Herewith I will commend you to the crucified Christ Jesus, and to the abundant word of his grace, as a perpetual adieu upon earth if we should here see one another no more; for my mind is still fixed this day, to seal this letter with my blood, and, with old Eleazar, rather to die honorably than to live stained with ignominy. And, Michiel, I also greet your wife, sister Tanneken, very cordially with a perpetual adieu. My brothers always do good, and praise and thank the Lord, that you have a brother who is worthy to lay down his life for Christ and the Gospel’s sake. Written to you in tears, for nature’s sake. Assist Christian with the children, wherever it is possible for you; and keep this letter as a testament. By me, your dear brother,
Joost Verkindert.
God, who is the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God through Christ Jesus, to him be praise, honor, glory, dominion, power, and majesty, forever and ever. Amen.
This I wish you as a cordial and friendly greeting, my dear and beloved wife and sister in the Lord, as a perpetual adieu upon earth; informing you, that I am still tolerably well according to the time, for which I thank and praise the almighty Father, my and your God, that he has chosen me hereto.
Hence, my most beloved, do not sorrow too much on my account, but praise and thank the Lord, that you have had a husband that is counted worthy to lay down his life for the truth.
O my beloved, I pray and exhort you once more, that you will keep yourself in quietness and in the fear of God, that we may together receive the beautiful promises, where neither cold, nor heat, nor hunger, nor thirst shall be any more, but such joy, which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the great joy and gladness which God hath prepared for them that love him. 1 Cor. 2:9.
O my beloved, this befell me, when we least expected it; but the almighty God be praised and thanked through Christ Jesus, that he still thus aids and succors me in my distress.
Herewith I commend you and my two little children to Christ Jesus, whom I commend to you for a husband.
O my beloved, never forsake this husband and bridegroom, for he is the Father of the widows and orphans. Ps. 68:6. Adieu, my most beloved, with mother and all our friends, whom I commend upon earth to the crucified, bleeding Christ Jesus. Adieu, adieu all together. Subscribed by me,
Joost Verkindert.
Your dear husband, written in my bonds.
The eternal, abundant and rich grace and mercy of God the heavenly Father, and the pure love, joy and peace of the Son, together with the comfort of the Holy Ghost, who proceeds from both the Father and the Son, to comfort those that are in any tribulation; this I wish you, my dear and God-beloved sister in the Lord, as a friendly greeting, to strengthen you in your great tribulation, in which you now also are for the Lord’s holy name and the Gospel’s sake, which Gospel he left us, and sealed it with his precious blood, that he might thereby cleanse and wash us from all our uncleanness, and present us unto himself holy and blameless, without spot or wrinkle, yea, that he might thereby prepare unto himself a holy people zealous of good works. Eph. 5:26,27; Tit. 2:14. To him be praise, thanks, glory, honor, power, and majesty, forever and ever. Amen.
After all proper greetings, my dear and beloved sister in the Lord, whom I love from the depth of my heart, because of our regeneration, I inform you, that I and your dear husband are still tolerably well according to the flesh; and as regards the spirit, it is still the purpose of us both, to adhere to the eternal truth by the great help of the Lord, without whom we can do nothing, and from whom we must also constantly look for help and comfort. And he, according to his promise, does not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but does with the temptation also make a way to escape. 1 Cor. 10:13. Yea, he is a faithful helper in distress, who never yet forsook his own that continued in his fear, and firmly trusted in his word; for he gives unto every one that asks him, and will not that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, that we should be to the praise of his glory. Matt. 7:7; 2 Pet. 3:9; Eph. 1:12. Hence, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth; for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye324 also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.” Col. 3:1–6. Therefore, let all bitterness, conceitedness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us. Eph. 4:31,32; 5:1,2. And Christ says: A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples. John 13:34,35. And Peter says: Have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins (1 Pet. 4:8); and love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom. 13:8. But we must love God above all, as is written: If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26. And further: He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matthew 19:37. Thus, we must love him above all, and for his name forsake everything, and entirely deny ourselves. 16:24. Hence, my dear sister, be content, and do not grieve immoderately on this account; for it is the will of the Lord, and his will must be done. We must part here once. Thus, hasten, that we may all meet together when men shall not be able to part us any more. May the good and almighty Lord full of grace and truth make us fit hereto. Amen.
Farewell, and accept this in good part.
Jan van den Wege, having risen early one morning, and then, about seven o’clock, gone with his cousin to market, was apprehended at the fish market at Ghent in Flanders, by master Klaes (who was wont to ride out with the Dean of Ronse, in order to assist in the apprehension of those called heretics) and two other officers, and taken to the Sausselet (the city prison), where master Klaes asked him concerning his place of residence, which he refused to tell. He was then searched; but they found nothing on his person except a hymn; hence they took their departure from him, leaving him securely locked in prison. Having, after many examinations and vexations, boldly confessed his faith, and refusing to apostatize from it in any wise, he was, on the 7th of November 1570, together with two young maidens, named Janneken van Hulle, and Janneken van Rentegem, sentenced to death for the living word of God. When they were brought forth, almost entirely stripped, the executioner put a gag into each one’s mouth to prevent them from speaking. Thus they went along in silence like sheep to the slaughter, and saluted the brethren by nodding to them. A brother was heard to say to them: “Be valiant.” And a sister said: “Contend valiantly for the truth.” In their sentence it was stated that they had been rebaptized, contrary to the royal decree, also, that they had erred from the true faith, and united with heretics, and that they were therefore sentenced to be burned with fire. The executioner then placed each at a stake, and strangled and burned them. Thus they finished their course, and are now lying under the altar, awaiting the reward of their sufferings.
I wish you, my cordially beloved and chosen sister, whom I love from the very depth of my heart, the unfathomable, abundant, great grace and mercy of the eternal and almighty God, the heavenly Father; and also the great humility and meekness, and the great peace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the only and true Son of the living God; and the great power, consolation and full joy of the Holy Ghost; this is my eternal and blessed wish and holy salutation and perpetual memorial to you, my dear, chosen sister; and also to all men that fear and love the Lord, and call on him out of a pure heart. This is ever my blessed wish and holy salutation, to the eternal salvation of your souls, and to the praise of the eternal, supreme, almighty God of heaven and earth; to whose name be praise, thanks, glory and honor, forever and ever. Amen.
O see, my dear and much beloved chosen sister, what more shall I wish you? or what more shall I write you than I have written? But I repeat, and this from abundant, pure and fervent love to God, with the holy, chosen apostle Peter, where he writes to you, and also to us, and to all men: “Purify your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, and see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The sun is risen, and hath withered the grass, and the beauty of it is perished: but the word of the Lord endureth forever. 1 Pet. 1:22–25. O dear sister, what a good ointment and blessed doctrine this is which Peter has here taught us by the Holy Ghost. O yes, what a precious medicine this is which the Lord has left us by his apostles, by which the soul can be purified and healed. Hence let us open our ears, and unlock our hearts, that we may hear with our ears and understand with our hearts, what the obedience of the truth teaches us. For it is Jesus Christ, the genuine truth, with all the precious medicines of grace and mercy, and the sweet-smelling oil of love, whereby we purify our souls, and by no other.
