“Sir Provost,” Soetkin said, “what crime has he committed that you are binding my poor husband thus with cords?”
“He is a heretic,” said one of the sergeants.
“Heretic!” cried Soetkin, looking towards her husband. “You a heretic! These devils are lying!”
Claes answered:
“I resign myself into God’s keeping.”
And they took him away. Nele and Soetkin followed behind, in tears, believing that they also would be summoned before the judge. They were joined by many of their friends and neighbours, but when these heard that it was on a charge of heresy that Claes was walking thus in chains, fear came upon them and they returned incontinently to their houses, closing their doors behind them. Only a few young girls had the courage to approach Claes and say to him:
“Whither are you going to, Charcoal-burner, in these bonds!”
“I go unto the grace of God, my girls,” he answered them.
So they took him away to the town gaol, and Nele and Soetkin sat themselves down upon the threshold. And towards evening Soetkin besought Nele to leave her and to go and see if Ulenspiegel had perchance returned.