In the year 1570, Veit Greyenburger, a brother, was apprehended at Wald in Vintschgau as he wastraveling through there. He had been spied out, and a prize set upon his capture. When he arrived at the inn, and the peasants noticed him, but did not well know him, they came into the inn by night, and when they saw him pray before eating, they put their heads together and said, "He is the man, or he looks like him;" and acted as though it were wrong to pray-so plainly could the devil be seen in them. Hence they watched him in the inn, and sent word to the judge in the castle at Niedersol, who came with many footmen and servants, bound his hands behind his back, and took him to the prison in the castle of Niedersol. Very soon after he was examined, and led back into prison. Five weeks afterwards the grand bailiff came from Saltzburg, who took him with two servants and two footmen to the castle at Saltzburg, and there put him in prison in chain . A long time, namely, two years and a half, afterwards, priests came, namely, the preacher of the Cathedral at Saltzburg, also the ecclesiastical judge and other fellows. Each had before him ink and paper, and they addressed Brother Veit," and urged him to make his defense. The brother said, "What shall I say: You are accusers and judges, and what you are not able to carry out yourselves, the judge, the beadles, and the executioner must do in your stead. You tell it to the Prince, the Prince tells it to the judge, the judge to the beadles, the beadles to the executioner, who must finish it; this is your high priest who helps you to gain the victory." Among other things the brother also said to them, "The Spirit says plainly what you are; for Paul writes: 'That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving."' I Tim. 4:1-3. Then one of the priests said to him, "We do not forbid marriage; moreover, I have eaten meat today." But the brother said, "Ah! it is well known that you forbid marriage and permit whoredom." But when the priest had well bethought himself he said, "Do you know what Christ says: 'The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do'"? Matt. 23:2, 3. Then Brother Veit asked them, "Do you think that you are the same?" They replied, "Yes, we are they by the will of God." The brother said, "You are they indeed, since you confess it; but Christ pronounces many woes upon them, and calls them serpents and a generation of vipers, hypocrites, fools and blind guides, and such are you, as your own mouth testifies." Matt. 23. Then he was called an Anabaptist and the like.
Thereupon Brother Veit asked them, whether they also considered Paul an Anabaptist. They said, "No." Then he was asked, "Why then did he baptize again those who had already been bap-tized with John's baptism, which was certainly
from heaven, but was nevertheless not sufficient to salvation? How much less then can infant baptism, which is from men, be sufficient?" Then they were silent and Brother Veit said, "You allow midwives to baptize; where is this written?" But they did not know, and sat there as dumb as dogs. Thereupon they asked him, whether he belonged to the Huterite society. He replied, "Huter was a teacher." They asked, "Is he then your Messiah?" He answered, "Huter was a pious man, who was burnt at Innsbruck for his faith and the divine truth; but our Messiah is Christ. (John 1:21; 4:25.) But what kind of Messiah and father have you at Rome, and also here in this town?" Then they said that the pope had nothing to do with them. Then the brother said, "Then you have a superior here in town?" The priests said that he was not their father. The brother rejoined, "You certainly said yourselves before, that your father had sent you forth." Then they did not know what to say. In this manner he was examined several times; hence, Christ did not in vain say to His own, "When they shall bring you into their synagogues, council houses, before magistrates, powers and the learned, take no thought how or what ye shall say: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which they shall not be able to gainsay or resist." Luke 21:12, etc.
Having been imprisoned upward of six years at Saltzburg, suffering much misery and tribulation, Brother Veit, in the year 1576, through the help of God, escaped through a window of his prison. The people in the castle said that it was beyond the power of man to get out; but with God all things are possible. Matt. 19:26. Thus he returned to his brethren and the church, on the 9th of August of said year.
During the time of freedom following the destruction of the images, the church at Maestricht grew and flourished, increasing in number. But when the Duke of Alva came into the country, many fled out of the city whithersoever they best could; some, however, remained, among whom there was also a brother who was an elder and also a school teacher. His name was Arent van Essen, and he had a wife whose name was Ursel. In the same house with them there lived another couple, of whom the wife's name was Trijntgen; and the name of her mother, an old woman of about seventy-five years, was Neeltgen. These persons having been betrayed and reported to the authorities, one of the burgomasters of the city, a man of furious disposition, came violently, about twelve o'clock in the night, with his servants, called beadles, to the house of the schoolmaster, and with great noise apprehended this man Arent, and thelatter was led in the night to the council house, called the Landskroon. About an hour after, the burgomaster with his beadles again went to the house of the aforesaid schoolmaster, to apprehend two women yet, whom he had not seized before. Arriving there he also found Neeltgen the old woman, who had come to see how it was with her daughters Trijntgen and the others; for she had heard that Arent had been taken away and imprisoned. He also apprehended these three, and took them likewise to the Landskroon, to the man, so that in the morning all four were together, rejoicing together in God, and comforting one another.
