# The Superscription Of The Letter To The Government Of Berne.

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To the very honorable and highly esteemed lords,
our good friends, the lords burgomasters and pensionaries
of the city of Berne, Very honorable and
highly esteemed lords: A very considerable number
of our citizens, who with regard to their religion
are called Mennonites or Anabaptists, have shown
us, that their fellow-believers, dwelling in the cantons
of Zurich and Berne, because of their religion
have to suffer a very severe persecution, insomuch
that many of them have been cast into prison, without
that it was granted them, to leave the country
with their families and goods.

It is for this reason then, that the abovementioned
citizens, sympathizing in their hearts for their fellow-brethren,
on account of their distress, have,
through Christian, as well as human zeal, requested
letters of recommendation from us, in order that by
means of the same they may have a favorable access
to your noble lordships, to prostrate themselves before
your excellencies, with respect and proper humility,
to excite compassion and pity in you for
those who are persecuted, that you will give and
grant them the liberty and reasonable permission,
to leave the dominions of your lordships, with all
that belongs to them.

They are a class of people who, under our government,
and that of our predecessors, have lived
for many successive years, and do still live, in this
city, with all quietness and peaceableness, as has
also been the case in divers other cities of this state;
willingly contributing for the support of the Republic,
as much as is imposed upon them; discharging
further the duties of good citizens and subjects, who
have on no occasion been found deficient, in manifesting
an unusual love towards the confessors of the
Reformed church.

They still recently, while our brethren the Vaudois,
were so cruelly dispersed, contributed in this
city, simply upon our recommendation, even to the
sum of about seven thousand pounds Dutch money,
to be used in the support of said Vaudois.

It is therefore for this reason, Very Honorable
and highly esteemed Lords, that we, considering
these reasons, could not refuse to grant the effect of
our Christian love to these our worthy citizens, interceding
for them with your lordships, in favor of
their fellow-brethren; praying your lordships, if you
cannot be moved to let these poor people live under
your government here, even as we do, that you
would at least be pleased, to deal gently with them;
granting them, according to the pattern and example
of those of Schaffhausen, as also of the Duke of
Neuburg, a Roman Catholic Prince, the liberty,
and proper time, to remove with their families and
goods; in which we doubt not your lordships will
do a true and genuine work of mercy. We on the
other hand assure you, that we shall not neglect,
when opportunity offers, to reciprocate such obligation
in all that in which your lordships shall deem
our intercession to be proper; as being truly, Very
Honorable and highly esteemed Lords, very ready
to serve your lordships, The Lords Burgomasters
and Rulers of the City of Amsterdam.

The 11th of February, 1660.

By order of said my Lords.

Subscribed: N. Nicolai.

Note.—It would be sufficient for the intelligent,
if only the first mentioned letter were given, since
the following contains almost the same words and
circumstances; but as it was thought by some, that
this work would not be complete, if any thing
lacked of that which was also written to Zurich, we
shall place said letter here in full.



## Original source

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