❧ News out of Germany.  
A most wonderful and true discourse of a cruel murderer, who had killed in his life time, nine hundred, threescore and odd persons among which six of them were his own children, begotten on a young woman which he forcibly kept in a Cave seven years, with the manner how he was taken, and the abundance of wealth that was found in the said Cave: executed at Berkessell on the 14. of june.  
Translated and published according to the Dutch and French Copies. By G.P. 1584.  
❧ Imprinted for George Pen, dwelling at Ipswich.   

❧ A Letter written to a noble parsonage of the City of Mentz, by a Gentleman of credit, who saw this murderer executed.  
RIght honourable and my especial good friend, I have not at this time any news wherewith to acquiant you, but only this strange and admirable occasion which lately happened: the truth whereof I trust my credit is sufficient with your honour to confirm, and the rather, for that I not only heard the murderer's examination, but was also an eye witness of his death. And albeit it may seem incredible, yet thus much I can assure you, that I saw the scroll which was found in the murderers Cave, wherein he had written the names of all one that he had murdered, and I heard him also affirm it with his own mouth. The discourse thereof followeth, which I commit to your judgement, and so I commend your honour to the heavenly protection.   

❧ A rare and strange Discourse, of a notorious and cruel Murderer, named Christeman Gempertinga, who leading a bloody life of long time, and being at last apprehended therefore confessed that in his life time he had slain nine hundred, three score and four persons, and intended to murder still, till he had made up the account of a thousand. For which horrible murders, he was executed in the Town of Berkessell, near to the City of Mentz in Germany.  
IN the Forest of Frasburg, within a league of Berkessell, there lived for the space of 13. years one Christeman Gempertinga of Corpen, two leagues distance from colen, whose only maintenance was by robbing and spoiling of the passengers, and such a fit and commodious place for his purpose he had provided himself of, as he might at pleasure discern them that travailed on the high ways, either to Mentz, Dietenhausen, Trevers, or Duche de Luxenbourg, to which places merchants did ordinarily traffic, because they were Towns of great commodity for their affairs. And as they travailed thorough this Forest, he and his companions would set upon them, and having rob them of their goods and treasure, would likewise despoil them of their lives, and afterward cause them to be thrown into a deep pit in the Forest, which he had ordained for the purpose: as for their apparel, weapons and such like, he carried to his Cave, which in time was so well stored with Harquebuses, sword, Murrians, Partisans and Corssetes, that a great strength could not have over come him and his companions.  
And for the goods, which he took from the merchants and passengers, his Cave was so well furnished there with, being of all sorts of Merchandise, and wares belonging to the almains and other Nations: as the quantity thereof was judged sufficient to furnish a Fair and the value thereof esteemed more worth, than 70000. Florins of gold of Allemaigne. And beside, there was found in his Cave also when he was taken, so great store of wine, bread, flesh, raisins, & figs, as would have sufficed him for one whole year. Amongst all the passengers that travailed thorough this Forest, it chanced one day, that a proper woman of Popert near the Rhine A Cooper's daughter went to see her brethren & had occasion to pass that way, this villainous murderer having espied her, made haste to her, and having despoiled her of such things as she had about her, intended to murder her, as he had done all the other: but being overcome with the sight of her fair face and body, held his hands, and entreated her to keep him company there in that place, and be contended with that kind of life which he used, otherwise he would likewise kill her. The woman fearful of death, and seeing the horrible massacre of dead bodies in the pit before her, whom she should keep company if she denied his request: consented unto him, and promised never to betray or reveal him to any, whereby his life might stand in any hazard. On this condition he lead her with him into his Cave and there she lived with him for the space of 7. years, in which time she had 6. Children by him, which so soon as they were borne, he would take them and break their necks and pull them by the feet and head to stretch them in length and afterward would go hang them up on a high place that he had provided for the nonce: and then he would stand looking on them, and seeing the wind to make them wave up and down, this merciless villain would say: Dance dance my loving Children, for Gempertinga your Father doth sound you a dance. It was a marvelous grief and great heart breaking to the poor woman, to see her tender Infants used so despitefully by their own Father, and gladly she would have been rid of that kind of life, but that she could not get thence by any means: for he had tied her with a chain, and she could go no further than the Chain gave her liberty, which policy he used, lest she should escape away while he and his companions were abroad, and so his dealings might be discovered. After that he had rob and killed for a long season, he grew doubtful of his companions, and every day did more and more mistrust them: so that at length he devised a mean to ease his doubt, and one day making merry amongst them, he conveyed in their meat and drink such a violent and extreme kind of poison, as they all died thereof within 5. or six hours after: which he perceiving, threw them into the pit to the other bodies that they had murdered.  