Hence, O dear sister, let us hear this truth, and obey it; for he proceeded from the Father, yea, came from and was sent by him, a teacher from heaven, to teach us the way of truth, and the life, which he was himself; and all that he has heard and seen from his Father, he has taught us, in order to purify our souls, and save them for ever; for he teaches us, saying: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” John 8:42; 1:4; 14:6; 8:38; 3:5.
O dear sister, earnestly pray the Lord for a right understanding of this regeneration, which must be effected from above, of water and of the Spirit, since otherwise we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. Hence, let us pray with a firm confidence and a strong faith, yea, pray with an unwavering mind to God the Most High, in spirit and in truth; and it shall be given us, as he himself says: “For every one that asketh receiveth,” says the Lord Jesus Christ. Matt. 7:8. Let us therefore so ask him that we may receive it, that is, understand the regeneration, and live in accordance therewith, and then remain forever and constantly regenerated unto the end. O yes, so born from above, that whereas there was nothing before, there is something now; and whereas formerly we knew nothing but lying and cheating, together with presumptuous pride, proud cursing, fighting, swearing, evil speaking, and lived in much pleasure of the flesh, we now speak the truth from the heart, and walk in the truth, as children that are born of the truth; and live in the fear of our God, with an humbled heart, in lowliness, gentleness, and in great joy of the Spirit, and no longer go to dumb idols, to worship or honor them, nor do we go into their Baal’s dens, where nothing but the commandments of men are taught, which doctrines destroy men’s souls, and with which the devil has destroyed the whole world, for his name is destroyer. Rev. 9:11. O yes, dear sister, whenever we went there, we saw them perform their mass and abominable idolatry, which are but fables and commandments of men, and instituted by the same destroyer, the devil. And when they elevate their abominable idol, every one must fall down before it, and worship and honor it. O what abominable idolatry this is! Sentence has long ago been pronounced upon them; for idolaters, says Paul, have no part in the kingdom of God: but their part, says John, is in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. 1 Cor. 6:9; Rev. 21:8. Hence, O dear sister, keep away from idols, and touch not the unclean thing, and let us be turned from idolatry to the service of the living God, to serve him, for he alone is to be heard, praised, honored, worshiped, served, and loved, forever. Yes, dear sister, let us thus apprehend the meaning of Christ, that we be truly turned from the power of this world, where there is nothing but darkness, namely, the night of sin (1 Thess. 5:7; Rom. 13:12); to the day of grace, where shines in the beautiful Sun of righteousness, Jesus Christ, with all his promises and grace (Mal. 4:2; Rom. 6:14); and from lies to the truth, and from unrighteousness and wickedness to righteousness and good works; and thus demonstrate in power, that we are regenerated in humility of heart and spirit, love one another with brotherly love out of a pure heart, and have peace with all men, if it be possible; yea, as ye would that men should do to you, so do you also to them: for this is the law and the prophets, says Christ, who is the infallible truth. 1 Pet. 1:22; Rom. 12:18; Matt. 7:12.
Let us therefore well consider this, that we may not err; for we would indeed be willing that men should show us much favor and mercy, and always live peaceably with us; hence let us also always show much favor and mercy to all men, and do them many kindnesses, thus showing love to them, and seek to live in peace and love with one another, and with all men. Yes, dear sister, let us so purify our souls as Peter says: “Purify your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, and love one another with a pure heart fervently: being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” 1 Pet. 1:22,23. O yes, dear sister, let us so follow the advice of Peter, that we obey the truth of Christ, and through obedience purify our souls, and be truly born from above, of water and of the Spirit, which must be effected from high heaven, whereby we must be born again, namely, of the water, as Christ says: “He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive.) John 7:38,39. And by the words of truth, as Christ himself says: “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63. O yes, dear sister, this is the true water and the true Spirit, whereby we must be born again from above, if we are to see the kingdom of heaven; for Christ gives and sends the Holy Spirit from above down upon every one whom he sees prepared; and his word he also brought from above, and hence this regeneration is effected from above. John 15:26; 8:26; 3:3,7.
Therefore, dear sister, let us take good heed, that we well keep this regeneration, and constantly, all the days of our life, walk before the eyes of the Lord in holiness, as the truly regenerated children of God, who are not born of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, namely, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. Hence, my dear and much beloved sister, if you are truly in this regeneration, which has been effected in you from above, show forth the nature of that of which you are born, so that you have all your conversation in heaven, and are no longer minded toward flesh and blood, nor anything that is visible, as Paul says, but towards that which is invisible. Philip. 3:19,20. For Paul says, that our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:17,18. Hence let us remain steadfast, and look at and believe only that which is invisible. For Peter says: “At the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoiced with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.” 1 Pet. 1:7–9. O yes, dear sister, let us do according to the doctrine brought us from above through the Holy Ghost, that we purify our souls, and be born again from above of water and of the Spirit, so that we may see the kingdom of heaven, and forever possess it through the grace of the Lord; and let us always firmly trust and believe in the invisible God, and in the Lord Jesus Christ our Redeemer, and the Savior of the world, so that our souls may be forever saved. O yes, that we may be with all the elect and regenerated children of God, and with all the saints of the supreme God of heaven and earth, and with the heavenly, great, and beautiful host of the holy angels of God, in unspeakably great glory and joy, and glorious and imperishable brightness; and may forever reign with the Lord of lords and King of kings, in great glory, and in exceedingly great joy, and then, with all the great heavenly, holy hosts, from great joy of heart, forever praise, glorify, honor, and sanctify with great honor, the exalted name of the Lord; for, glory belongs to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will toward men. Luke. 2:14. Herewith, my dear sister, I commend you to the Lord, and to the words of his eternal grace. Amen.
Written out of great, fervent, brotherly love, to you Cijntgen, my dearly beloved chosen sister, as a perpetual and blessed memorial in the Lord, by Hansken, your poor, miserable and weak brother, who is imprisoned at Ghent, in the Sausselet, for the true word of the Lord. Remember me in your prayers to God, so that through me poor, miserable man, who am weak, the exalted, holy name of the Lord may be honored and praised forever; for it is good to sing praises unto our God. Amen. Ps. 147:1.
The eternal, abundant, unfathomable, great grace and mercy of God the heavenly Father, which came by Jesus Christ, the only and true Son of God; and the great humility and meekness, holiness and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Savior of the world, together with the great power, consolation and full joy of the Holy Ghost; this I wish you from the depth of my heart, and from the inmost of my soul, my dear and much beloved friend Jacob Kesij, and mother Martijntgen; this is my perpetual and blessed wish and holy salutation to you, and to all men that fear and love the Lord, and call on him out of a pure heart; yea, may the Lord of eternal grace grant you this my blessed wish and holy salutation, and make you wise in that which is good, and simple in that which is evil, so that you may with Job be found perfect and upright, fearing God, and eschewing evil. Amen. Rom. 16:19; Job 1:1.
