ill be learned from the narration of a
cotemporary, which was printed by the industrious Sutorius in his
history of Loewenburg, 1782.

"On the ninth of April, 1631, early in the morning, the following
gentlemen met at the council-house: first, the priest, secondly, the
King's judge, who was Elias Seiler, an advocate; thirdly, George Muemer,
a woollen wiseacre and cloth factor; fourthly, Schwob Franze, also a
cloth factor; fifthly, Dr. Melchior Huebner, who had been a miller's
man, and a broken down baker; sixthly, Master Daniel Seiler, a joiner;
seventhly, Peter Beyer, the town clerk; all these took possession of
the councillors' chairs. The worshipful burgomaster was ill of the
gout. Then the priest who had the upper-hand in the council made a
proposal in the following words: 'My beloved children in the Church,
hearing that you intend sending an embassage to the court of his
Kingly[38] Majesty at Vienna, I and the worthy King's judge have, on
mature consideration, come to the conclusion, that before you break up
it would be well for you to compel all the women to adopt our religion.
You would thereby obtain for yourselves great favour at court. Also I
will not fail to give you letters of recommendation, to my highly
esteemed honourable cousin Herr Pater Lemmermann, now confessor to his
Kingly Majesty, who certainly has much influence in all secret
deliberations, representing to him how indefatigable and zealous you
have been, and have brought the women into the right way, so that all
you who are now here together may receive a special gratulation.
Therefore proceed zealously; if they are not willing, you have towers
and prisons enough to compel them.'

"On this proposition votes were taken all round, and first the King's
judge spoke: 'Yea, gentlemen, as I am willing to undertake such a
journey for the advantage of the town, it seems good to me that this
project should be carried out with zeal and earnestness. If they are
not willing, let the most distinguished of them be put in confinement.
I wager that the others will soon give in. They will come and beg that
they may be let out. Many will be glad that their wives run away and
they be quit of them. If we have been able to bring the men into the
right path, why should we not be able to deal with these little
brutes?'

"Herr Muemer, 'the woollen wiseacre,' said: 'I have been a widower six
weeks; I can well tell what cross a man must bear when his conscience
is moved