When they were brought before the lords, they each separately freely confessed their faith (I Pet. 3:15), and that they had received baptism upon their faith, and what else belongs to godly doctrines; in which, it seems, Ursel, though weak, according to the flesh, was not the most timid; for they separated her from the rest and delivered her to the lords (that is, to the bailiff and the judges), who judge in cases of capital punishment. And thus she was taken to the Dinghuys, a place thus called; where she was greatly harassed with many threats, all of which she meekly bore and suffered. Thus it went also with her husband, Arent, whom they likewise delivered to the lords, and brought him to the prisoners' gate, which is the highest prison, where also manifold wiles Were employed to cause him to apostatize.
When this old woman Neeltgen and her daugh. ter Trijntgen, were also delivered to the lords, and conducted to the Dinghuys, and came into the street on their way thither, both of them being joyful and of good courage, Trijntgen for joy began to sing, thus she was kindled in the Lord.
During their imprisonment in the Dinghuys they were frequently assailed by the lords, and also by monks and priests, who sought to move them to renounce their faith; but God preserved His sheep from the terrible rage of the wolves. After this they began first to torture Arent. Yea, it was said, that he was seven Times severely tortured, so that he fell into despondency in consequence of all these tortures: but the Lord extended to him His hand, strengthened him, and gave him new courage, so that he manfully fought through, as we shall hear. Ursel his wife was likewise brought from the Dinghuys to the prisoners' gate, where she exhorted her husband not a little, to the strengthening of his heart. There Ursel was also twice tortured on the rack; but she faithfully adhered to the truth. But it did not stop with this torturing in her case; for the executioner tied her hands together, and drew her up, and as she was hanging there he cut open her chemise with a knife baring her back, and severely scourged her with rods; this was done twice in one day. (It was said that a Jesuit advised this scourging.) But all this was patiently borne by Ursel, who, as said above, was also tender of body, so that before her imprisonment, she had to turn
her stockings inside out, and put them on and wear them thus, because she could not bear the seams of the stockings inside on her limbs; but now, through the help of God, she was able to endure torturing and scourging. Neeltgen the old woman was also led to the torture, and when she came to the rack or ladder, she went and lay down upon it of her own accord; but the lords considering her age and feebleness, she was not tortured. They said to her, "It is not your first time, namely, that she lay on the rack; for they knew that she had also once in her youth been imprisoned and tortured for the truth, from which imprisonment she had been delivered in a remarkable manner. But her daughter Trijntgen was treated far less gently, for she was tortured very severely; and when she was taken from the rack almost in a fainting condition, she was laid upon a bed for a little while; but as soon as she was recovered a little she had to go on the rack again. And when she was tortured severely she cried aloud, "O Lord, succor me, and keep my lips." For she was severely tortured, that she should name others; for they were thirsting for more blood. And God heard her prayer, and kept her lips, so that they could obtain nothing from her which implicated her neighbor. When Trijntgen was tortured the last time, she said, "I praise and thank the Lord." Mother Neeltgen, who was not far off, hearing her daughter speak, asked, "Is that my child?" Hearing this, Trijntgen replied, "Yes, my mother;" and fell on her neck and kissed her.
On the 9th of January, in the year 1570, Arent and Ursel his wife were notified in the name of the lords, that each was to be put to a stake and burned, in which message they greatly rejoiced, because they were to be counted worthy to die for the name of Christ; and were full of joy that day and night, thanking and praising God, and thus waited for the day of their redemption.
In the morning a town beadle came to Ursel, and enjoined her in the name of his lords, that she should not speak in the street on her way to execution; this the beadle said in the presence of the lords. Ursel said to the lords, "And may I not sing a little, and say something now and then?" But this they would not permit her, and said among themselves, "We hear now what her intentions are." They further said to the executioner, "Do as you are commanded, and stop her mouth." The execu-
tioner had a piece of wood, which he put in Ursel's mouth, and tied up her mouth with a cloth. And as they had been taken back from the prisoners' gate, where they were tortured, to the Dinghuys, whence they were to go to execution, and where also Neeltgen and Trijntgen were still imprisoned, Trijntgen, when Ursel was led away from the Dinghuys, had come to a window above, and when she saw Ursel being led forth to death, she cried aloud over all the people, saying to Ursel, "Dear sister, contend manfully, for the crown of life is prepared for you." Thus Ursel, with her mouth gagged, went to the Vrijthof (the place where she was to be offered up), the people complaining greatly, because her mouth had been gagged so that she could not speak one word.
