from it, I don’t want them.” Then they said, urgently: “Claes, hear them; hear them always.” I then heartily thanked the judges and the _Bailiff._, since they had been molested with me. The jailer’s servant then told me to go above, and I went. I felt very gloomy, because they had not asked me concerning my faith. Two servants who had stood at the door and listened, came up above to me, and tormented me with many things and said: “Poor fellow, that you are, to give your life for it, and leave your wife and children in want; it is not right for you to break your marriage, since God himself has instituted it” I said: “I do not break my marriage, nor does my wife; but they are to blame for it, who take me from my wife; they may well take heed what they do.” They said I should speak that which they wanted to hear. I replied: “God did not teach me this;” and admonished them, to beware of staining their hands with such blood. I spoke to them earnestly, and they went away, and asked God to grant me my greatest happiness. Then I sat there alone, and Satan came to tempt me, saying within: “Poor man, are you here for the sake of your faith? The lords don’t ask you concerning your faith, but regarding the baptism you received from such and such a man, as you well know.” And he tormented me with all that he could produce, doing his very best to cast me down. Then thought I: “O thou wicked tempter, thou murderer, I well feel that thou art the same that tormented Peter, and of whom he warned us.” 1 Peter 5:8. And I fled to God, and commenced a hymn, singing joyfully, and became glad and happy that I had fought through this storm. James 5:13. I was there about ten weeks.