V.—A miraculous Cure of a Dutch Woman, accompanied with an Apparition.
The narrative taken by a Dutch merchant from her own mouth, begins thus:—A miraculous cure upon Jesch Claes, a woman about fifty years of age, for these many years well known to myself and the neighbours. This woman for fourteen years had been lame of both her legs, one of them being dead and without feeling, so that she could not go, but creep upon the ground, or was carried in people’s arms as a child, but now through the power of God Almighty she hath walked again, which came to pass after this manner, as I have written it from her own mouth.
In the year 1676, about the 13th or 14th of this month of October, in the night, between one and two o’clock, Jesch Claes being in bed with her husband, who was a boatman, she was three times pulled by the arm, with which she awaked, and cried out, O Lord! what may this be? Hereupon she heard an answer in plain words, “Be not afraid, I am come in the name of God, to tell you, that your malady, which hath been for many years upon you, shall depart, and it shall be given you from God Almighty to walk again. But keep this to yourself till further answer.” Whereupon she cried aloud, O Lord! that I had a light that I might know what this is. Then had she this answer, “There needs no light. Light shall be given you from God.” Then came a light over all the room; and she saw a beautiful youth about ten years of age, with curled yellow hair, in white raiment to the feet, who went from the bed-head to the chimney with a light, which a little after evanished. Hereupon did something gush from her hip, or diffuse itself through her leg as a water, to her great toe, where she found life rising up; and feeling it with her hand, she cries out, “Lord give me now again my feeling, which I have not had for so many years.” And she continued crying and praying to the Lord according to her weak measure. Yet she continued that day being Wednesday, and the next day Thursday, as before, till evening at six o’clock; at which time she sat at the fire, dressing the food. Then there came, as a rushing noise in both her ears, with which it was said to her, “Stand, your walking is given you again.” Then did she immediately stand up, that had for so many years crept, and went to the door: her husband meeting her, was exceedingly afraid, and drew back. In the mean while she cried out, “My dear husband, I can walk again.” The man, thinking it was a spirit, drew back, saying, “You are not my wife;” but his wife taking hold of him, said, “My dear husband, I am the self-same that hath been married these thirty years to you. The Almighty God hath made me to walk again.” But her husband being amazed, drew back to the side of the room, till at last she claspt her arms about his neck; and yet he doubted, and said to his daughter, “Is this your mother?” She answered, “Yes, father, this is my mother indeed, I have seen her walk also, before you came in.” This person dwells upon Prince’s Island in Amsterdam. This relation is attested by many famous witnesses.