There appeared before the undersigned aldermen Willem Bently, wool comber, aged 36, and Thomas Bently, also a wool comber, brothers, aged 33 years or thereabouts each, both residing within this city.
And they have, being lawfully sworn under solemn oath and examined, testified and declared to be true, at the instance and request of Giellis Hael, soldier under the company of the honourable knight Captain Henrick Kerry, garrisoned at Gorcum, that they have long had very good acquaintance with the said requester, and therefore well know that he has been continually here within Leiden for the space of about fourteen days last past, and likewise also on Monday, being the first of November of the year sixteen hundred ten last past, on which day (as they understand) the muster of the aforesaid requester's company took place within the aforesaid Gorcum, so that the requester could not be present at the aforesaid muster, and consequently could also not pass muster.
The appearers alleging, as the grounds of their knowledge, that they saw and spoke with the requester daily here during the aforesaid time, and moreover had accompanied him on various occasions; nothing further.
So truly may God Almighty help them, the appearers. Done this 8th of November of the year sixteen hundred ten. Jesper van Banchem; J. van Brouchoven.
[In the margin: The alteration of the words standing above, outside the ruled line, was made upon the renewed declaration of the aforesaid appearers, with the knowledge of the undersigned aldermen, on 13 November 1610. A. Jasperszoon Van Vesanevelt; Jacob Paedts.]
Translation by Radicae, The Leiden Connection, from the Dutch transcription supplied by Erfgoed Leiden.