Further, my dear and beloved friends Jacob and Martijntgen, I pray you from the depth of my heart, and by the great and fervent love and mercy of God, and by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and this by his merits, bitter death, bleeding wounds, and his precious blood, which he suffered to be shed on the cross to purchase us, and to redeem us from the bonds of death; yea, I beseech you and say with the apostle Paul: “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22. O take heed to it, and follow faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God, and he that believeth not shall be damned, says Jesus Christ our Lord. Heb. 11:6; Mark 16:16. Hence, O dear Jacob and Martijntgen, turn, turn, and follow the true faith, which worketh by love (Galatians 5:6), yea, by the fervent love of God, without which [faith] no one can now or ever please God, as Paul says. Hence take good heed, that you confirm the faith with love, and follow love with all the strength of your heart, the nature of which love consists in meekness and gentleness. Yea, charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth. 1 Corinthians 13:4. Hence I repeat it, see well to it, that you follow this beautiful fruit of love, and that it may be found with you forever so that you may adorn your faith with true love, and thus please God and be saved. Therefore, O my dear friends, follow faith, love, and also peace with all men. For it is a wisdom that is from above, and is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness325 is sown in peace of them that make peace. James 3:17,18. Hence, make peace, and continue therein, that the peace of the Lord may rule in your hearts (Col. 3:15), and bring forth the fruit of righteousness to the praise of the Lord, and to the salvation of your souls. O yes, dear Jacob and Martijntgen, do thus according to my request, and the admonition of Paul, and you will not be deceived. Follow all this righteousness which is by faith (Rom. 3:22), with all your heart, and with all your strength and ability; pray, lament, call, and weep in spirit and in truth, to God the heavenly Father, for grace and mercy; yea, trust and hope in him with all your heart, and with steadfastness, and the Lord, who is full of all goodness (Psalm 118:1), will be gracious unto you according to his great goodness, and unfathomable mercy; for the Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil; for the Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Joel 2:13; 2 Pet. 3:9. Yea, this is his will; for Christ says: Repent, ye, and believe the Gospel. Mark 1:15. Hence receive this good doctrine, so that you repent and bring forth genuine fruits of repentance, and thus flee youthful lusts. And love not the world—which liveth in pleasure, as John says—neither the things that are in the world; for if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. 1 John 2:15–17. Hence I tell you once more: flee carnal and youthful lusts in this world, that you be not condemned with the world. Gal. 5:16; 1 Corinthians 11:32. O yes, turn from this wicked generation, who live in pleasure, for they are dead while they live, as Paul says. 1 Tim. 5:6. Therefore, O Jacob and Martijntgen, turn away, turn away from this wicked way of the ungodly, so that you may not with them be punished without mercy by the Lord; for God will rain lightnings, fire and brimstone upon the ungodly, and reward them with a tempest. Rev. 18:4; Gen. 19:24; Exodus 9:24; Ps. 7:12. For the Lord is righteous, and loves righteousness, so that according to his righteousness he cannot let sinners go unpunished; hence flee youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on God out of a pure heart. Ps. 11:7; 2 Tim. 2:22. Yes, dear Jacob and Martijntgen, follow this high gift of the Lord, namely, the wisdom that is from above; yea, I say, follow after it, and bring forth genuine fruits of repentance, and it shall be well with you. And always humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, and be no longer high-minded, but fear with great humility of heart and of the spirit, before God the heavenly Father; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 1 Pet. 5:6; Rom. 11:20; 1 Pet. 5:5. Hence I repeat it: humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted, says Jesus Christ our Lord. Luke 14:11. Therefore, O dear Jacob and Martijntgen, follow righteousness, and strive for it with all your power and all the diligence of your heart; and sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you. John 5:14. And learn henceforth truly to fear the Lord with all your heart; and learn to love him with all your strength, so that your names may be written in the book of life, and you may thus through God’s great grace be forever saved, and may, with all the holy angels in heaven, and with the great heavenly host, with the Lord of lords, in unspeakably great joy, glory and brightness, reign forever in heaven, where the great and holy name of the Lord will be forever praised, glorified and honored; for glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:14.
Herewith, I commend you to the Lord, and to the word of his grace. Amen. Written by me,
Hansken van den Wege.
Imprisoned for the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ.
My blessed wish, holy salutation and perpetual memorial to you, Claerken, my dear sister, is, that you may live holy, and die happy, and that you may arise with a holy body, acceptable to the Lord, to the salvation of your soul, and also to the praise and honor of the eternal and almighty God of heaven and earth, to whose name be eternal praise, glory and honor, now and forever. Amen.
O dear and much beloved chosen sister, I wish you from the depth of my heart, and the inmost of my soul, much grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father, who is true and almighty, of whom are all things, and this through Jesus Christ our Lord, the Son of the true and living God, by whom are all things, who is the Savior of the world, and especially of those that believe; for he is our High Priest, Prince, Reconciler, and Savior, by his death and precious blood, which he once shed for us; and this with great humility and meekness, in holiness and peace; together with the great power, consolation and full joy of the Holy Ghost. O yes, dear sister, may the Holy Ghost who is the supreme comfort of our afflicted conscience, impel and guide you into all truth. O Claerken, dear sister, strive for this, and purify yourself thereto, that you may be a member in the body of the Lord, and a stone in his temple; and so humble yourself now, that it may be seen and perceived in you, that you now humble your flesh and spirit, so that the Holy Ghost may dwell in you; and that you also show forth the nature of him that dwells in you, by great gentleness, mercy, love and peace toward all men, not being quarrelsome, not clamorous, not cursing, not puffed up, nor proud, not minded to worship idols, nor to hearken after the commandments of men, and also not greedy of filthy lucre, which has to be left behind. O yes, Claerken, dear sister, flee all these abominations and evil things, and moreover, all that are like them. O yes, shun them, as you would shun snakes and serpents; for if you come too near you will be bitten by them so that no man can heal you. Sir. 21:2. Hence, dear sister, separate from all these abominations, and touch not the unclean thing; but strive to be found excelling in good works, so that you may be fit for the Spirit of God to dwell in you; and may at all times bring forth the fruit of the Spirit; for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth. Eph. 5:9. Yea, strive for the kingdom of heaven, which is righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, (Rom. 14:17). Amen.
And I greet my dear and much beloved chosen mother, who is also my dearest sister in the Lord, very cordially and affectionately; yea, I greet you, O dear mother, with all the strength of my heart, and I wish you always and forever Jesus Christ, the Son of the most high God, that he may, with his great power, by which all things are made, uphold you in the true way, that leads to life eternal, yea, to the new Jerusalem, where the streets are of pure gold, so that you may enter in there, through his great grace, and thus be forever saved, and live in eternal, great joy and rest, and triumph and reign forever with the Lord of lords, and forever praise, glorify, and honor his great, high and holy name; for glory be to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men. Herewith I commend you forever to the only and almighty Lord, and to the eternal words of his grace. Amen.
Adieu, adieu, dear mother, dear mother, farewell, farewell; O yes, blessed, blessed. Amen, amen.