When Ursel arrived at the scaffold which had been erected, she ascended it quietly as a lamb, and went directly into the hut, and the executioner immediately set fire to the same; and thus she was burned to ashes, and became a burnt offering unto the Lord.
Very shortly after, Arent, Ursel's husband, was also notified to prepare himself for death, which he willingly received, and prepared himself accordingly. Before he was led forth to death, they also stopped and tied up his mouth, which presented a pitiful sight. They had erected a scaffold in another place than where Ursel bad been put to death, namely, in the Friday or cattle market, near the Poel. What the lords sought by putting them to death separately was not really known; but common report had it, that the lords did it in order that Arent and Ursel might not derive any comfort from each other. When Arent was thus led, with his mouth gagged, to this place, a joyful and undismayed_mind could be perceived. Having ascended the scaffold, he fell upon his knees, and fervently offered up his prayer.
He then arose and went into the hut, where he divested himself of part of his clothing; but as this took up some time, the bailiff, who was present on horseback, called out to the executioner, "Go on with your work;" which the latter immediately did, and lighted the fire, and thus this martyr was likewise burned to ashes, as a witness of Jesus Christ.
Above we said, that the old woman Neeltgen, and Trijntgen her daughter, remained still imprisoned in the Dinghuys. On the 23d of January of the same year, these two also received notice from the lords, that they should have to die as the others; which notice they so joyfully received, that time seemed very long to them before that day arrived. For they sought rest above in heaven with their dear heavenly Father, who, though He suffers His own to be tempted here, yet does never depart with His mercy from them, but delivers them out of all their distress. Hence, they were rejoiced in the Lord above measure, thanked and praised Him the whole night, and thus waited longingly for the day of their redemption. In the morning, when they were to be led to execution, the executioner puta piece of wood into the mouth of each, and tied it up with a cloth; and thus they joyfully went (escorted) to the Vrijthof. On the way Trijntgen put her hands up to the cloth with which her mouth was tied, and began to draw it away and to say something, and to call out why they died. But this they would in no wise tolerate; hence the executioner went up to her and laid his hand upon her mouth, and ordered her to go into the hut; for most of this was done on the scaffold. And thus Trijntgen and her dear mother were led into the hut, and both burned to ashes, having commended their souls into the hands of God; which took place on the 24th of January, A. D. 1569.
The misery of persecution continued, so that almost nowhere liberty could be found for an upright Christian soul. Herein also those of Haarlem, in Holland, incurred guilt; which appeared in the year of our Lord 1570, for then they laid their hands (which they had previously several times imbrued in the blood of the saints) on a God-fearing woman named Anneken, the daughter of Jan Ogiers, and wife of Adriaen Boogaert, who thirteen years previously had betaken herself from the darkness of popery to the true light of the Gospel, and, in proof that she desired to be a disciple of Jesus, had been baptized upon her faith, leaving and renouncing the pope and the Romish church, and, on the other hand, accepting and confessing Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and His church (namely, the cross-bearing church of the Anabaptists) as His beloved bride, wife and own body, by which she was then recognized as a member and fellow sister.
When she in her imprisonment could by no means be turned from her faith, the rulers of the city of Haarlem, concluded her trial and, on the 17th of June, A. D. 1570, publicly in court, pronounced sentence of death upon her, namely, that she should be drowned and buried under the gallows. The sentence (excepting the title) reads word for word as follows:
Whereas Anneken, Jan Ogiers' daughter, and wife of Adriaen Boogaert, porcelain-maker, prisoner, has confessed without torture and iron bonds, that about thirteen years ago, she, rejecting the Christian baptism received by her in her infancy, was rebaptized at Amsterdam, contrary to our Catholic faith, and the unity of the holy Roman church, and also in contempt of the decrees of his royal majesty, our most gracious lord; and what is still worse, though she has been instructed for the best concerning her error and heresy, she still
obstinately persists therein; therefore, the judges, having heard the demand made in conclusion by Jacob Foppens, bailiff, of this city of Haarlem, in the name of his majesty, as Count of Holland, against said prisoner, that she should be condemned by their sentence, to be conducted to the scaffold here, and executed with fire, until death should ensue; and all her property confiscated for the benefit of his royal majesty, according to the decrees of his majesty aforesaid; have, by reason of what has been mentioned, condemned said Anneken, Jan Ogiers' daughter, prisoner, and by these presents do condemn her to be executed with water and drowned here in the city hall, until death ensues, and the body to be buried under the gallows; and declare all her property forfeited for the benefit of his majesty. Thus read from the city hall, by the sound of the bell, on the 17th of June, A. D. 1570, in presence of Jacob Foppens, bailiff, Mr. Gerrit van Ravensberge, Mr. Lambrecht van Roosvelt, Mr. Huge Bol van Zanen, Aelbrecht van Schagen, Mr. Gijsbrecht van Nesse, Wouter van Rollandt, and Frans Janss Teyng, judges.
