On the last day of April 1619, before me, notary public, and the witnesses named below, appeared James Chilton, an Englishman living in a passage on the Lange Vollersgracht bridge beyond the Diefsteeg, aged about 63, and Angel, daughter of James Chilton, aged about 22.
In place of an oath, and at the request of the Remonstrant congregation in this city, they declared as true that on the preceding Sunday, 28 April of this year, boys had thrown stones outside the passage where they lived because, as the boys shouted, Arminians were supposedly meeting there. The witnesses, who had been at church, heard from their neighbours that the boys had repeatedly been told to stop.
They further declared that shortly after they returned home, while the gate stood open, about twenty boys entered the courtyard. They made a great noise, threw objects and shouted that Arminians were assembled there. James and Angel ordered the boys to leave, saying that no Arminians or anyone else were meeting there, whereupon the boys went away.
One boy, who was very unwilling to leave, reached the street, took a large paving brick in his hand and threw it at James Chilton. The stone struck James on the forehead directly above his left eye. James immediately fell to the ground as if dead. His children and others cried that he was dead, and several men had to lift him.
James had given the boy no cause beyond telling him, with the others, to leave and truthfully saying that no Arminians or other people were meeting there. James later regained consciousness, but had received a serious wound which, because of his advanced age, endangered his life.
James and Angel offered to confirm their testimony by solemn oath if required and consented that the notary issue a formal instrument. Executed at James Chilton’s house in the presence of Jacob Hey, the city surgeon treating the wound, and Jan Bastiaansz, ruby cutter, as credible witnesses. Signed James Chilton, Angel Chilton, J. Dircksoon, Jan Bastiaansz and A. C. Paedts, 1619.
Translation by Radicae, The Leiden Connection.


