Vervolgh van de derde Justitie gedaen in 's Gravenhaghe
Title
Subtitle
Continuation of the third justice done in the Court of the Hague to Hendricus Slatius, and Jan and Abraham Blanckerts, and Wilm Pertey van Leyen, and of their principal words that were spoken at the gallows at the moment of their deaths, and this was seen on the fifth of May, and it is sung to the tune of the death of the King of France, etc.
Synopsis
A heated theological and political conflict had raged in the Low Countries between the Arminians (from 1610 also called Remonstrants) and Gomarists for more than a decade when it came to a head with the Synod of Dort (1618/19), which decided in favour of the Gomarists. The Synod led to the 1619 execution of the Republic's greatest statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, who had supported the Arminian cause. In revenge his sons Reinier and Willem conspired to assassinate the (Gomarist) Dutch stadholder Maurits of Nassau, Prince of Orange. Other prominent members of Dutch society who had political, religious or personal grudges against the Prince lent their support. The plot was betrayed in February 1623, and the conspirators arrested and executed from March to May.
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Transcription
Godt wil haer Ziel gheleye
Op den vijfden dach in Meye
Zijn daer vier ghejusticeert,
Ghenadelijcke met den zweert,
Al in des s'Graven Haghe
Och t'is om te beclaghe
Dat haer sinnen dus waren verkeert.
Smorgens tussen acht en negen uren,
Werden dees vier met trueren,
Ghebracht op 't Hof of op de Zael,
Op de Rolle principael,
Daer wert ghelesen haer Sentenci
Voor elck in presenci,
Van haer misdaden al te mael.
Haer misdaden haer voor ghelesen,
En daer ter doot verwesen,
Doen werden sy weer gheleyt,
Op de ghevanghen Poort voorseyt,
En daer naer sonder schromen
Isser een voor ghecomen,
Op het Schavot t'dient verbreyt.
D'eerste Slatius quaet van fame
Stracks op 't Schavot daer quame,
Om aldaer te sterven den doot,
Om zijn boos misdaden snoot,
Aen de handen wert hy ontsloten,
Dit heeft hy noch ghenoten
Om vry en lyber te spreken bloot.
Hy ginck en stont weerspannich,
Heel wreedelijck tyrannich,
Heeft hy heen en weer ghesien,
En hy sprack voor alle Lien,
Dese woorden onbeloken
Die heeft hy al ghesproken,
Die men u hier int Liedt bediet.
Hy sprack eerlijcke Borghers vrye
Hier hebt ghy nu al mye,
Hendricus Slatius int ghespan,
Ick ben Slatius die Man,
Ick ben hier totter doot benopen,
Daer menich soo om heeft gheropen
Om my aldus te schouwen an.
Jae menich als verwoede,
Heeft ghedorst nae mijn bloede
Noch sprack hy stout onbevreest,
Ick ben de quaetste noyt gheweest,
Zoo 't blijcken sal uyt mijn Sentency
Voor elck in presency,
Dit sprack hy met een stouten gheest.
Ick heb getracht altijt na moderacy
Maer die daer souden sijn och lacy,
Middelaren in dit punt,
Die hebbent u misleyt en misgunt,
Tis waer ick ben hier toe ghecomen,
Ter schanden met onvromen,
Moet ick nu sterven om dit punckt.
Tgeen dat ick hier hebb' bedreven,
Dat sal my Godt vergheven
Dan zijt versekert met verstant,
Daer hangt een plaghe over't Lant,
Daer op riep al het volck ghemene
Met Gods gracy hopen wy nene,
Wech met den Verrader aen een kant.
Men behoort hem in vier quartieren
Te houwen om sijn bestieren,
Die soo veel mannen heeft verleyt,
Om te doen 't moordadich feyt,
Aen onsen Edelen Prins verheven
Te brenghen om het leven,
Hem geschiet noch groote ghenadicheyt.