The unfathomable and abundant great grace and mercy of God our heavenly Father, given and bestowed upon us through Jesus Christ the Son of the true and living God, and Jesus Christ, with all his humility, meekness, and great holiness, yea, the great power, consolation and full joy of the Holy Ghost, this we wish you from the depth of our soul, and with all the strength of our heart, our dear and much beloved chosen sister in the Lord, together with all that fear and love the Lord, and call on him out of a pure heart. This is our perpetual, blessed wish, yea, holy salutation; may the Lord grant you this our blessed wish and holy salutation, and make you wise in that which is good, and simple in that which is evil; so that you may be found upright and perfect, fearing God, and eschewing evil. Amen.
Further, dear and much beloved chosen sister in the Lord, we wish you and also us, and all men, the eternal, great and blessed treasure to which Christ compares the kingdom of heaven; which a man found and hid, and for joy over it went and sold all that he had, and bought that field. Yes dear sister in the Lord, let us also be minded as he was that had found the treasure, since the treasure is now also revealed to us, through Jesus Christ the Son of God. let us also hide it, and this with great diligence, with prayer, supplication and fasting in the Spirit to God, for where there is a treasure, the thieves and murderers seek to get it; hence let us take good heed that it be not taken from us, and let us go in righteousness and peace, and with great joy and gladness, in the Holy Ghost; for the kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Rom. 14:17. Hence let us thus go on, since to us is revealed the treasure that lies hidden in the field before so many. Let us therefore be diligent, yes, dear sister; let us go on, and with great steadfastness in meekness follow the infallible truth Jesus Christ; for he is the way, the truth, and the life. Hence let us always follow him, and let us thus go on until the time that we have forsaken and sold everything, and let us then buy the field in which the treasure is hid; for he that does not forsake everything, says Christ, is not worthy of me. For if it were hid in a great, broad field many would come and seek for it, but only one would find the treasure; so also the good and blessed treasure, Jesus Christ the Son of God, lies hid in the field of the holy Scriptures, and many indeed come and seek for it, but only one finds the same; namely, all the members that are in the body of which Jesus Christ is the head, have found the treasure Jesus Christ, with all his graces and merits, and also eternal life. They now may well greatly rejoice in the Holy Ghost, that they have found the great, beautiful, and holy treasure (Jesus Christ), and say with the prophet: The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; the Lord is the portion of my inheritance: therefore I will not fear; though my flesh and my heart fail, thou, O Lord, art the strength of my heart, and my portion forever; yea, the Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him. Ps. 16:6,5; 73:26; Lam. 3:24.
Therefore my dear and much beloved chosen sister in the Lord, let us go on with a valiant, firm and strong confidence, and with great humility and meekness of heart, and with a great desire after our holy and blessed treasure (Jesus Christ); and the Lord shall desire our beauty, and when the Lord shall come with his mighty angels, and with the sound of the trumpet, in the clouds, to reward every man according to his works, then shall the elect be gathered together from the four winds of heaven, and they shall, as sheep, be set on his right hand, and the ungodly, as goats, on the left; then shall we hear the sweet and blessed words: Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom of my Father, prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 2 Thess. 1:7; Matt. 16:27; 24:30,31; 25:33,34. Then we shall enter into the great, beautiful and imperishable glory of the Lord, where we shall be in great glory and unspeakable, great and eternal joy, and thus forever be with the Lord of lords, King of kings, God of gods, and Father of fathers, and praise, thank, glorify, honor and sanctify him, for Holy, holy, is the holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come, Rev. 4:8. But to them on the left hand he shall say: Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for you and the devil; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Hence, O dear and much beloved in the Lord, let us take good heed, that we do not sleep in sin, lest our treasure be taken; for when people sleep, thieves go and rob them. But let us watch and pray and adorn ourselves as the five wise virgins, who had oil in their lamps; so that when the bridegroom comes, we may enter in to his glorious and imperishable marriage, where the Lord will be praised forever, for it is a good thing to sing praises to our God.
Herewith I commend you to the Lord, and to the rich word of his grace. Amen. Always remember us in your holy prayers to God, as Paul says: Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them. Heb. 13:2. For we also remember you for the best in our prayers, according to our weak ability, for it is written: All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Matt. 7:12.
Written out of great brotherly love, and sent by us three prisoners for the word and the holy name of the Lord, to you our dear and much beloved sister in the Lord. Amen.
At Ghent, in Flanders, there were imprisoned for their faith, two pious sisters, named Barbelken Goethals and Saerken van Duerhove. While confined in the convent of St. Peter, they had to resist many temptations, sufferings and vexations; but adhering nevertheless steadfastly to the divine truth, they were finally sentenced to death as heretics, and, on the 21st of November, 1570, burnt without Ghent, in consequence of which they are delivered, and shall remain so forever, from the eternal and unquenchable fire of hell.
The abundant and unfathomable great grace peace and mercy of God our heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ, his only and eternal dear and beloved Son, by whom we are redeemed and loosed from the chains of hell and the shadows of death, and reconciled through his precious blood alone; him I wish you, my dearest brother in the Lord, as the preserver of your soul; and that he would comfort you with the great consolation, joy, and gladness of the Holy Ghost, in all that may befall you yet for the true testimony of our dear Lord Jesus Christ. To this God who only is wise, be praise, glory, honor, power, strength and might, forever and ever. Amen.
After all proper, cordial and friendly salutations to you, Jasper, my dearest brother in the Lord, whom I love with godly love in the truth (2 John 1), and this for the truth’s sake, O, this the Lord knows, to whom all hearts are known, O my dear and much beloved brother in the Lord, know that it is still my purpose to fear our dear Lord from the depth of my heart, according to my weakness, all the days of my life, and hope by the help of the Lord never to separate from the truth; not for anything that is in the world, neither for riches, silver or gold, do I hope by his grace, to apostatize from our dear Lord, to which end may the almighty God strengthen me, this I pray him. O my dearest brother in the Lord, I would far rather with Susanna fall into the hands of men, than to sin in the sight of the Lord; for the pure and undefiled Susanna said: “If I do this thing, it is death unto me: and if I do it not, I cannot escape your hands. It is better for me to fall into the hands of men, and not to do it, than to sin in the sight of the Lord.” Susanna 22, 23. I likewise well know, that if I forsake the truth death is unto me; but, oh no! this I hope by the grace of the Lord never to do; but it is much better for me also to fall into the hands of men, than that I should forsake the Lord my God. Oh no, my dearest brother in the Lord! O let us never depart from the truth of the Lord, for so many beautiful promises are promised us, and if we continue steadfast unto death we shall be saved. O my much beloved, dear brother in the Lord, O if we may only be saved, that is enough; which I hope by his great grace, if we continue in his word, we shall; for he is faithful that promised, who also will do it; for he says by his pious prophet Isaiah, comforting his own: Though a mother forget her own child, which she herself has brought forth, yet will I not forget thee. Isa. 49:15. Therefore, my affectionately beloved brother in the Lord, behold, how faithfully our dear Lord comforts us; hence, dear and beloved in the Lord, let us be of good courage, and willingly labor, for it (our labor) will not be in vain in the Lord. 1 Cor. 15:58. Hence I am valiant and bold, to the Lord be praise and glory, now and forever, who so faithfully succors me according to his promise, O who should not fear such a God, who so preserves his tender branches; and I also trust valiantly in my Lord and God, that he will preserve me where I am, and, if it be his will, deliver me out of this murderer’s den.
