VERSCHRIKKELYKE MOORD

VERSCHRIKKELYKE MOORD

Aan eene Weduwe te Enkhuizen gepleegd, den 13de Januarij, 1836. door eene Jan Kenper, Geboortig van Hoorn

Translation: Horrible murder, Done to a widow in Enkhuizen, on January 13th, 1836, by one Jan Kenper, born in Hoorn.

Murder of a widow

Full size images of all song sheets available at the bottom of this page.

Pamphlet: Amsterdam Meertens: Lbl Meertens 03301. Nederlandse Liederenbank

de Kloosterlingen

Dutch transcription currently unavailable, English translation by Rena Bood.

How horrible the murder-scum rolls around,
How many people see them wander,
North-Holland, silent, respectable ground,
Must again pay its toll,
Enkhuizen, hear, hear, of the evil,
Recently proven so cruelly with you,
An evil man from Hoorn’s descent,
Frightens all the people.

A widow who, already old-aged,
Lived off a bar or commerce,
Had by her hard work amassed,
Which caution gave her,
The thirteenth of January’s day,
Came the murderer named Jan Kenper,
Spoke, woman give me some entertainment,
Just for four cents will you know.

The woman refused him that request,
Because of certain good reasons,
Though he, for greed, was not slow,
So he further professed ,
Aware that she still possessed money,
Thought, woman here you will soon die,
That money will be my treasure in a little while,
When you have been robbed of life.

The murder-dagger struck he into her heart,
Took from her over 200 guilders,
Take revenge, oh Heaven, with a pain,
How can you tolerate such in silence.
But no, Jan Kenper heard the voice,
The revenge of Heaven raised,
Your crime lives, and soon for him
The verdict of the one who does not tolerate it.

There he sits, led by money,
Desire brought him into suffering,
And soon he will be dedicated to the executioner,
To cut off the sinful body,
Oh! People avoid the horror-evil,
Do not desire your neighbour’s goods for yourself,
If you prefer to steal for scorn and libel,
Then the Judge must bend over you.

It is possible upon this noble ground,
That people cannot avoid this evil,
And pure virtue found its seat,
Separated from rudeness,
Yes, but the heart smothered by sin,
Wrapped in wantonness,
Deludes himself that he revives his lust,
Trample then gruesome deeds and sins.

murder