❧
A
rare
and
straunge
Discourse
,
of
a
notorious
and
cruell
Murderer
,
named
Christeman
Gempertinga
,
who
leading
a
bloody
life
of
longe
time
,
and
beeing
at
last
apprehended
therefore
confessed
that
in
his
life
time
he
had
slaine
nine
hundred
,
three
score
and
foure
persons
,
and
entended
to
murder
still
,
till
he
had
made
vp
the
account
of
a
thousand
.
For
which
horrible
murders
,
hee
was
executed
in
the
Towne
of
Berkessell
,
neere
to
the
Cittie
of
Mentz
in
Germanie
.
IN
the
Forrest
of
Frasburg
,
within
a
league
of
Berkessell
,
there
liued
for
the
space
of
13.
yeeres
one
Christeman
Gempertinga
of
Corpen
,
two
leagues
distaunce
from
Collen
,
whose
only
maintenaunce
was
by
robbing
and
spoyling
of
the
passingers
,
and
such
a
fit
and
commodious
place
for
his
purpose
he
had
prouided
himselfe
of
,
as
he
might
at
pleasure
discerne
them
that
traueiled
on
the
hye
wayes
,
either
to
Mentz
,
Dietenhausen
,
Treuers
,
or
Duche
de
Luxenbourg
,
to
which
places
Merchauntes
did
ordinarily
traffique
,
because
they
were
Townes
of
great
commoditie
for
their
affaires
.
And
as
they
trauailed
thorow
this
Forrest
,
he
and
his
companions
would
set
vppon
them
,
and
hauing
robbed
them
of
their
goods
and
treasure
,
would
likewise
dispoyle
them
of
their
liues
,
and
afterward
cause
them
to
bee
throwen
into
a
deepe
pit
in
the
Forrest
,
which
he
had
ordained
for
the
purpose
:
as
for
theyr
apparell
,
weapons
and
such
like
,
he
caryed
to
his
Caue
,
which
in
time
was
so
well
stored
with
Harquebuses
,
Swordes
,
Murrians
,
Partisans
and
Corssetes
,
that
a
great
strength
could
not
haue
ouer
come
him
and
his
companyons
.
And
for
the
goods
,
which
he
tooke
from
the
Merchauntes
and
passengers
,
his
Caue
was
so
well
furnished
there
with
,
beeing
of
all
sorts
of
Merchandise
,
and
wares
belonging
to
the
Allemaignes
and
other
Nations
:
as
the
quantitie
thereof
was
iudged
sufficient
to
furnish
a
Fayre
and
the
value
thereof
esteemed
more
worth
,
then
70000.
Florins
of
gold
of
Allemaigne
.
And
besides
,
there
was
founde
in
his
Caue
also
when
he
was
taken
,
so
great
store
of
wine
,
bread
,
flesh
,
reysons
,
&
figs
,
as
would
haue
suffised
him
for
one
whole
yeere
.
Amongst
all
the
passengers
that
traueiled
thorowe
this
Forrest
,
it
chaunced
one
day
,
that
a
proper
woman
of
Popert
neere
the
Rhine
A
Coopers
daughter
went
to
see
her
brethren
&
had
occasion
to
passe
that
way
,
this
villanous
murderer
hauing
espyed
her
,
made
hast
to
her
,
and
hauing
dispoiled
her
of
such
thinges
as
she
had
about
her
,
intended
to
murder
her
,
as
he
had
doon
all
the
other
:
but
being
ouercome
with
the
sight
of
her
fayre
face
and
body
,
helde
hys
handes
,
and
intreated
her
to
keepe
him
company
there
in
that
place
,
and
be
contended
with
that
kinde
of
life
which
he
vsed
,
otherwise
he
would
likewise
kil
her
.
The
woman
fearefull
of
death
,
and
seeing
the
horrible
massacre
of
dead
bodyes
in
the
pit
before
her
,
whom
she
should
keepe
company
if
she
denyed
his
request
:
consented
vnto
him
,
and
promised
neuer
to
betray
or
reueale
him
to
any
,
whereby
his
life
might
stand
in
any
hazard
.