Hence, O my dearest and much beloved brother in Christ Jesus, let us have good courage, though we meet with more adversity than the world. O let us look unto Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, how he went before us in much suffering and reproach. And all the holy prophets, O let us look to them, how they went before us, through so much tribulation, yea, in destitution and affliction; of whom the world was not worthy. For if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned; but now they desired a better country, that is, a heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God. Heb. 11. Thus, O Jasper, my most affectionately beloved brother in the Lord, God will also not be ashamed to be called our God, if we continue faithfully in his truth, and do not again lay the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God. Hebrews 6:1. O no, O no, my dearest brother in the Lord, let us not again lay the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God; but let us hold fast the faith which we have in Christ our dear Lord. O I hope by the help of God to hold fast the faith which I have in Christ Jesus; nor shall, the Lord helping me, any man separate me from the love of God, as also Paul says: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8:35–39. Therefore, my dearest, beloved brother in the Lord, let us be of good courage in the Lord; for they can not hurt a hair of our head without the will of our Father. Luke 12:7.
O Jasper, my dear and beloved brother in the Lord, I am of such good cheer, the Lord be praised, that I should never be able to describe the joy which I feel in my heart. O what courage I have to fight against the princes and rulers of darkness; I think that I could say with David: “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.” Ps. 3:6. O what joy I have; praise, glory and honor be to God forever for the great joy that he gives me. O my dearest brother, rejoice with me, and let it strengthen you, as I hope that it will. Thus I have briefly written to my dearest brother in Christ Jesus, with the small gift that I have received through the grace of the Lord. Herewith I will commend you to our dear Lord, and to the rich word of his grace. I take leave, and say: Adieu, adieu, adieu, farewell, farewell, farewell, my dearest brother in the Lord, till we meet again. Though we must part here, and be separated by men, I hope that we shall meet again where men can part us no more.
O Jasper, my dearest brother in the Lord, acquit yourself valiantly unto the end in the word of God; I hope to do the same. Again I say: Adieu, adieu! farewell, farewell! we must now part. O I beseech you most affectionately, to receive my simple letter in good part, as I hope you will, since I have done it out of pure love. Written in bonds by me, your weak sister in the Lord, who lies in bonds in St. Peter’s, for the true testimony of Jesus Christ. Keep this letter in remembrance of me; I hope to seal it with my blood. Always fear God, but not men.
Barbelken Goethals.
Ancient and credible memoirs tell us as indubitable facts, that about the year of our Lord 1570, two very devout persons, a man and a woman, whose names we have not been able to ascertain, were sought for by the bailiff of the city of Dordrecht, because they were called Anabaptists, and finally found in the Marienbon street of said city, in a house from which was suspended the sign of a boot. As they steadfastly adhered to their faith, both were shortly after burnt in the market field, beyond the scales, where then was the place of execution.
Also, that seven others, men as well as women, of the same religion, who had come from Breda,326 when they could by no means be moved therefrom, suffered like punishment, namely, by fire, until death ensued; which took place in the plain, not far from the Menne bridge, beyond the powder magazine being the other place of execution.
About the end of the year, namely, in the month of November, when that great and terrible flood, that came on All-saints-day (of which almost every one knows something) had come to an end, it is stated, that a certain Anabaptist widow in the Armetij street was taken from a room at the side of a stairway by the bailiff and the stadtholder; which widow some time afterwards, as she would not apostatize from her faith, also had to die in the flames.
We made search for the examinations and death sentences of the aforementioned persons, in the ordinary’s criminal city records of that time, but did not find them, nor of J. W. van Kuyck and Adriaentgen Jans van Molenaersgraef, who were put to death two years afterwards; though there were several living witnesses of it in our time, who saw the death of said persons, together with all the circumstances. This being the case it appears that the papists were ashamed to put the court proceedings and death sentences of said persons into the city records, since it seemed that the country and at the same time also this city should before long change government and religion, which about two years afterwards was accomplished through the coming of William I., prince of Orange; and thus the constraint over the faith and conscience ceased at the same time, at said place.
Further Observation.—As regards the persons who then (in the year 1570) sat in court, and administered justice, they were, according to the record of Johan van Beverwijck, in his Register of the Magistracy of Dordrecht, as follows:
Adriaen van Bleyenbergh Adriaenss, Bailiff of said city, who had entered on his office in the year 1549, and completed his time in the year 1571.
Arent van der Mijle Sir Corneliss, Burgomaster of the community.
Together with nine judges: Gijsbrecht van Haerlem Jans; Cornelis van Diemen Jacobss; Huybrecht Jonge Adriaenss; Jan van Slingelandt Sir Ottenss; Wourick van Drenkwaert Sir Wilmss; Jan Janss Elandtss; Bondewijn Heerman Gijsbrechtss; Dierick van Beverwijck Sir Philips; Cornelis van Mosyenbroeck Sir Corneliss.
However, whether they all concurred in this sentence, or only some of them, is not known to us.
In the year 1571, thirty-six persons were apprehended at Antwerp, in Brabant, for the truth of the holy Gospel of Christ and following the same. Among them were Jelis Claverss, Lijsabet, wife of Claes de Vries, and Nelleken Jaspers, whom we think to have also been among this number, which comprised six men and thirty women, some of whom were burnt, and some suffered drowning with great constancy. But said Lijsabet died with a screw in her mouth, by which she was prevented from speaking, that she should not tell the spectators how innocently she died; in which deed the monks and priests more than filled up the measure of their forefathers, the blood-thirsty Pharisees; for they stopped only their own ears, that the truth should not be told them by Stephen, the worthy man of God; these new Pharisees, the monks, on the other hand, caused screws to be put on the tongues of these pious and faithful witnesses of God, and the tip of the tongue touched with a red hot iron, that the swelling should prevent it from slipping out. Thus these pious persons [were put to death] not on account of any crime or uproar or fraud, nor for any heresy, but only because they had gone out of Babylon, and united with Christ, herein following the teaching of the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. 6:17. Hence they valiantly contended for the belief of the truth, and shall, from the Prince of truth, through grace, for this short, little labor, receive the crown of eternal glory, and enjoy it forever.
The above mentioned Nelleken Jaspers was a girl of seventeen years, whose memory has been much sung on the street, in these countries. She was confined in prison for about a year, so that she was about eighteen years old when she died. During her imprisonment she suffered severe temptations, by way of threats of a terrible death as well as by fair promise of an advantageous marriage, and the like. But even as Christ, her captain, had repelled and vanquished all temptations of the enemy, so also this young heroine faithfully followed unto death the footsteps of her bridegroom Christ Jesus, and continued steadfast unto death, and, through the grace of God, received the end of the faith, which is the salvation of the soul. 1 Pet. 1:9. Though some would claim Nelleken Jaspers for the Protestant religion (as they also unjustly do concerning Anneken van den Howe, who was buried alive without Brussels), this is nevertheless utterly in vain, seeing, that when this was recorded, credible persons were still living who knew better, testifying that she died in one and the same faith with these pious confessors (called Mennists). This appears also from Joost Verkindert’s letter on the 20th of June, where she is described as of like faith with Joost and Lauwerens Andries, who greet the brethren with the peace of the Lord.
