...that Jan will deliver it home; although they said that it is not their duty: if this could happen for the sake of peace, then it would be soul-peace: what do you think: was that not a good sign of better proof, and of perfect peace?

Yes indeed, they did that for the sake of Pieter Danielsen and Claas Jacobfez, who do not want to serve as Jan Willemszen needs them; Claas does not want to show Jan's request, otherwise the servants could have rested.

Hey men, are you crazy? They might have wanted to refuse because of the trouble; they could say to Pieter and Claas, if you do not want to serve, you may leave, we do not desire to step outside our duty.

Yes, farmer, I am saying it off, but what shall I say? It is so, it is, but not as it should be. Jan Willemszen, simple and naive, he does not know this folk yet; he thought all the poor people now were in complete peace, or red butter original: "roo Butter" — an idiom for something smooth, pleasant, or easy before the door, and spoke hard about baptism, about communion, or caused quarrels; but quickly, the servants did not want it. As Jan had already presented the candidates for baptism to the brothers, he was still there until he hovered forth and let the matter rest, which is little less than if one were mocking the people; what do you think, did that not satisfy well? Then it is now (God be praised) so far, that Pieter Pietersen, who has not cooked his food idiomatic: has not yet managed his own affairs, is gone.

As he with friendship departed?

It seemed at first as if he would have cleared it with a stench, for he stoked no small fire of discord for Jan Willemszen, but when Jan let him complete his desire to preach, it seemed all well now; we may hope that it will last long.

Dear, tell me, is that Claas Jacobfez really so proud and stubborn, that he does not want to preach when Jan needs him? He always seems to go there so simply.

Yes, friend, not true; he goes there as if he cannot count to ten, and it is as I have said to you, this has lasted for years and days, and then people give him the name and it is said by the common folk, that he is so small in himself, that he does not dare to preach in the cup likely referring to the pulpit.

Children, what hides under that simple cap? But dear, tell me, was there not a misunderstanding regarding Pieter Danielsez when he came into the congregation in Iannes possibly referring to a place or a specific community, and made so much to say about Jan?

There, those who had gathered stones would have had it come to the pinch.

Hey, say, what was it, or must one not know?

If you want to be silent, then I will tell you!

As is proper, just speak up, what was it?

I will tell you these pieces: one is that he wanted to separate two young people who were betrothed to each other, because of a word, marriage, or promise, all because the servant did not have as many goods as they thought. The other was that when his sister in Enckhupsen was playing the banquet, he went silently away and sent to get company, and warned neither friend nor brother. Yes, if one of our brothers asked him doubtfully, and said he heard such rumors, he encouraged him and said there was no difficulty, but he went forth immediately and sent to take care of himself. Thirdly, as the friends of his brother-in-law said that one should move forward with the same man, and would seek to help the creditors somewhat, also to keep the young people in their honor, and also all the friends, he gave as an answer that he had nothing to do with that worldly honor, he would not give a penny to it; what do you think of our Bishop? And such strong things would have come to light long before, but now it is better weighed, as one has received hindrance from speaking, says our Doctor.

It is all long since clapped out of school; it seems to me you know how to do nothing but pull evil from everyone; then I must again say something to excuse our friend Pieter Pietersen, because I hold him principally for something, he is a good servant, and I believe firmly as Hans Broer says, that he makes his little book out of good meaning, but Jan out of a spiteful meaning.

Yes, dear friend, it is not done with saying; then I will leave it to God, out of how much holier meaning Pieter made his little book than Jan, to judge that we have no say; is it not true, Jan Thuenessen?

Ha, ha, ha! If that is the measure, but peace, peace, God is with that; yet I must say so much to it, if you treat Jan as Hans de Rijs treated our pious servant Nittert Obbes, then he has not yet had all the holy evening.

Yes, yes, if you begin to speak of that difficulty, then it is best that we go.

If you want; we will not make each other wiser.

