"Many hundred thousand good-nights dearly beloved daughter Veronica. Innocent have I come into prison, innocent have I been tortured, innocent must I die. For whoever comes into the witch prison must become a witch or be tortured until he invents something out of his head and -- God pity him -- bethinks him of something. . . . And then came also -- God in highest Heaven have mercy -- the executioner and put the thumbscrews on me . . . so that the blood spurted from the nails . . . so that . . . I could not use my hands, as you can see from my writing . . . Thereafter they stripped me, bound my hands behind me, and drew me up on the ladder . . . Eight times did they draw me up and let me fall again so that I suffered terrible agony . . . . . . Now my dearest child, here you have all my . . . confession, for which I must die . . . And it is all sheer lies and inventions, so help me God. . . . Dear child, keep this letter secret, so that people do not find it, else I shall be tortured most piteously and the jailers will be beheaded. . . . Dear child, pay this man a thaler . . . I have taken several days to write this -- my hands are crippled. I am in a sad plight. Good night, for your father Johannes Junius will never see you more." --

Excerpts from a letter to Veronica Junius from her father, July 24, 1628 CE.