After much persecution, murdering and burning of the true followers of Christ, there was apprehended at Vlissingen in Zealand, also a pious brother named Dirck Mieuwess, and after long imprisonment the bailiff and jailer permitted him to render them certain services for the benefits of their households, in consequence of which he, together with some of his fellow-prisoners, was frequently allowed to leave the prison. Hence, when a favorable opportunity presented itself, some of the prisoners escaped and advised said Dirck Mieuwess to flee with them, which this friend of Christ refused to do, fearing that thereby the jailer, who had permitted him to go out, should get into trouble. Thus remaining in imprisonment, he, on the 6th of March, 1570, before Easter, was sentenced to be tortured on the rack, and the following year, namely, A. D. 1571, on the 8th of May, he was burned at said place, evincing great steadfastness, and offered up his temporal and corruptible body as a sweet-smelling savor unto the Lord of heaven and earth; not suffering as a thief or murderer, nor as one that seeks other peoples’ property, but only for the truth of Christ, and a good conscience. 1 Pet. 2:19. Hence there are sure to him the promises of Christ, who has said: “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:10.
In the year 1571, there was burnt alive, at Amsterdam in Holland, for the testimony of Jesus, a woman named Anneken Heyndricks, aged about fifty-three years. Having come from Friesland to Amsterdam, she was betrayed by her neighbor, the under-bailiff, who entered her house, in order to apprehend her. She said to him with a meek spirit: “Neighbor Evert, what is your wish? if you seek me, you can easily find me; here I am at your service.” This Judas the traitor said: “Surrender, in the name of the King.” And he bound Anneken with a rope, and led her along with him, as Judas and the scribes had done with our predecessor, Jesus. When they had arrived on the Dam, Anneken said, that they should not hesitate to look at her, since she was neither a harlot nor a thief, but a prisoner for the name of Jesus. After arriving in prison, she thanked and praised her Lord and Creator with an humble heart, for counting her worthy to suffer for his name’s sake. And she boldly confessed her faith before Pieter the Bailiff and the other lords. They greatly tormented her with Baal’s priests, in order to cause her to apostatize; but through the grace of God she valiantly resisted it. This greatly astonished the bailiff, that she did not pay more regard to his spiritual lords, and he said to Anneken: “Sir Albert, our chaplain, is such a holy fellow, that he ought to be mounted in fine gold; and you will not hear him, but make sport of him; hence you must die in your sins, so far are you strayed from God.”
Thus they suspended this godfearing aged woman (who could neither read nor write) by her hands, even as Christ had been, and by severe torturing sought to extort from her the names of her fellow-believers, for they thirsted for more innocent blood. But they obtained nothing from Anneken, so faithfully did God keep her lips. Hence the Bailiff preferred against her the charge of being infected with heresy, having forsaken the mother, the holy church, now about six years ago and having adopted the cursed doctrine of the Mennonists, by whom she had been baptized on her faith, and married a husband among them. Thereupon she was sentenced to be burnt alive. She thanked the lords, and said with humility, that if she had done amiss to any one, she asked them to forgive her. But the lords arose and made no reply. She was then tied on a ladder. Then she said to Evert the under-bailiff, her neighbor: “Thou Judas, I have not deserved it, that I should be thus murdered.” And she asked him not to do this any more, or God should avenge it on him. Thereupon Evert angrily said, that he would bring all those that were of her mind into the same trouble. Then the other bailiff came once more with a priest, tormenting her, and saying that if she did not renounce, she should go from this fire into the eternal. Thereupon Anneken steadfastly said: “Though I am sentenced and condemned by you, yet what you say does not come from God; for I firmly trust in God, who shall help me out of my distress, and deliver me out of all my trouble.” They did not let her speak any more but filled her mouth with gunpowder, and carried her thus from the city hall to the fire into which they cast her alive. This done, the traitor Evert, the under-bailiff, was seen to laugh, as though he thought he had done God an acceptable service. But the merciful God, who is the comfort of the pious, shall give this faithful witness, for this brief and temporal tribulation, an everlasting reward, when her stopped mouth shall be opened in fullness of joy, and these sad tears (for the truth’s sake) shall be wiped away, and she be crowned with eternal joy with God in heaven.
Concerning this, see a hymn in some old hymn books.
Note.—We have obtained the sentence of death of this pious and valiant heroine of Jesus Christ, as the same was read to her in court: as also, the record of her torture, which, as it appears, took place two weeks before her death; which we shall place here one after the other, as they were copied by the secretary from the criminal records of the city.
Whereas, Anna Heyndricks daughter, alias, Anna de Vlaster, formerly citizeness of this city, at present a prisoner here, unmindful of her soul’s salvation, and the obedience which she owed to our mother, the holy church, and to His Royal Majesty, as her natural lord and prince, rejecting the ordinances of the holy church, has neither been to confession, nor to the holy, worthy sacrament, for six or seven years since [but has dared], to go into the assembly of the reprobated sect of the Mennonists, or Anabaptists, and has also held conventicles or meetings at her house; and has further, about three years ago, forsaking and renouncing the baptism received in her infancy from the holy church, been rebaptized, and then received the breaking of bread according to the manner of the Mennonist sect, and was also married to her present husband in Mennonist manner, by night, in a country house; and though she, the prisoner, has, by my lords of the court, as well as by divers ecclesiastical persons, been urged and repeatedly admonished, to leave the aforementioned reprobated sect, she nevertheless refuses to do it, persisting in her obstinacy and stubbornness, so that she, the prisoner, according to what has been mentioned, has committed crime against divine and human majesty, as by said sect disturbing the common peace and welfare of the land, according to the import of the decrees of His Majesty, existing in regard to this; which misdemeanors, for an example unto others, ought not to go unpunished; therefore, my lord of the court, having heard the demand of my lord the Bailiff, seen the confession of the prisoner, and having had regard to her obstinacy and stubbornness, have condemned her, and condemn her by these presents, to be, according to the decrees of His Royal Majesty, executed with fire, and declare all her property confiscated for the benefit of His Majesty aforesaid. Done in court, on the 10th of November, in the year 1571, in presence of the judges, by the advice of all the burgomasters, in my knowledge, as secretary, and as was subscribed:
W. Pieterss.
Concerning the torturing of the aforementioned Anna Heyndricks, and when this occurred.
She was tortured on the 27th of October, in the year 1571, according to the previous sentence of the judges, as appears from the record of the confession.
Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences of the city of Amsterdam. Preserved in the archives there.
