Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/164

 156

NOTES AND QUERIES.

S. NO 8., FEB. 23. '56.

against suffering by taking medicine. They might liave added that he was twenty years younger than the Ruart. Probably, when he made the offer he knew that it would not be accepted.

Tichelaer's account of his interview with the Ruart is full and precise. He was a perfect stranger. The Ruart was sick in bed, yet at once proposed to him to assassinate the Prince of Orange. I shall not repeat this, as it is to be found in common books. The Ruart's wife, sus- pecting his purpose to be an attack upon her hus- band, left the bedroom-door ajar, and ordered a servant to watch. He did so, and swore to a conversation which has the merit of probability. Tichelaer offered to communicate secrets, and the Ruart refused to hear anything that was not good (indien 't wat gocts was), upon which, Tichelaer, after another attempt, wished him "good day" and departed. This was stated by the servant in the presence of three persons, immediately. The interview lasted less than a quarter of an hour. Tichelaer did not give his information for eight

When the mob had surrounded the prison, Tichelaer seems to have gone in and out at his pleasure, and he addressed them from a window, crying, " Courage, me8 amis ! ce chien et son frere vont sortir tout-a-1'heure. Emp6chez-les. Le temps presse, vengez vous de ces coquins, qui ont plus de cent complices," Basnag-e, ii. 307. I do not find that he took any manual part in the murder, nor that he appeared in public affairs till he applied to the High Court by petition to vindi- cate his character. It is not surprising that the court which condemned Cornelius De Wit should have treated him favourably. Commissions were issued to enquire into the judgments of the court of Piershil, and they were reversed. Copies are given in Tichelaer's statement, the peroration of which I copy, having tried to translate freely and literally, but finding my English wholly in- adequate to represent the original :

" En of nu schoon de bitse Nyd, in haer, slibberig en stinckeii'l hoi gedoocken nedersettende, niet en nook rusten haer vuyle tamlen stomp te knagqn op bet lijf van haer eygen gunstligen, en 't uytgesoogen fenyn tegen ons uit te braeken, om onze onnoselheyt vender te bespoeten ; so sullen wy ons daer tegen wapenen met het sap van een sincere conscientie vermengt sijnde met de wel riechenden oranijen balsam ; en op Cerberus ons quam aen te blaffen, een broeek van 't selve compositum in sijn holle keulen werpen, als so hy daer an borsten, en sullen alsoo al de vergiftige pylen die op ons verder souden mogen afschooten worden door eenich Helsch gedroght, cou- rageusement onder de genade Gods van onse lyve aff- schudden."

I do not know who were the friends for whose satisfaction Tichelaer published this statement; but I cannot refrain from quoting an anecdote of one who claimed, and certainly deserved, him as a friend, The author of La Vie et la Mart de C. et

G. de Witte, describing the outrages of the mob on the dead bodies, says :

" Un autre encore, voulant faire voir qu'il (ftoit un enneini des De Witte, coupa au Ruart un morceau de chair vers la hanche, en disant, ' J'ai resolu de rotir ce morceau, pour le manger avec mon ami Tichelaer, quand je S9aurois de crever sur le champ.' " Tom. ii. p. 250.

Tichelaer enjoyed for a long time the " orange balsam of good odour," which he so handsomely acknowledges. Enumerating the rewarded assas- sins, Basnage says :

" Tichelaer fut partage plus honorablement. II cut la charge de substitut au Raillage de Putten, qui lui avoit ete promise, et obtint une pension des e"tats, qui lui fut ex- actement payee pendant la vie du Prince d Oran<re ; mais apres la mort de son altesse on la lui ota. Prive de cette pension, sur laqtielle etoit fondee sa subsistance, il seroit mort de faim, si la Diaconie de la Have ne 1'avoit assiste. II tomba sur ses vieux jours dans la derniere pauvrete, et mourut tres mise'rablement, et d'une maladie affreuse." Tom. ii. p. 328.

In vol. ii. p. 232. of Beknopte Historic van 't Vaderland, Amsterdam, 1786, it is said that Tichelaer, in his old age, was seen on crutches, begging in the streets of the Hague ; that he lived in perpetual disquiet (ongerustheid), and some- times confessed in confidence that he had falsely accused the Ruart, and caused the death of the two brothers. He died at the Hague about 1714. The book is anonymous, and gives no authorities, but is well arranged, and seems to be carefully written.

The best history of these affairs is in Basnage's Annales des Provinces Unies, 2 torn, folio, La Haye, 1719. It is well condensed in the 7th vol. of the History of England, in Lardner's Cabinet Cyclo- paedia, in which, however, there is one error de- serving correction :

" The disfigured remains were hung on a gallows by the heels. The person who acted th* part of hangman, observing the pastor of the Hague, said ' M. le Ministre, sont ils assez hauts?' ' Non,' replied the minister of the Gospel, ' pendez ce grand coquin un echelon plus haut.' "

Basnage says" pasteur." The Hague had many pastors. One only ventured to express, in his pulpit, disapprobation of the murders, and he was speedily silenced.

At. p. 35. I have stated August 22 as the day of the murder ; it should be the 20th : and the Bek- nopte Historic, above cited, describes the torture as severe, and says that it took place on the 19'h.

H. B. C.

U. U. Club.

Although the subject of this Note may afford neither interest nor information to some of your correspondents, it will enable me to put a Query. I have in my possession a 12mo. vol. of 296 pages, with an engraved title, Bibliotheca Wittiana, Pars 1. A second title, in letter-press, informs us