On
this
condition
he
lead
her
with
him
into
his
Caue
and
there
she
liued
with
him
for
the
space
of
7.
yeeres
,
in
which
time
she
had
6.
Children
by
him
,
which
so
soone
as
they
were
borne
,
hee
would
take
them
and
breake
theyr
neckes
and
pull
them
by
the
feete
and
head
to
streatch
them
in
length
and
afterward
would
goe
hange
them
vp
on
a
high
place
that
he
had
prouided
for
the
nonce
:
and
then
he
would
stand
looking
on
them
,
and
seeing
the
winde
to
make
them
waue
vp
and
downe
,
this
merciles
villaine
would
say
:
Daunce
daunce
my
loouing
Children
,
for
Gempertinga
your
Father
dooth
sounde
you
a
daunce
.
It
was
a
meruailous
greefe
and
great
hart
breaking
to
the
poore
woman
,
to
see
her
tender
Infantes
vsed
so
despitefully
by
theyr
owne
Father
,
and
gladly
she
would
haue
beene
rid
of
that
kinde
of
lyfe
,
but
that
she
could
not
get
thence
by
any
meanes
:
for
hee
had
tyed
her
with
a
chaine
,
and
she
could
goe
no
furder
then
the
Chaine
gaue
her
libertie
,
which
pollicie
he
vsed
,
least
she
should
escape
away
while
hee
and
his
companions
were
abroad
,
and
so
his
dealings
might
be
discouered
.
After
that
he
had
robbed
and
killed
for
a
long
season
,
he
grewe
doubtfull
of
his
companions
,
and
euery
day
did
more
and
more
mistrust
them
:
so
that
at
length
he
deuised
a
meane
to
ease
his
doubt
,
and
one
day
making
merry
amongst
them
,
he
conuayed
in
theyr
meate
and
drinke
such
a
violent
and
extreame
kinde
of
poyson
,
as
they
all
dyed
thereof
within
5.
or
six
houres
after
:
which
he
perceiuing
,
threwe
them
into
the
pit
to
the
other
bodyes
that
they
had
murdered
.
When
he
was
thus
rid
of
his
companions
,
and
had
no
body
left
with
him
but
the
woman
,
he
wexed
somwhat
doubtful
of
her
lykewise
:
but
God
willing
to
reueale
the
horrible
villainies
of
this
murderer
,
caused
the
woman
to
be
verie
importunat
in
request
to
him
,
that
she
might
go
see
her
freends
,
and
wrought
also
in
his
minde
so
accordingly
,
that
hee
gaue
her
leaue
to
goe
,
assuring
him selfe
on
her
promise
,
that
she
would
neuer
reueale
him
.
She
went
and
sawe
her
Parents
,
and
returned
againe
without
vttering
any
worde
of
him
,
which
made
him
the
more
willing
to
suffer
her
to
go
againe
,
and
entring
the
streetes
of
Berkessel
,
she
sawe
little
children
playing
,
the
sight
wherof
,
and
the
remembrance
how
villainously
her
owne
children
were
murdred
,
caused
her
to
fal
into
extreeme
complaintes
and
passions
,
at
last
she
brake
foorth
into
these
dolorous
speeches
.
O
God
which
doost
maintaine
all
thinges
,
and
from
whome
the
death
of
my
children
cannot
be
hidden
,
&
who
knowest
the
promise
I
haue
made
by
constraint
:
beholde
me
in
mercie
,
and
pittie
the
anguishes
I
haue
endured
in
my
fleshe
and
blood
.
These
her
complaintes
were
so
pittiful
both
in
shew
&
hearing
,
that
many
gathered
about
her
to
know
the
cause
of
her
lamentations
,
and
very
earnest
they
were
with
her
to
vnderstand
the
cause
of
her
passionate
afflictions
:
but
they
could
by
no
meanes
preuaile
in
theyr
intents
,
for
that
she
sayde
,
she
had
protested
secrecie
of
her
greefes
by
solempne
oath
,
and
she
would
not
vtter
them
to
any
.