How close do you think, men, that I would hit you on your four possibly meaning "on your feet" or a dismissive gesture?

Adieu, may it go well.

You too, may it go with you.

Go long enough; if you pay me, and do right, then I am satisfied.

---

BIBL. DOOPSG. GEM. A'DAM Library of the Mennonite Congregation in Amsterdam
Hill 2453
D63538b

Pl. 65-84
28

Jan Thuenessen, since you are a lover who gladly has the truth in the light, and therefore it is your desire to share something with me, so it is: that I send this to you on the same hope, trusting that it will not remain under the corn measure, but be preached upon the roof. It has been out of rest for a long time, because we could not get anyone who could make the signs between them, and eventually what had to be corrected was reached by a good friend in Alcmaer.

Disputation

Between two countrymen, happened to Jan Thuenessen / in the Oude Burch-Steech /

regarding the moving away with the family / of Pieter Pietersen Kistemaaker / and

Exhorter in the Rijp formerly / now moved with the family

to Serdam.

Beloved reader, I could not refrain from making this Disputation common to you, so that you might notice the mishandlings of those who fly so high in spiritual matters, and drive above God's Word, just as the thought-of Pieter Pietersen has shown with the making of a little book, named Vreden-stadts vvech Peace-City's Way: which, since he finally after the making of this book, moved from the Rijp to Serdam with his family, firmly before and during his departure, he spread many evil rumors against his attending teacher and elder, Jan Willemsz Doctor in the Rijp, just as if he almost had to retreat or flee as a martyr for the sake of righteousness; and that Jan Willemszen D. has been his persecutor, a cause of his moving away; which (in the disputation heard by the people) remains proven to be false. Therefore, read impartially, and note well this farmers' dispute, you will soon notice the faults of Pieter Pietersen and his Vreden-stadts Peace-City citizens. The disputers were a Cees and a Pieter, yet Jan Thuenessen speaks and asks first, where they first touch upon each other.

---

Ho, men, welcome, welcome, where do you come from?

From the Rijp, on the Eplandt together, so they say.

Well, well, I have good acquaintance there; tell me how it goes with Pieter Pietersen and Jan Willemszen? Do you know those men well?

Yes, I, very well; they were still in good standing when we moved out, but whether Pieter is still there, I do not know.

How so? Would he be moving away, or traveling from home?

Yes brother, there is great sorrow on the Eplandt.

How so? What is happening?

Yes, our best Exhorter Pieter Pietersen will move away with his family, such a decent man, that some say the dove is moving away, and that we are keeping the untruth; yes, some call him the eyes of the blind and the foot of the cripple, and that good man had made a little book, which was presented by our Exhorter Claas Jacobsen, and by our Bishop Pieter Danielsen, and with their consent it was to go out: which little book some compare to the Sun, others to the Child Jesus; and because of this little book, Jan Willemszen was so embittered, that Pieter Pietersen in the end had to move away with his family.

Holla friend, holla, do not put lies in the hand of the people; do you say that Pieter had to move away because of Jan Willemszen?

It is so said by the people.

Yes friend, one hears a lot from hearsay; I have heard it otherwise, namely: that those from Serdam first asked Jan to come to them with his family, and offered to buy his house, standing in the Rijp, and to build it up anew in Serdam: this was somewhat in deliberation for Jan Willemszen, he spoke about it with his wife, who was very inclined to it; meanwhile, Pieter Pietersen comes to Jan Willemszen for a chat, then Jan let him know how fully those from Serdam offered him; what did Pieter have to do? He went silently away and offered himself to those from Serdam, through a Willem Allertsen (alias Vreden-stadts citizen) from Alcmaer, that he would well like to come to them with his family; those from Serdam, not knowing whether Jan Willemszen would agree or not, they gaped while their porridge and beans became, and asked Pieter immediately: that sounds surely very differently.

BIBL. DOOPSG. GEM. A'DAM