Den Predicant Lamotius eersame
Die eerst bij Slatius quame,
Hy gaf hen gheen ghehoor valjant,
Maer hy wees hem wech van der hant
Noch vraechde Lamotius coene,
Oft hy zijn ghebedt wou doene,
Neen antwoorde hy constant.
Dan hy woude selve Bede
Maer men sach niet dat hy 't dede,
Maer hy bleef al even verhart,
In sijn boos voornemen verwert,
Dees meester van dees verradersche fielen
Tquam so veer dat hy sou knielen,
Om te sterven den doot met smart.
Den Scherprechter dit versinden
Wou hem d'ooghen blinden,
Maer hy en heeftet niet begheert,
Maer hy deed' selfs metter veert,
Den doeck al voor sijn ooghen
Meester Gherrit al ongheloghen,
Bantse achter toe al metter veert.
Doen sprack dees verradersche fiele
Ick beveel mijne Ziele
In den Naem des Vaders onbevreest
Des Zoons ende des heyligen Geest,
Den Scherprechter ginck hem pogen,
Hy heeft t' Swaert uyt ghetoghen,
Om t'hooft t'afhouwen onbedeest.
Slatius wilde sonder ghecken,
Den doeck wat lagher trecken,
Maer den Beul hem t'voordeel af sach
Gaf hem met t'Swaert alsucken slach,
Dat zijn hooft van den rompe solde,
En van 't Schavot af rolde,
En noch salmen u doen ghewach.
Hoe sijn rechter hant ontrouwen
Met dien slach is afghehouwen
En sijn slincker hant oock mee,
Dat sy al hingh by gheree,
Dus dede God daer een teecken,
Voor alle menschen wreecken,
Thoond' dat men hem sulcke gracy de.
Doen sachmen daer sonder letten
Zijn lichaem op een rat setten
En t'hooft op eenen staeck ghestelt,
Als sulcken verrader vermelt
Den tweeden t'was om te schromen,
Doen is daer voort ghecomen,
Jan Blanckert van Leyden verselt.
Hy toonde hem als de bedroefde
Want hem sulcks wel behoefde,
En hy sprack voor al t'volck saen
Heb ick yemant yet misdaen,
Met woorden oft wercken bedreven,
Och wiltet my doch vergheven.
Ja, Ja, riep al het volck seer saen.
Noch sprack hy dese reden
Och wilt doch voor mijn beden
En hy dede oock zijn ghebedt,
Trock een root mutsjen over d'oogen net
Den Scherprechter sonder flouwen
Heeft hem t'hooft afghehouwen
Aen een sijde toeghedeckt gheset.
Den derden Abraham Blanckaert
Die oock mede als Janckaert
Op 't Schavot thoonde groot berou
Ghy vrome Borgers ick heb een Vrou
En vijf kinderen bij desen
Wilt haer niet verwijtich wesen:
Dat ick moet sterven met vergrou.
Om den Prins te brenghen om 't leven
Ginck ick my noyt begheven,
Noch my daer oock niet toe gheneert
Dan wy sochten metter veert
Den Secretaris sonder lieghen
Meenden wy te bedrieghen
Die ons sulcx heeft aen ghepresenteert.
Als hy ghe-eyndicht had zijn reden
Doen heeft hy selfs ghebeden
Doen riep hy ten anderen mael
Teghen d'omstaenders generael
Och willet my al vergheven
Heb ick yemant misdaen in mijn leven
Daer op riepen sy jae princepael.
Doen ginck hy daer neder kniele
Bevelende Godt zijn Ziele,
En in Godts handen zijnen Gheest,
Den Scherprechter onbevreest
Heeft hem voor Mans en Vrouwen
Den hals daer afghehouwen
Dattet hooft ter Aerde viel bedeest.
Doen gingen sy sonder ghecken
Zijn Lichaem me toedecken,
En gheleyt mee aen deen sy
Ten vierden quam Willem Party,
Op 't Schavot is hy ghecomen
En hy sprak sonder schromen
O ghy vrome Burgers hoort na my.
