Document: Declaration of Tryntje Hans respecting a fight between Jan the cooper and another man who was wounded in the scuffle

Tryntjen Hans, wife of Hans Nicolaes, aged about 36 years, at present pregnant, certifies at the request of the fiscal, on her conscience, in place and with promise of a solemn oath if necessary, that it is true that in the night between the 17th and the 18th of September there was for full two hours a great uproar at the house of Hendric, the smith,[1] and that about between twelve and one o’clock in the night Jan, the cooper,[2] sprang out of the above mentioned house and the wounded man (whose name she does not know) came out after the cooper. The aforesaid Jan said to the wounded one: “If you are an upright fellow, now stand by your statements.” She, the deponent, declares she then saw the above mentioned Jan, the cooper, and the wounded man grapple with each other and fall to the ground. The smith’s daughter, standing in the doorway, said: “ Jan, don’t draw your knife.” The cooper answered: “I have no knife.” She heard the wounded man say: “I have enough,” and Hendric, the smith, himself pulled the cooper off the wounded man outside the door. Afterwards Jan went into the house. About a half hour later the wounded man came to the door and begged Hendric to let him in, saying: “I have had enough;” which was refused. She, the deponent, not wishing to hear the wounded man’s words and entreaties any longer, shut her door. This the deponent declares to be as true and certain as that God will make her a happy mother. The 19th of September 1646.

Hans Rodesroch