Kurtze beſchreibung vnd Erzehlung /
von einem Juden / mit Namen Ahaſverus:by Anonymous

Image 12

Normalized
transcript

Diß verſchienen 75. Jahr ſeyndt Secretari⸗ us Chriſtoph Ehringer vñ M. Jacobus / welche vnſer Gnediger Herr / Hertzog Adolff zu Holſtein vngefähr⸗ lich vor fünff viertheil Jaren als Legaten an König in Hi⸗ ſpanien abgefertiget / wegen der bezalung / ſo ſein Kö⸗ niglich W: Jhr Fürſtlichen Gnaden: Vnd dem Kriegs⸗ volck / mit dem ſie in Anno 1572. dem Duc. de Alba in des Niderland gezogen / noch ſchuldig verblieben: vmb befür⸗ derungen angehalten. Widerumb zu Hauß kommen vnd alhie zu Schleßwig angelangt / die berichten das ſie zu Malduit obgedachten man in aller geſtalt / mit Kleider / geberden / vnd Alter noch zu ſehen / angetroffen / mit jhme geredt vnnd eben / wie der abgemelt neben andern Leuten von jm verſtanden haben / vnnd hab er ſein gut Spanniſch geredt.

Was nun von dieſer Mans Perſon zuhalten: da⸗ von ſteht jedem ſein Judicium frey: Die werck Gottes ſeind wunderbarlich vnd vnerforſchlich / vnd werden je len⸗ ger je mehr ding / die bißhero verborgen geweſen / Nun mehr gegen dem zunahenden Jüngſten Tag vnd ende der Welt offenbaret / wol dem der es in rechtem verſtandt auffnimbt vnd erkennet / vnnd ſich daran nicht Ergert.

Datum Schleßwig den 9. Junii Anno 1564.

Dieſer Mann oder Jud / ſoll ſo dicke Fußſolen haben / das mans gemeſſen / zweyer Zwerch Finger dick geweſen / gleich wie ein horn ſo hart wegen ſeines langes gehen vnnd Reyſen / er ſoll auch Anno 1599. zu Dantzig in De⸗ cember geſehen worden ſein:

ENDE.

English
translation

In the past year [15]75, Secretary Christoph Ehringer and Master Jacobus—whom our gracious lord, Duke Adolf of Holstein, had dispatched approximately five quarters of a year earlier as envoys to the king of Spain to seek payment of what His Royal Majesty still owed His Princely Grace and the troops with whom they had marched into the Netherlands under the Duke of Alba in 1572—returned home and arrived here at Schleswig. They report that at Malduit they encountered the aforementioned man, still to be seen in every respect with the same clothing, behavior, and age. They spoke with him and understood him just as the man previously mentioned and other people had done; and he spoke his Spanish well.

What is to be thought of this man’s person is left to everyone’s own judgment. The works of God are wonderful and unfathomable. As time goes on, more and more things that have hitherto been hidden are now revealed as the Last Day and the end of the world approach. Blessed is the person who receives and recognizes this with proper understanding and does not take offense at it.

Dated at Schleswig, 9 June 1564.

This man, or Jew, is said to have soles so thick that, when they were measured, they were two fingers’ breadth thick, hard as horn from his long walking and traveling. He is also said to have been seen at Danzig in December 1599.

END.

Analysis

The closing page reports an encounter in the past year [15]75, gives a subscription dated 9 June 1564, and adds an alleged Danzig sighting in December 1599. The 1575 report cannot have been part of a statement completed in 1564, but this copy does not show when each passage was added. Its claim about the man’s feet and the sightings remain unverified. The printed text ends here; the library stamps are later copy marks.