Ick en sochte den Prins verheven
Noyt te brenghen om t'leven,
Maer ick meende te bedrieghen wis,
Van Bleyswijck Secretarius,
Als hy ons t'ghelt hadde ghegheven
Wy trocken sonder sneven,
Al nae des 's Gravenhaghe fris.
Op den wech waren wy ghecomen
Doen hebben wy vernomen,
Dat d'Aenslagh was gheopenbaert,
Doen vluchten wy wech beswaert,
Ende noch meer andere reden
Die hy t'volck daer dede
Als in zijn Sentencie wert verclaert.
Doen nam hy oorlof onbeladen
Legghen hier mijn Cameraden,
Daer mee meende hy die andere dry
Die ghepasseert waren d'Justicy
Laetse my sien sonder treuren
Ten mocht hem niet ghebeuren
Ter doot begaf hem Willem Party:
Doen ginck hy daer neder kniele
Bevelende Godt zijn Ziele
Vader in u handt beveel ick mijn Geest,
Riep hy voor t'volck minst en meest,
Een root Mutsjen trock hy over d'oogen
Den Beul heeftet sweert uytghetoghen,
En sloech hem 't hooft af seer onbevreest.
Jan en Abraham Willem Pertye,
Die werden noch alle drye,
Daer begraven in de aert,
Jonck en out vermaert,
Waer ghy zijt by daegh, en nachten,
Bidt Godt om goede ghedachten
Dat hy u van alle quaet bewaert.
God will you lead her soul
On the fifth day in May
There were four judged,
Mercifully with the sword,
In The Hague
Oh it is to commiserate
That their thoughts were wrong.
In the morning between eight and nine hours,
These four were with sadness,
Brought to the Court or upon the Hall,
Upon the principal pulley,
There her sentence was read
For each present,
Of their misdeeds in a court hearing.
Their misdeeds were read to them,
And there sentenced to death,
Then they were again led,
To the prison ahead,
And there to, without shame
One came before
Upon the scaffold growing wide.
The first Slatius, famous for evil,
Soon came upon the scaffold,
To die the death there,
Because of his bad, evil misdeeds,
His hands were unchained,
This he still enjoyed
To free and freely speak plainly.
He went and stood recalcitrant,
Very cruelly tyrannical,
He saw to and fro,
And spoke before all the folk,
These words without restraints,
He has already spoken them,
As this song relates to you.
He spoke: honest, free citizens,
Here you have me now,
Hendrick Slatius in custody,
I am Slatius, that man,
I am here confined to death,
Which many have called for
To look upon me thus.
Yes many, frantically,
Thirsted after my blood
Still he spoke daringly unafraid:
I have never been the worst,
So it will become clear from my sentence.
For each present,
This he spoke with an audacious mind.
I have always attempted to be moderate
But those who would be there, oh unfortunately,
Mediators on this point,
They have misled and begrudged you,
It is true I have come to this,
To shame with ungodly [people],
But I will now die for this point.
That which I have practiced here,
That God shall forgive me
Then be assured with sense,
There hangs a plague over the land.
Thereupon all the folk cried together
With God’s grace we hope not
Away with the traitor, away.
They should hew him into four quarters for his misleading,
Which has tempted so many men,
To do the murderous fact,
To kill our elevated noble Prince,
No great mercy will befall him.
The preacher Lamotius, honourable,
Who first came to Slatius,
He valiantly gave them no hearing,
But he rejected him,
Nevertheless the valorous Lamotius asked
If he wanted to do his prayers,
No, he answered constantly.
Then he wanted to pray himself,
But people did not see him do it,
But he remained constantly hardened,
Tangled up in his evil intent,
This master of these treacherous rogues
It came to the point where he kneeled,
To die the death with sorrow.
The executioner understanding this
Wanted to cover his eyes,
But he did not want that,
But he himself with speed, did
The cloth before his eyes,
Master Gerrit truthfully
Bound [it] at the back with speed.
