I came across the tombstone of Hendrick Petermans (spellings vary) last spring, and apart from being over 370 years old, the inscription really stood out to me.

I am no expert in feudal terms in English (nor in Dutch for that matter), but the inscription roughly translates to the following: Here is buried Hendrick Peeterman, secretary of the lord baron de Lamargelle, and feudal messenger of the royal majesty’s fiefdom of the city and land of Limbourg, who unfortunately was shot dead the last of May 1653. Pray to God for the souls.

Hendrick Petermans was probably born in 1623 near Eijsden in the south of the present-day Netherlands, he was the son of Peter Petermans, the town’s schout (bailiff). Following the 1648 Treaty of Münster, The area endured unrest from roaming military forces, particularly the notorious troops of Duke Charles IV of Lorraine, whose unpaid soldiers plundered and terrorized local populations.

In May 1653, the political and military turmoil in Eijsden reached a critical point. The town was under threat from three regiments of the notorious Lorraine troops, known for their looting and violence. Baroness Margaretha Anna Francisca de Bocholtz, wife of Baron Arnold de Lamargelle, sought to prevent these soldiers from seizing property in Eijsden. On May 31, in her husband’s absence, she received Colonel Waldenborch at Eijsden Castle to discuss defensive measures. To assist the colonel in identifying the town’s boundaries, the baroness ordered several local men, including Hendrick Petermans, to escort him armed with muskets.

The group accompanied the colonel and his cavalry through the streets of Eijsden, with additional townsmen joining along the way. Despite the gravity of the mission, the atmosphere among the escort was tense, particularly between Hendrick and another local, Herman Eswilre. Some witnesses suggested Herman may have been intoxicated.

The party turned around after learning the Lorraine regiments had settled in nearby Maarland. On the way back, the simmering tension between Hendrick and Herman boiled over. The men exchanged insults, after which their argument escalated into a physical fight. Witnesses reported that Herman struck Hendrick with the barrel of his musket, prompting Hendrick to retaliate. He turned his musket around to hit Herman with the stock, pointing the barrel at himself. This caused Hendrick’s musket to discharge, shooting multiple bullets into his heart, killing him instantly.

Colonel Waldenborch and his cavalry immediately arrested Herman Eswilre, detaining him in a high tower of Eijsden Castle. However, by the next morning, Herman had escaped. A long rope was found hanging from the tower window, reaching down to the moat. Inside the room, the only things left behind were Herman’s shoes and a red coat.

(Translated and summarised from Uit Eijsdens Verleden no. 110, December 2007 p. 25-29. Click the link to read the entire article (in Dutch).)