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.”
The servants and others then said: “The fellow is drunk.”
Yes, dear friends, then I remembered the words of Peter, Acts 2; as they were drunk, so was I, having tasted neither beer nor bread all day. They were then about to leave, but found themselves at a loss where to put me; for John of Delft, the servant, said: “It is all right with E. S.; but now this rogue will spoil him again.” Nevertheless, they put me with him. All this took place the same Monday on which I was apprehended.
The following Thursday the Bailiff came, with two judges, and a commissary from the Hague; they asked me many questions, which I could not answer, and also demanded to know where I had slept, which I would not tell, together with many other things too tedious to relate. They also asked: “Do you know Jelis of Aix-la-Chapelle?” I replied: “I never in my life was at Aix-la-Chapelle.” As they kept on asking me for a long time, I finally said: “I know him.” They then asked where I had been with him. I replied: “I cannot tell you this;” more I would not say. “We shall make you tell,” said they. “My lords,” I replied, “I have always been careful not to know much, so that in case I should be apprehended, I might not have much to tell.” They then laid before me the letters I had sent them, and also the hymn; they readily saw that it was the same hand-writing; but I did not confess it. I thought to myself: There is plenty of time yet for it; for I will have to tell them something any way, when they torture me. For the matter concerned myself; hence I did not keep it secret, when I was tortured; but as regards others, I had no warrant to accuse them, and hence I did not want to know where the friends lived, when I talked with any one. And let me tell you, dear friends, this matter is sadly overlooked by some, who are continually inquiring after this one and that one, and take it amiss, if you do not give them the desired information. O dear friends, if you knew what suffering it would mean if you were imprisoned, you would not make such inquiries. Hence, if you wish to make any inquiries, inquire after the faith that can save your souls. See, my dear friends, accept this in good part; for I have written it out of love. All the torture I have suffered was inflicted upon me, to make me inform on others; hence, the less you know, the less you have to answer. The commissary then examined my testament, and said: This is a proscribed testament. I replied: “There you have also lied.” Thereupon he was silent, and evening came on. They then went away, promising to consider my case in the daytime.