Page:The Captivity of Hans Stade of Hesse.pdf/125

most willingly look into such matters, when I find that any one uprightly and truly reveals and brings to light the things which he has undergone, and I now noways doubt that this Hans Stade writes and makes known an account of his history and travels, not from the statements of other men, but thoroughly and correctly from his own experience without falsehood, the cause being that he therein seeks no glory or worldly fame, but alone God's honour and praise, and gratitude for favours and deliverances vouchsafed to him. And it is his principal object to make known this history, that all may see how mercifully and against every hope our Lord God has delivered this Hans Stade from out of so much peril, because he called unto Him, and rescuing him from the ferocity of those savage peoples (by whom he for ten months daily and hourly had to expect that he would be unmercifully struck dead and eaten), again allowed him to return to his beloved fatherland, Hesse.

For this inexpressible mercy of God he would wish, as much as lies in his limited power, to be duly thankful to Him, and for His praise to disclose openly the favours vouchsafed him. And in fulfilling this pleasant task, the order of events leads him to describe the itinerary and the different things that happened during the two years whilst he was out of his own country.

And as he tells his tale in a simple manner, and not with flowery style, or fine words and arguments, this gives me great belief that it is authentic and veritable ; nor could he derive any benefit even if he preferred lying to telling the truth.

Besides, he is now settled, together with his parents, in this country; and he is not, as is the usage of rovers and liars, accustomed to vagabondize, gipsy-like, from one country to another. Therefore he must expect, that should other travelled people who have been in the islands arrive here, these would (presently) prove him a liar.