N. N.
In this year 1571, brother Wolfgang Pinder was apprehended through treachery, at Scharding, in Bavaria. The chancellor of Burkhausen was at Scharding at that time; he came himself, apprehended and bound him, and took him thence to Burkhausen, where he had to resist many assaults and temptations from the host of false prophets, such as priests and others, who vehemently assailed him, in order that he should renounce his faith, and suffer himself to be instructed by them. To this end they used great diligence, and employed all manner of subtilty, to see whether they could not lead him astray, by fair, smooth words, by false doctrine, or by arrogance and threats; but he allowed himself in no wise to be moved from the known way of the truth, into which God had helped him. When the priests therefore could accomplish nothing, the executioner was on hand the following night, who had to lay hold of him, and he was vehemently tortured, racked and stretched most lamentably, so that his hands swelled greatly and he could not stand on his feet, so cruelly and unmercifully had the children of Satan treated him, according to the manner of their father, who is full of wrath against the human family, and works through his children all the works of wickedness, wherever he can.
Once two priests came to said brother; one of them talked with him, and admonished him to forsake his error and be converted; but brother Wolfgang, though still suffering great pain from the torturing and racking, said to him with a manful heart: “O you priest, do repent, and turn from your sinful life, and false doctrine; for you are a false prophet, and one of the rogues that go about in sheep’s clothing, and cover their deceitfulness and rascality with long robes; but inwardly you are ravening wolves, upon whom the Lord has pronounced many woes.” At this the priest got angry and blushed, as did also the other; and they could not accomplish their purpose with him. Finally they sent him back from Burkhausen to Scharding, where he had originally been apprehended. In both places they tried him hard, but could not accomplish their purpose with him. When he could not be moved, and would not follow their false doctrine, he had to lay down his life. They unexpectedly set a day, and he was taken out early in the morning to be executed, without any judicial sentence, which brother Wolfgang demanded. But such course of action on their part need not surprise one at all, for they have nothing to prefer against the pious, and cannot find any cause of death in them.
Thus the executioner came, and removed the collar from his neck, but he seized him with fear and trembling. Brother Wolfgang knelt down, and commended his spirit into the hands of his Lord and God. The executioner handled him very badly; he could not strike him properly, nor execute him with dispatch; he finally, while he was lying on the earth, had to hack or cut off his head as best he could; so that he himself was in great fear, and in great peril of his life from the people present, so that he vowed, never again in his life to execute any brethren. There were many people present who saw how valiant, and brave he was. This occurred shortly after Candlemas, in the year 1571. After he had been imprisoned almost half a year, he had thus to shed his blood for the faith in Jesus Christ, and passed over to the Lord’s host, who must in faith, by patient suffering, take possession of the kingdom of joy. The traitor who had informed against him, subsequently fared very badly, as did also the chancellor, who had apprehended him; their good days soon came to an end, as it generally goes with such Judases, who sin against the pious, innocent sheep of the Lord, and thirst for their blood: misfortune overtakes them through the wrath of God, and does not suffer them to remain long at ease.
Joost van der Straten, born at Teems in the district of Waes, in Flanders, a chairmaker by trade, was, when he was about seventy years old, taken from his work, and apprehended with his whole household, outside of Antwerp, on the Kiel (where now the fort stands), and they were, by the Spaniards, who apprehended them, brought to Antwerp. His wife and daughter, however, belonging to no religion; were released in course of time; but upon Joost many tortures were inflicted, in order to make him apostatize. But as he remained steadfast, after an imprisonment of three days, on Shrove Tuesday, A. D. 1571, his mouth was screwed open, and he was thus burnt alive in the market place, before the city hall, and then suspended from a stake in the gallows-field. The Duke of Alva was in Antwerp at that time.
Shortly after Shrove Tuesday, in the year 1571, the Duke of Alva removed from Antwerp to Brussels, taking with him all the prisoners, those of the reformed as well as those of the Anabaptistic religion, among which prisoners there were also this Hans van der Straten, aged about thirty-one years, born at Kortrijck, and his wife Tanneken, aged past seventeen years, born at Mechlin. As Hans firmly adhered to his faith and the divine truth, he was sentenced to death, and conducted outside of Brussels with his mouth screwed open, and there burnt alive to ashes, about the middle of Lent, in the year 1571. But his wife, to whom he had been married only six weeks, and who was still very young, finally, through many vexations and tortures, apostatized from her faith, and was put into a convent at Breda, from whence, at a favorable opportunity, she escaped, and went to Danswijck, where she, after having fully repented of her apostasy, again united with the church, and thereafter always led a pious life until her godly death.
In the year 1571, there was apprehended at Amsterdam in Holland, for the truth’s sake, as he was standing and working in a lighter-boat, a young brother, named Gerrit Corneliss. The Bailiff bound him, and led him to the city hall, where, the next day, he was examined, and interrogated concerning his faith, which he freely confessed; but when they wanted him to name some of his fellow believers, he would not do it, and hence had to suffer the torture. When he had been tortured once, and was dressed again, his eyes were blindfolded with a cloth, and his hands having been tied together, he was drawn up by them, and left thus suspended, whereupon he was again stripped, and severely scourged with rods; but no matter how he was tortured, he did not name any one. He was then laid upon the rack again, and while lying upon it, they caused him to be scourged with rods, urine poured into his mouth, and burning candles held under his arms; whereupon, having been stripped naked again, and his shirt bound before his nakedness, he was as before drawn up by his hands, with a weight attached to his feet, and leaving him thus suspended they went out, and returning after some time, they spitefully said to him, that if he would name no one, they should thus deal with him in this manner all day: but God (whom he thanked for it) kept his lips, that no one was brought into trouble by his speaking. In short, he was so tortured, that he could not walk, but had to be carried in a chair.
Some days after, having been brought into court, he was mockingly crowned with a hat of flowers, and sentenced to be strangled and burned. While listening to this sentence he evinced joyfulness and patience, until he arrived at the stake, where he very fervently prayed after this manner: “O Father and Lord, be gracious unto me; let me be one of your least lambs, or the least member of your body. O Lord, who lookest down here from on high, and art a discerner of the hearts and of every hidden thing, before whom all things are to be accounted as nothing, thou knowest my simple love towards thee; accept me, and forgive them that inflict this suffering upon me.” Having risen, he cried to the people: “O men, eternity is so long, O yes, eternity is so long; but these sufferings here are over very soon. But the conflict here is so fierce and severe; O how fearful I am yet; O flesh, bear and resist a little longer, for this is the last conflict.” When the rope had been placed around his neck, he cried: “O heavenly Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit;” and with this he sweetly died and was then burnt. Thus he offered up his sacrifice, boldly standing up for the name of Christ, not fearing pain, suffering, shame, nor these worldly lords, but constantly striving valiantly unto death; hence there shall also, at the last day, when the Lamb that was slain shall open the books of life, his name be found therein: but the apostate shall be written in the earth, and the earth, with the works that are therein, shall be burned. Revelation 2:10; 5:6; 20:12; 3:5; Jer. 17:13; 2 Peter 3:10.
