Johannes de Lüde explained

Johannes de Lüde (also known as Johann von Lüde, John of Lude and Johannis de Lüde) was dean of Hamelin.^[1] His mother was an eyewitness to the children being lured out of the town by the Pied Piper of Hamelin.^{[2] [3] [4]}

Johannes de Lüde had an uncle named Johannes von Reymbertink, mentioned in his will, so it could have been a young Fräulein von Reymbertink who watched the children being led away on the Feast Day of Saints John and Paul, 26 June 1284.

National Geographic Portugal writes that:^[5]

According to the book of notarial documents in the historical archive of Hamelin, the Lüde family was one of the most active in the city's business

Johannes de Lüde, decanus ecclesiae hamelensis, left a rich inheritance in 1378, consisting of jewellery, house furniture and vessels of silver, iron and wood, as well as Hamelin dinars. The value is given in the measurement of talent, and his bequests were worth over 150 talents, amongst them 10 talents to the building of the glorious Church of St. Bonifatius, 10 talents to the dormitory and 20 talents to the poor, of which 8 solidi (i.e., about 1/18,000th of the total^[6]) were to be used for bread and the rest for lights for the holy sacraments.

He is also mentioned in the 1374 or 1384 Chronica Ecclesiae Hamelensis.^[7]

References

1. Book: Sprenger, Fr. Geschichte der Stadt Hameln. 1826. In Commission der Helwingschen Hofbuchhandlung in Hannover. de. 1378 vermacht Johannes de Lüde, decanus ecclesiae hamelensis, seine curiam claustralem cum omnibas clenodiis, jocalibus, domus et curiae utensilibus, omnia vasa argentea, ferro et lignis fabricata für 90 Talente hamelscher Denaren et alteram curiam claustralem, die er von seinem Oheim Johannes v. Reymbertink erhielt, für 20 Talente et curiam in Wenge et bona in Tündern, pullis et ovis exceptis, quae curiae nostrae possesor habebit. Davon sollen 10 Talente ad structuram ecclesiae beati Bonifacii gloriosi, 10 Talente ad dormitorium ; 20 Talente für die Armen, und zwar davon sährlich 8 solidi für Brot gegeben und das Uebrige soll für Lichter beim heiligen Sakramente verwandt werden; ferner sind 2 Talente ad structuram ecclesiae beati Nicolai forensis, dem Kloster Bisbede, Esekestorpe, Ulhusen, Bennigsen jeden 1 Talent und dem Canonicus Henricus de Wulbecke X Talente auszuzahlen..
2. Web site: Medievalists.net. 2014-12-08. The Pied Piper of Hamelin: A Medieval Mass Abduction?. 2021-12-13. Medievalists.net. en-US.
3. Book: Mieder, Wolfgang. Tradition and Innovation in Folk Literature. 2015-08-11. Routledge. 978-1-317-37685-9. en.
4. Web site: The Lüneburg Manuscript – The original manuscript published digitally. HAB – Handschriftendatenbank – Handschrift lg-rb-theol-2f-25. 2021-12-15. diglib.hab.de.
5. Web site: Geographic. National. O flautista de Hamelin, eco de uma tragédia esquecida. 2021-12-20. nationalgeographic.pt. pt-pt.
6. Web site: NumisWiki. forumancientcoins.com.
7. Book: Meibom, Heinrich. Rerum Germanicarum Tomi III: I. Historicos Germanicos ab H. Meibomio Seniore primum editos & illustratos, nunc auctiores. II. Historicos Germanicos ab Henrico Meibomio Iuniore e MStis nunc primum editos & illustratos. III. Dissertationes Historicas varii argumenti utriusque Meibomii continet. 1688. Hammius. la. Quia ergo interea cum Dn. Joanne de Lude & Dn. Bernhardo Lufeken, quod procuravimus citationem contra inclytum principem Ducem Ernestum, patrem dicti Ducis AIberti, quiex mala informatione & prohibuit culturam nostrorum agrorũ & veniebam ad eum in Eimbek & exhibuimus sibi 40. marcas puri argenti, ut desifteret ab omni impetitione, qui consuluit cum Magistro dein Arsvelde Canonico ibidem in Eimbek..