‘Many hundred thousand good-nights, my dearest daughter Veronica! Guiltless was I taken to prison, guiltless have I been tortured, guiltless I must die. For whoever comes here must either be a sorcerer, or is tortured until (God pity him) he makes up a confession of sorcery out of his head. I’ll tell you how I fared. When I was questioned the first time, there were present Dr. Braun, Dr. Kötzendörffer, and two strangers. Dr. Braun asked me, “Friend, how came you hither?” I answered, “Through lies and misfortune.” “Hear you,” said he, “you’re a sorcerer. Confess it willingly or we’ll bring witnesses and the executioner to you.” I said, “I am no sorcerer. I have a clear conscience on this matter, and care not for a thousand witnesses, but am ready to hear them.” Then the chancellor’s son, Dr. Haan, was brought out. I asked, “Herr Doctor, what do you know of me? I never had anything to do with you, good or bad.” He answered, “Sir, it is a judgement matter, excuse me for witnessing against you. I saw you at the dances.” “Yes, but how?” He did not know. Then I asked the commissioners to put him on oath, and examine him properly. “The thing is not to be arranged as you want it,” said Dr. Braun; “it is enough that he saw you.” I said, “What sort of witness is that? If things are so managed, you are as little safe as I or any other honourable person.” Next came the chancellor and said the same as his son. He had seen me, but had not looked carefully to see who I was. Then Elsa Hopffen. She had seen me dancing on Haupt’s moor. Then came the executioner and put on the thumb-screws, my hands being tied together, so that the blood spurted from under the nails, and I cannot use my hands these four weeks, as you may see by this writing. Then they tied my hands behind and drew me up. I thought heaven and earth were disappearing. Eight times they drew me up and let me fall so that I suffered horrible agony. All which time I was stark naked, for they had me stripped. ‘But our Lord God helped me, and I said to them, “God forgive you for treating an innocent man like this; you want not only to destroy body and soul, but also to get the goods and chattels.” [At Bamberg, two-thirds of the property of convicted sorcerers went to the bishop, and the rest to the inquisitors.] “You’re a rascal,” said Dr. Braun. I replied, “I am no rascal, but as respectable as any of you; but if things go on like this, no respectable man in Bamberg will be safe, you as little as I or another.” The doctor said he had no dealings with the devil. I said, “Nor have I. Your false witnesses are the devils, your horrible tortures. You let no one go, even though he has endured all your torments.”