Today, the 21st of May in the year sixteen hundred and nineteen, there appeared before me, Ewout Henricxz. Craen, notary public, admitted by the Court of Holland upon the nomination of the city of Leiden, and before the witnesses named hereafter, Robert Crouts, tobacco pipe maker, living within the city of Leiden, about 40 years of age.
And at the request and instance of Niclaes Claverly, likewise a tobacco pipe maker, living within the aforesaid city, he has, upon his conscience and the salvation of his soul, in place of an oath, testified and declared to be true that about three and a half years ago — though without having retained the precise time, nor wishing to be held to it — he, the deponent, together with and alongside one Bartholomees Smit, also a tobacco pipe maker living in Leiden, was at Haarlem with the person of Richart Teiril, an English merchant; which Richard then related to him, the deponent, and the aforesaid Smit, that his, Richard's, brother had some time before been murdered in England, although the said brother had at that time no more than half an English crown, amounting to twenty-five stivers in Dutch money, upon him.
And among other things the aforesaid Richard, having said that he would like to speak with the requester once, to see whether the requester might be able to give him some information regarding the person who might be guilty of the aforesaid deed, he, the deponent — who had never before heard of the said murder — notified the requester by letter that he should come to Haarlem in order to speak once with the aforesaid Richard concerning this matter, adding that, if the requester were guilty of the said murder, he might then keep out of the way.
But the requester, having received the said letter, came to Haarlem in great haste the next day in order to speak with the said merchant, but found that the said merchant had travelled to Amsterdam on his affairs, so that the requester could not then speak with him.
The deponent further declared that when the aforesaid Teirill came to Leiden about a fortnight later, to the house of him the deponent, he, the deponent, brought him to the requester, and the aforesaid Teirill, having spoken with and examined the requester at length, afterwards said that he found that the requester had no guilt in the said murder.
Declaring nothing further, the deponent offering, should it be necessary and if requested by way of recolement, to confirm the foregoing more fully under solemn oath before any judges, of which the requester requested one or more instruments.
Thus done within the city of Leiden, at the house of me the notary, in the presence of Digory Pryst, hatter, and Pieter Joostensz. Warmont, clerk, as trustworthy witnesses required hereto together with me, the notary.
Mark set by the hand of the aforesaid Digory Pryst. Robart Crouch. P. Warmont. 1619. E.H. Craen, notary public, subscribed, 1619.
Translation by Radicae, The Leiden Connection, from the Dutch transcription supplied by Erfgoed Leiden.
