Page - 82 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 07/01

82 | Christian Wessely www.jrfm.eu 2021, 7/1, 67–93 Reverend Duke, merciful Lord! Your noble Highness I approach once more, me, a poor citizen of Haus, unmarried, due to grave distress. A short time ago the reverend priest here at Haus, Albert Widman, wrongly put me on trial and in custody, but I, a simple mind, was merely mislead by others […] I have never before in my life been involved in magic, yet […] I served the sentence of the consistory and court. Now master Widman stalks me, wanting reimbursement for the costs of the trial, expropriating me. I, just a poor wretch, have already been imprisoned for 17 days [the original verdict of 8 days was revised to 10 days after Widman’s appeal] in iron chains. I hope that your Grace will treat me poor subject mildly and grant me protection so that I may live in peace and not be harassed by the afore- mentioned priest. He even approached my mother, an old woman who is completely un- involved in the matter and yet has suffered enough due to the misdoing of her son. And he punished her for an insinuated violation of the tithe. The committee that visited Haus had advised him to [….] yet he with- out any reason has defamed me in the house of the municipal judge as a scoundrel and accused me of