# Der Lutheraner_St. Louis Missouri_1854 10 10_S26
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

26

obeyed without delay, on pain of divine wrath and bodily death. He preached often, and the signal for the assembly was a cannon shot. Once Matthies commanded that everyone should report whatever gold, silver and other coin he had, and deliver it into the common chest on pain of loss of body and life; and a special building was appointed for this, where some persons, called deacons, were to have oversight and administration of the common property. On account of this stern command the people were greatly terrified, but to save their lives everyone was obedient. And there were two maidens there who had (so it was claimed) prophesying spirits, which disclosed everything, wherever anyone had dared to cheat. Moreover the said prophet commanded that no one henceforth should read any book except the Bible alone; all other writings they had to bring to one place and have burned there. This command also the prophet gave out as God's revelation and commandment.*) Meanwhile it happened that a smith, by the name of Hubert Truteling, had let fall some displeasing words about those who arrogated to themselves prophecy and secret revelation. Matthies learned of it, called together the whole multitude of the people, commanded that everyone should appear armed, accused the said smith before the multitude, and brought it about that he was condemned to death. The poor smith, who had offended the Anabaptist majesty, how he was put to death by the monster who wanted to be a man of God! The prophet seized the poor smith, laid him down before him on the ground and stabbed him with a spear. The smith, not mortally wounded at once, springs up and wants to defend himself, whereupon the prophet orders him led aside, then takes a gun and shoots the smith through, so that he soon afterward dies. Yet Matthies was soon to find his judge. He ran through the city with a long spear and cried that God had commanded him to drive the enemies away from the city; he went out through the gate as far as the enemy's camp, and there he was run through by a soldier. Thereby his prophecy was of course found out to be a fraud; but men were now once for all darkened, would not hear and see and become sensible, but wished to carry on the mad dance further. Whom God will destroy, he first makes blind. —

This is so far a prelude to the things that were now to come. Only now the chief hero of our history steps upon the stage, who will set still greater things before our eyes and perform deeds that are more than astonishing; it is Johann Bockold of Leyden, whose mention was made above, but who did not stand out further in the earlier history. Matthies was, as said, dead, was dead and stayed dead. Bockold comforted the people, declared that he had had a revelation that the same man should die thus and come to an end, and took the prophet's wife as his own wife.

*) Many a fine antiquity, still from the time of Emperor Charlemagne, is said to have been burned.

Two days before Easter, on Good Friday, it happened that Knipperdolling, the burgomaster, had all the bells rung, had the people come into a church, and prophesied that within a short time it would come to pass that those who were now highly exalted would be abased, and others, who at this time were mean and lowly, would be set upon the highest seat. At the same time he commanded that all church towers, as the highest points of the city, be thrown down, and all churches and monasteries be torn down. The mob went almost eagerly to the work, raged, smashed in, tore down, stole and plundered. Dreadful, when men lay the semblance of holiness upon the worst atrocities!

Johann Bockold was not stupid; he caught the burgomaster Knipperdolling with his own words. Ha, said he, if everything high is to be laid low, then you must come down from your burgomaster's seat and henceforth administer the lowliest office of all. He then gave him the executioner's sword, and made him headsman and hangman. Knipperdolling, whether he would or no, had to take it, and from that time was executioner in Münster.

About Pentecost 1534 the city was hard stormed, and the bishop lost many men, and especially many from Meissen, who were for the most part of the nobility, fell before the city.

Thereupon Bockold lay down to sleep, and remained thus three days slumbering on end. When he awoke again he spoke not a word, asked for paper, and wrote upon it twelve men by name, who were to have the government over everything, saying that this was the unalterable will of God. Thus the tailor paved himself a way to the kingdom, which he intended to take upon himself when the time should come. He also drew up twelve articles, of which the chief was that no man should be bound to one wife alone, but that one might have many wives at the same time. The preachers would indeed not allow this practice, but Bockold appealed to his revelations, threatened the preachers with brave weighty words, went and took three wives at once, and others soon followed this example and did likewise, and proclaimed it a special praise when a man entered into the estate of marriage many times. But some honest citizens, to whom this affair was highly displeasing, would no longer look idly on, had it proclaimed that whoever was devoted to the pure doctrine of the Gospel should come to the market. These then seized the prophet, Knipperdolling the executioner, and all the Anabaptist teachers. But it was not long before the mob gathered together with rage and tumult, took the prisoners back, and slew of the honest citizens some fifty most pitifully. Some they bound to trees, others to posts, and shot them dead with guns. Meanwhile the prophet ran about and cried that whoever wished to do God an acceptable service should be the first to shoot at them. Knipperdolling was also busy in this; some he cut the head off, others he cut in two through the middle.

Now Bockold thought he could venture more. On St. John's Day a certain Johann Tausentschuer (from Warendorf, a goldsmith) came forward and said before the people in the market that it was the will and command of the Father in heaven that Johann Bockold of Leyden should be king over the whole world and with strong armament and a great host of people go forth to slay all kings and princes without distinction and to spare only the common people, namely those who loved righteousness, and he should thus possess the throne of his father David, until God the Father should require the kingdom again of him. But he should first destroy all the ungodly, that the godly alone might rule here on earth.

Hardly had the goldsmith finished speaking when, behold, Johann of Leyden fell upon his knees, lifted his eyes toward heaven and said: Dear men and brethren, this I knew well many days ago, but I would not reveal it myself, and for the sake of greater credence God the Father in heaven has used another servant for this.

So the former tailor's journeyman became king over all the world and at once dismissed the twelve men of the government. Johann of Leyden knew what befits a king, and that too should not be lacking to him, namely court and royal ornaments. He appointed court servants of every kind, forgot not the chamberlain, still less the cupbearer, privy councillors, chancellor and the orator. Only the court poet was not thought of. And who was more suitable as orator than Rottmann? King Johann now also had two crowns made, scepters and the like, all of the finest gold. The title which he assumed in his letters to princes ran: Johann, by the grace of God King in the new Temple of God, a true servant of righteousness by the power of the city of Münster. The coat of arms was a globe with a cross set upon it, pierced through on both sides. He also had golden and silver coins struck with the words: Dat Wort is fleisch geworden un wenet in uns. We nich gebore is uth de wat un geis mac nich ingaen int rike Gades etc. tho M. 1534. Whenever he went among the crowds his court servants accompanied him; sometimes he rode with thirty stallions, wore a garment of silver, lined with red velvet and fastened together with golden clasps. His crown, a Bible and a bare sword were carried behind him. Guards in blue and white silk, like the clouds in heaven, ran about him. And with such splendor his wife also, the queen, came along. Besides, he kept thirteen other wives, among them Knipperdolling's young daughter. —