Then spoke this treacherous rogue
I fearlessly command my soul
In the name of the Father,
The Son and the holy Ghost,
The executioner prepared himself,
He has displayed the sword,
To brazenly sever the head.
Slatius wanted, earnestly,
To pull the cloth a bit lower,
But the executioner, preventing him from this benefit,
Gave him such a strike with the sword,
That his head rolled from his torso,
And [it] rolled off the scaffold,
And still people will report it to you.
How his right hand unfaithfully
With that swing was hewn off
And also with his left hand,
That they already hung by [their] desire,
So did God give a sign there,
For all avenging people,
Showing that He gave him such grace.
Then they without delay
Put his body on the wheel
And the head put on a pike,
Like such a traitor states
The second, it was shameful,
Then there came forth,
Jan Blanckert from Leyden.
He showed himself as the sad [one]
Because such befitted him
And he soon spoke before all the people
Have I misdone anything to anyone,
Done with words or actions,
Oh will you then forgive me.
Yes, Yes, all the people called soon.
Then he spoke this speech
Oh will you pray for me
And he too did his prayers,
Neatly pulled a red cap over the eyes
The executioner without flaws
Has severed his head
[and] put it covered on one side.
The third Abraham Blanckaert
Who likewise also like a crying man
Upon the scaffold showed great remorse
You pious citizens, I have a wife
And five children at this time
Will you not reproach her:
That I must die with fear.
To kill the Prince
I never went to do
Nor have I been inclined thereto
That we sought with speed
Without lies, the Secretary
We thought to deceive
Who presented us as such.
When he ended his speech
Then he prayed himself
Then he called again
To the general bystanders
Oh will you then forgive me
Have I misdone anything to anyone in my life
Thereupon they called principally yes.
Then he went and kneeled down there
Commanding to God his soul,
And in God’s hands his spirit,
The executioner unafraid
Has, in front of men and women,
Severed his neck there
That his head fell to Earth timidly.
Then they went earnestly
To cover his body
And lay it on the side
Fourth came Willem Party,
Upon the scaffold he came
And he spoke without fear
Oh you pious citizens hear me.
I never sought to kill the elevated Prince,
But I thought to cheat truly,
Van Bleyswijck’s Secretary,
Since he had given us money
We went without scruples
Then briskly to The Hague.
We were coming upon the road
When we learned
That the attempt had been revealed,
Then we fled away encumbered
And for more other reasons
Than which he gave the people there
Than in his sentencing was explained.
Then he, unburdened, took license
Lying here my comrades,
There he thought those other three
Who had passed by the Law
Let me see without sadness
It could not happen to him
To death gave himself Willem Party:
Then he went down upon his knees
Commanding to God his soul
Father in your hand I command my soul
He called for the people, low and high,
A red cap he pulled over the eyes
The executioner has displayed the sword,
And slew off his head very unafraid.
Jan and Abraham Willem Pertye,
They were then all three,
Buried there in the earth,
Young and old infamous,
Where you are by day and nights,
Pray God for good thoughts
That he keeps you safe from all evil.
Translation by Rena Bood
Date
Notes
2. In early-modern Dutch, the phrase ‘te sterven den doot’ (or any variation thereof) is commonly found, especially in prose and poetry.
3. The first ‘free’ refers to his state as unchained and thus free, the second ‘free’ refers to his manner of speaking.
4. ‘bloot’ literally translates to ‘naked’
5. These two line literally translate to “To our noble Prince elevated / to kill” (‘brenghen om het leven’ is a Dutch phrase meaning ‘to kill’).
6. The crowd
7. Being Slatius who rejects the preacher.
8. ‘van de hand wijsen’ is a Dutch saying meaning ‘to reject’ or ‘to veto,’ ‘to disapprove.’
9. The executioner
10. I moved ‘onbevreest’ from the following line here for syntactic reasons.
11. The word ‘verselt’ is a verb which means ‘to sell’ but within the context of the text this makes little sense.