When he was thus rid of his companions, and had no body left with him but the woman, he waxed somewhat doubtful of her likewise: but God willing to reveal the horrible villainies of this murderer, caused the woman to be very importunate in request to him, that she might go see her friends, and wrought also in his mind so accordingly, that he gave her leave to go, assuring himself on her promise, that she would never reveal him. She went and saw her Parents, and returned again without uttering any word of him, which made him the more willing to suffer her to go again, and entering the streets of Berkessel, she saw little children playing, the sight whereof, and the remembrance how villainously her own children were murdered, caused her to fall into extreme complaints and passions, at last she broke forth into these dolorous speeches. O God which dost maintain all things, and from whom the death of my children cannot be hidden, & who knowest the promise I have made by constraint: behold me in mercy, and pity the anguishs I have endured in my flesh and blood.  
These her complaints were so pitiful both in show & hearing, that many gathered about her to know the cause of her lamentations, and very earnest they were with her to understand the cause of her passionate afflictions: but they could by no means prevail in their intents, for that she said, she had protested secrecy of her griefs by solemn oath, and she would not utter them to any. Some of them that stood by & heard her words, informed the justices in the Town of the matter, whereupon she was brought before them, and there she continued in the same obstinate opinion she did before: nevertheless, they laboured still with her, & gave her to understand, that a wilful oath might endamage her soul, and by revealing it, she might escape many dangerous threatenings for the contrary. By which persuasions she animated herself, and from the beginning to the end she discoursed the whole circumstance by particulars, of the murderer and his living: whereupon, the justices concluded with her, what course she should take to prevail in this matter, both to betray the murderer, and save herself blameless. Not long after they put in readiness thirty well appointed Soldiers, who should follow the woman a far off till they found the Cave: and she (according to the justices direction (took with her a bag of Pease, which she scattered along the way as she went, by which means the Soldiers could not miss of the right way to the Cave. When she came to the Cave, the murderer was very glad of her return, and jesting familiarly with her, at last he laid him down on the ground, and laid his head in her lap, where by her rubbing and soft scratching it, he fell a sleep. Within a while after, the Soldiers came to the Cave, and finding him thus sleeping, they laid hands on him, and bound him so, that he could not resist them: which he perceiving, cried out, O thou disloyal whore, it is long since I misdoubted this thy treachery, & I thought to have sped thee with the rest of thy fellows. The Soldiers brought him with them to Berkessel, where being put to the torment, he confessed all his former villainies, & that he had murdered 964. persons, and how he intended to continue in murdering still, till he had slain so many as came to a thousand, & then he would murder no more: and to verify his words, the Soldiers presented the justices a scroll, wherein the names were written by his own hand, of all them that he had murdered, and on what several days he murdered them. hereupon he was condemned, and had his legs and arms, and bones broken with an iron instrument fit for the purpose, and afterward was laid on a Cart wheel without the Town (as it is the manner in other Countries) where he lived for the space of nine days after, being daily sustained with drink and meat, to maintain his life in some extreme pain: and all the goods that were found in his Cave, were brought to the Town, and they and the woman kept in hold, the Magistrates being not as yet resolved how to deal with them. It is thought, that had not the Soldiers found him so sleeping, they could hardly have taken him, he had so many Calivers, Harguebuses, and Dags ready charged in his Cave, & was of himself such a stout, strong and active man, & the place where he was, did serve him in all respects able to resist a great number.  
The consideration of this strange and monstrous discourse, I committee to your honours good construction, accounting it a part of my duty, to make your honour acquainted with any notable thing I can hear of: And so I humbly take my leave.  
FINIS.