Note.—As we have obtained a true copy, from the book of criminal sentences of the city of Amsterdam, of the death sentence as well as of the two torturings which this friend of God endured before his death, together with clear information when all this occurred, we deem it well to add the same here, so that no one may in any wise doubt the truth of what has been related, but may be fully assured of it.
Whereas Gerrit Corneliss, alias Gerrit Boon, boatman, citizen of this city, at present a prisoner here, unmindful of his soul’s salvation, and the obedience which he owed to our mother the holy church, and to His Imperial Majesty, as his natural lord and prince, rejecting the ordinances of the holy church, has been neither to confession nor to the holy sacrament for ten years past, and has further dared repeatedly to go into the assembly of the reprobated sect of the Mennonists or Anabaptists, and has also, about eight years ago, renouncing and forsaking the baptism received by him in his infancy from the holy church, been rebaptized, and afterwards repeatedly received the breaking of bread according to the manner of the aforesaid sect, and also attended the assembly of the aforesaid sect, without speaking to them when they met together; and though he, the prisoner, has, by my lords of the court as well as by divers ecclesiastical persons, been urged, and repeatedly admonished, to forsake the aforementioned reprobated sect, and to return to our mother, the holy church, he nevertheless refuses to do it, persisting in his obstinacy and stubbornness, so that he, the prisoner, according to what has been mentioned, has committed crime against divine and human majesty, as by said sect perturbing the common peace and welfare of the country, according to the import of the decrees of His Majesty existing in regard to this; which misdemeanors, for an example unto others, ought not to go unpunished; therefore, my lords of the court, having heard the demand of my lord the bailiff, and seen the confession of the prisoner, and having had regard to his obstinacy and stubbornness, have condemned said prisoner, and by these presents, do condemn him to be executed with fire, according to the decrees of His Royal Majesty, and declare all his property confiscated for the benefit of His Majesty aforesaid. Done in court, on the 26th of June, A. D. 1571, in the presence of all the judges, by the advice of Cornelis Jacobss Brouwer, and Hendrick Cornelis, burgomasters; I being present as secretary. Subscribed.
W. Pieterss.
He was tortured twice, namely, on the 27th of April, and on the 3d of May, A. D. 1571, according to the sentence of the judges, as appears from the record of the confession.
Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences of the city of Amsterdam, preserved in the archives there.
N. N.
The abundant great grace of God, that comes to us from the Father, through Christ his only Son; and the immeasurable riches of the Holy Ghost, whereby we are now kept unto eternal life, among this wicked and perverse generation, this only and eternal God of all grace keep you, my dearest wife and sister in the Lord, my flesh, my bone, the dearest among all creatures on earth. For this I have confessed more than once before the lords, if the whole world were mine, I would give it, if I could keep my wife and children with a good conscience; but for the Lord’s sake I must now contrary to nature forsake everything—the spirit must overcome the flesh. O my Janneken, my lamb, how hard it is for me to part from you and the children; O how deep you are buried in my heart; which is now a great conflict for me; may the Lord help me to gain the victory, so that the crown of life may be prepared for me, with all the elect saints of God; who have forsaken everything for the Lord’s sake. O my dear wife, my lamb, my love, I thank you from the depths of my soul, for your consoling letter, which you sent me; and may the Lord grant his eternal life to all those that by counsel or deed lent their aid in the matter. The letter removed a greater weight from my heart, than all the riches on the face of the earth are worth. O what a good thing it is, to remember the prisoners; how welcome came this Habakkuk to me, who fed me poor prisoner in my soul, here in the lion’s den; for a little morsel that comes from without strengthens me ten times more than what I have with me. Hist. of the Drag. 33, etc.
O my dear wife and sister in the Lord, I pray you for the Lord’s sake, who am now bound for his sake, adhere to the truth, as the church at Antwerp and Ghent stands. Keep with them that truly fear God, and the God of all comfort will be with you, yea, God and his holy church shall feed you, and my young lambs, of this I have no doubt. If you continue in the fear of the Lord, and cast all your care upon him, though you are now poor; my sister and beloved wife, you will have much wealth, if you fear God and eschew sin, as I trust you will. Tob. 4:21.
I further pray you; my dearest wife, take care as long as you live, of my young lambs, my Susanneken, my Abrahamken, and my Isaaken, that they may be brought up in the fear of God. O with what scalding tears do I pray to my God, to let them grow up in his fear, or to take them to him in their youth.
O my dearest love on earth, Janneken Verstralen, kiss all my children once for me, and tell my Susanken, that it is her father’s wish, that she be obedient to her mother in the fear of God; and learn to be diligent to help her dear mother, to earn bread for her little brothers, and you my Janneken, my love, remember me your imprisoned husband, and bound for the eternal truth, and for the sake of the testimony of Jesus, in your prayers. This I pray you and all godfearing brethren and sisters, to help us pray to God, that we may gain the victory of a good fight, that God will now teach my fingers to war and my arm to bend the bow of steel, so that by faith I may break through a troop, and leap by my God over a wall (Ps. 18:34,29); so that we may say with Paul: The fight is fought, the course is finished, the crown of life is laid up for us. 2 Tim. 4:8. Maeyken and I are determined to use such force in order to take the kingdom of God, that flesh and blood shall remain on the posts and stakes. We are not permitted to stay together; however we have been together three times, yet through strategy; the first time, when the disputer came from Ghent. Then all the lords came too, and I began to say to them with what calamity they should be punished who now imbrued their hands in the blood of the innocent. Then they cast down their eyes; but a flatterer began to speak, saying, that I had most gravely accused all the lords. In short, I felt that he was the one who was to dispute with me; hence I finally feigned as though I could not defend myself, and spoke pleasantly to the lords, and requested that they should let Maeyken hear it; “for I see, said I, that you are anxious to help me, and in this wise you will have the trouble only once; if you help one you help them both.” They therefore consented to it; then we began to defend ourselves, and it lasted until long in the afternoon. After dinner we met again, but Maeyken was not allowed to come to me. We then began to have some very sharp words; hence they changed their tactics, and began to speak pleasantly, saying, whether I dared not do like Paul, and, contrary to my views, circumcise Timothy, and shave my head; yea, secretly he said, whether I dared not with Judith cut off Holofernes’ head, though it were not the truth, that I should do all that I should promise; whether it were not the same God, and whether one might now not lie as well as then, for the sake of some good end; for it is written, he said: “If it be possible, live peaceably with all men.” Rom. 12:18. I requested time for consideration, whether I could do it with truth and a good conscience. We then parted, and they said they desired nothing else. They returned another time, and asked to what conclusion I had come; and I constantly sought to be with Maeyken; but it could not well be. I then said: “Let us come together; I hope always to do what is possible.” Then Maeyken came to me, and I presented the matter to her as they had done to me, whereupon she said: “How should this be? should the dog return to his own vomit?” 2 Peter 2:22. I then told them, that they should let me speak with Maeyken alone, and they permitted it. I then told Maeyken, that no man living should persuade me of this, that the priests’ matters are right, “they know it well,” said I, “but they seek to be rid of us; but we will live and die together.” Thus we said that we should consider the matter, with which they were satisfied.