NO. 53. — 1902.] GALLE DUTCH RECORDS. 



369 



they have done heretofore ; all which should not be tolerated 

 in a town where justice and the law are administered 

 (forasmuch as such misdemeanours, according to all martial 

 laws, are punished with the halter until death shall ensue), 

 but as an example to others should be, in the most rigorous 

 manner, punished ; 



Therefore the Lord President and the Council aforesaid, 

 having read the papers and proofs incriminating the conduct 

 of the said prisoners, having heard their free confession, 

 having furthermore ripely considered and weighed all that 

 is pertinent to this matter and has been allowed to move 

 their Worships' minds, 



Administering justice in the name of the Supreme Autho- 

 rity, but preferring mercy to the utmost rigour of the law, 

 have thought fit from certain motives, and in doubt whether 

 all of them are equally culpable, to let the prisoners draw 

 lots, and to have the six men who shall be pointed out by this 

 lottery punished with arquebuses, in such wise that death 

 shall ensue, together with confiscation of all monthly pay- 

 ments still due to them ; in pursuance of which the aforesaid 

 prisoners having drawn lots, the lot has fallen on the men 

 hereafter named, viz., Jan Landtsknecht, Hendrick Jansz, 

 constable, Aris Wynders, Carel Jacobsz, Asmus Jansz, and 

 Joost Claesz Boot, of Gorcum ; 



MS. page 136. 



But the delinquents having promised to beware of such 

 acts in future, together with other reasons moving their 

 Worships' minds in this matter, they have, thereto incited 

 by mercy and clemency, resolved to let four out of the six 

 delinquents go free, and then to let the law have its course in 

 regard to the remaining two and cause them to be executed. 



Thus given and resolved in the town of Galle, this 12th day 

 of August, and sentence pronounced on the 13th following. 



(Signed) JanThysen, Marten Vinck, [ ], Gerrit 

 Moutmaker, Frans Maetsuicher, Jan van 

 der Laen, Lambert Camholt. 

 x 21-02 



