Petrus Jacobi Thaborita ( Latinised name form of Peter Jacobusz van Bolsward) (

Bolsward Bolsward (, West Frisian: ''Boalsert'') is a city in Súdwest-Fryslân in the province of Friesland, the Netherlands. Bolsward has a population of just under 10,200. It is located 10 km W.N.W. of Sneek. History The town is founded on th ...

, 1450–1527) was a

Frisia Frisia () is a Cross-border region, cross-border Cultural area, cultural region in Northwestern Europe. Stretching along the Wadden Sea, it encompasses the north of the Netherlands and parts of northwestern Germany. Wider definitions of "Frisia" ...

monk A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...

and

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...

. He is best known for his writings on the Frisian

freedom fighter A freedom fighter is a person engaged in a struggle to achieve political freedom, particularly against an established government. The term is typically reserved for those who are actively involved in armed or otherwise violent rebellion. Termi ...

Pier Gerlofs Donia Pier Gerlofs Donia ( – 28 October 1520) was a Frisian farmer, rebel leader, and pirate. He is best known by his West Frisian nickname ''Grutte Pier'' ('Big Pier'; in the pre-1980 West Frisian spelling written as ''Greate Pier''), or by the D ...

, and for writing down Donia's

last words Last words are the final utterances before death. The meaning is sometimes expanded to somewhat earlier utterances. Last words of famous or infamous people are sometimes recorded (although not always accurately), which then became a historical an ...

. In the extended works by Thaborita van Bolsward is found information on the Frisian chieftains warlords Jancko Douwama and Haring Harinxma (the Donia ancestor). Dutch writer Conrad Busken Huet used many of Thaborita's descriptions of historical figures in later books. He also translated the description of Donia. Thaborita joined the monastery at an advanced age, as a widower with two sons. Petrus also dedicated a chapter in one of his books to Donia:

About the death of Greate Pier,
Pier Gerlofs Donia Pier Gerlofs Donia ( – 28 October 1520) was a Frisian farmer, rebel leader, and pirate. He is best known by his West Frisian nickname ''Grutte Pier'' ('Big Pier'; in the pre-1980 West Frisian spelling written as ''Greate Pier''), or by the D ...
:
"''In dat selue iaer van 20 soe is ghestoruen groet Pyer, op Sinte Lucas nacht. Van deese Pier was grote spraeck in Hollant, in Brabant ende in ander landen, van sin grote stercheit ende gruwelicheit, ende van sin grote oghen; ende sy maectent groter dant was; mer noch tans wasset een groet, swaert, man mit grote oghen, grote schouwer ende een groten baert, ende gruweliken van aensyen, sonderlingh als hy toernich was; ende hy was grof ende plompt van spraeck ende wesen; want hy en conste nyet bequam spreken voert recht ofte voer heeren; mer mit sin groue Fryesche slaghen quaem hy mede vort, ende dat ghyngh hem alsoe plomp of, dat alle menschen, die daer by stonden, worden beweghen tot lachgen; ende hy was froem ende fel op die vianden, mer hy was redelyk van herten als een Kersten man.''"
English translation: "''In the very same year of 1520, on Saint Lucas night, Grutte Pier died. Of this Pier in Holland, in Brabant and other countries tales went around about his strength and his brutality and about his large eyes. And they made it bigger than it was. Yet he was a big, heavy man, with big eyes, broad shoulders and a big beard and terrible of appearance especially when he was angry. And he was rude and unarticulated of speech and manners. Because he wasn't able to speak properly in court or in front of lords. He often made jokes, so that all the people standing around, were made to laugh. He had killed many enemies, but he had a rather good character, as if he were a good Christian.''"

Anton Reinhard Falck Anton Reinhard Falck (19 March 1777 in Utrecht16 March 1843 in Brussels) was a Dutch statesman. He studied at the University of Leiden, and entered the Dutch diplomat service, being appointed to the legation at Madrid, Spain. Under King Louis ...

was the owner of the original documents, he lent these to the researchers Visser and Amersfoordt.

References

*"Archief voor Vaderlandse en ingezonderheid Vriesche geschiedenis, oudheid- en taalkunde" by H.W.C.A. Visser and H. Amersfoordt, part one printed by G.T.N. Suringar, Leeuwarden,1824 and part two printed by H.C. Schetsberg, Leeuwarden, 1827. {{DEFAULTSORT:Thaborita, Petrus 1450 births 1527 deaths Historians from the Habsburg Netherlands Frisian writers People from Bolsward