Some
of
them
that
stoode
by
&
heard
her
wordes
,
infourmed
the
Iustices
in
the
Towne
of
the
matter
,
whervpon
she
was
brought
before
them
,
and
there
she
continued
in
the
same
obstinate
opinion
she
dyd
before
:
neuerthelesse
,
they
labored
styl
with
her
,
&
gaue
her
to
vnderstand
,
that
a
wilful
oath
might
endammage
her
soule
,
and
by
reuealing
it
,
she
might
e●cape
many
daungerous
threatninges
for
the
contrary
.
By
which
perswasions
she
animated
her self
,
and
from
the
beginning
to
the
end
she
discoursed
the
whole
circumstaunce
by
particulers
,
of
the
murderer
and
his
lyuing
:
wherevppon
,
the
Iustices
concluded
with
her
,
what
course
she
should
take
to
preuayle
in
this
matter
,
both
to
betray
the
murderer
,
and
saue
her self
blamelesse
.
Not
long
after
they
put
in
readines
thyrtie
wel
appointed
Soldiours
,
who
should
folow
the
woman
a
farre
off
tyl
they
found
the
Caue
:
and
shee
(
according
to
the
Iustices
direction
(
tooke
with
her
a
bagge
of
Pease
,
which
she
scattered
along
the
way
as
she
went
,
by
which
meanes
the
Soldiours
could
not
misse
of
the
right
way
to
the
Caue
.
When
she
came
to
the
Caue
,
the
murderer
was
very
glad
of
her
returne
,
and
iesting
familiarly
with
her
,
at
last
he
layde
him
downe
on
the
ground
,
and
laide
his
head
in
her
lappe
,
where
by
her
rubbing
and
soft
scratching
it
,
he
fel
a
sleepe
.
Within
a
whyle
after
,
the
Soldiors
came
to
the
Caue
,
and
finding
him
thus
sleeping
,
they
laid
handes
on
him
,
and
bound
him
so
,
that
he
could
not
resist
them
:
which
hee
perceyuing
,
cried
out
,
O
thou
disloyall
whore
,
it
is
long
since
I
misdoubted
this
thy
trechery
,
&
I
thought
to
haue
sped
thee
with
the
rest
of
thy
fellowes
.
The
Soldiours
brought
him
with
them
to
Berkessel
,
where
being
put
to
the
torment
,
he
confessed
all
his
former
villainies
,
&
that
he
had
murdered
964.
persons
,
and
howe
he
intended
to
continew
in
murdering
styl
,
tyl
he
had
slaine
so
many
as
came
to
a
thousand
,
&
then
he
would
murder
no
more
:
and
to
verifie
his
wordes
,
the
Soldiours
presented
the
Iustices
a
scrowle
,
wherein
the
names
were
written
by
his
owne
hand
,
of
all
them
that
he
had
murdered
,
and
on
what
seueral
dayes
he
murdered
them
.
Heervpon
he
was
condemned
,
and
had
his
legges
and
armes
,
and
bones
broken
with
an
yron
instrument
fit
for
the
purpose
,
and
afterward
was
laide
on
a
Cart
wheele
without
the
Towne
(
as
it
is
the
maner
in
other
Countries
)
where
he
liued
for
the
space
of
nine
daies
after
,
being
daily
sustained
with
drinke
and
meat
,
to
maintayne
his
lyfe
in
some
extreame
paine
:
and
all
the
goodes
that
were
found
in
his
Caue
,
were
brought
to
the
Towne
,
and
they
and
the
woman
kept
in
holde
,
the
Magistrates
being
not
as
yet
resolued
how
to
deale
with
them
.
It
is
thought
,
that
had
not
the
Soldiors
found
him
so
sleeping
,
they
could
hardly
haue
taken
him
,
he
had
so
many
Caliuers
,
Harguebuses
,
and
Dags
ready
charged
in
his
Caue
,
&
was
of
himselfe
such
a
stoute
,
strong
and
actiue
man
,
&
the
place
where
he
was
,
did
serue
him
in
all
respects
able
to
resist
a
great
number
.
The
consideration
of
this
straunge
and
monstrous
discourse
,
I
committee
to
your
honours
good
construction
,
accounting
it
a
parte
of
my
duety
,
to
make
your
honour
acquainted
with
any
notable
thing
I
can
heare
of
:
And
so
I
humbly
take
my
leaue
.
FINIS
.