Only the vital statistics about this couple and the brief biographical sketch appear on the scroll. However from these brief statistics emerge personal tragedy and insight into the life and early seventeenth century. Jodocus and Margarethe Sachse were married in the year before the outbreak of the Thirty Year's War which was so devastating to Central-Europe and particularly to German principalities. Rüthen was not spared from this conflict. Witch-hunting was at its height during this time and pursued diligently in Rüthen. The plague had swept across Europe 3 times before the 17th centruy. In the summer of 1625, just 8 years after Jodocus and Margarethe were married, a 4th plague swept across Europe and wreaked havoc in their lives. On September 2nd they buried their 3rd born child and on the 20th Jodocus was buried. Margarethe was now solely responsible for two daughters under seven years of age. Sometime following this month of personal tragedy or very early in 1626, Margarethe gave birth to a son "Jost (Jodocus) in der Helle, called Kruse".Women and children were the prime target of witch-hunting. Margarethe, alone with an infant and two small children needed a husband for protection form the madness of superstition and of the war, which would continue throughout the remainder of her life, lacking one year. On the twelfth of January, 1626, she married Petrus Kleine. The record does not indicate if Petrus and Margareth had children. The Plague of 1625 is commemorated each year in Rüthen. In that year the surviving parishoners of St. Johannes made a solemn promise to march around the entire town wall three times in praise of their lives being spared. (Sharon Bearce)