Extracted from the first book of penal sentences of the city of Haarlem (beginning A. D. 1539, and concluding the 27th of October, A. D. 1582; preserved in the archives of the city of Haarlem) and, after collation, found to accord with it; by me, the undersigned, secretary of the aforesaid city, the 14th of July, A. D. 1659.
The above-mentioned sentence, we obtained, after much trouble, from the hands of the secretary of civil and criminal matters, or clerk of the criminal court of the city of Haarlem, through the instrumentality of one of our good friends, H. V., just as the same was read in court at the hour of the death of the aforesaid woman, and is still at the present day found in the city records of that place; from the particulars of which we have written the account that precedes the sentence.
At Haarlem in Holland, in the year 1570, a woman, named Barber Jans, was apprehended, because she had apostatized from the Romish church, and endeavored to be a follower of Christ; who, having boldly confessed her faith, and firmly adhering to it, was sentenced to death on the 13th of February, and secretly drowned for the Gospel's sake, and then burned to ashes.
In the same year 1570, on the 13th of April, also a pious brother, named Allert Janss, was brought prisoner to Haarlem; who, after many temptations and assaults, because of his steadfastness in the divine truth, an the 6th of May, after the sentence had been pronounced, boldly went to the stake, to be burnt alive to ashes, and thus offered up a sacrifice, well-pleasing to God, and serving as an example to all the God-fearing.
In this same year also a brother named Andries N., because he, having died unto the world, had entered the service of God, was apprehended at Antwerp, and about the same time also his father and brother, who, being imprisoned together, rejoiced in the Lord, that they were counted worthy to suffer for His name, which they also boldly confessed before the secular rulers, and professed a good profession of their faith, to which they firmly adhered, notwithstanding the sufferings or vexations which, by subtilty, promises and threats, were inflicted upon them on this account; so that they persevered unto the end in the truth, in the true faith, and in the love to God. All three were then sentenced and burnt, and thus, offering up their sacrifice, as a sweet smelling savor unto God, helped to fulfill the number of their brethren that had gone before.
In this same year 1570, there was also apprehended in Haarlem, for his faith and the truth, a brother named Andries N., who was tortured very cruelly for the space of three hours, but nevertheless, then as well as in other temptations and sufferings, always steadfastly adhered to his faith. Finally he was sentenced to death and burned, and thus, as a valiant soldier of the Lord, fought a good fight; hence, he is worthy not only to be remembered here for an example and perpetual memorial, but also to inherit the kingdom of his heavenly Father, which is prepared for all the pious.
Christ says to His disciples, "The brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake
but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." Matt. 10:21, 22. This also appeared about the year 1570 (for we do not know the exact time), when two pious followers of Christ, named Joris van Meesch and Jacob Lowijs, were apprehended at Ghent, in Flanders, where, after many temptations and severe threats (from the papists) they were put to death, testifying to and confirming the faith of the eternal truth with their blood. Hence, they shall at the last day be graciously accepted of God, and receive the crown of eternal glory at the hand of the Lard.
I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and
In the year 1570 there were apprehended at Antwerp, and put to death at the same place for the testimony of Jesus, the following God-fearing persons: Jan the ribbon weaver, Joost the wheelwright with his wife, Maerten van Wijcke with Lijsken his wife, and Jelis the mason's tender. Lijsken, however, the wife of Maerten van Wijcke, was kept imprisoned for one year, and then, on the 2d of May, 1571, burnt alive at said place.
Thus these six pious, godly persons were martyred by the tyrants and bloodthirsty, not on account of any crime, much less for any heresy, but only for following the genuine faith of the truth. Herein the latter followed the footsteps of their forefathers, the false prophets, who thus persecuted and killed the upright followers of the truth from the beginning. Hence, it is to be feared, that they will repent when it is too late, and will also receive the same recompense with those whose works they herein followed. But those who followed the true prophet Christ Jesus in true obedience and upright faith, shall, on the other hand, upon Mount Zion, be clothed in white raiment, by their Bridegroom Christ Jesus for whose sake they suffered this, receive palms in their hands, and be crowned with crowns of eternal glory, which no one shall ever be able to take from them.
In the year 1570, on the 7th of April, there was apprehended for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus, at Gouda, in Holland, a pious follower of Christ, named Faes Dircks, a chairmaker by trade. Afterwards, the 27th of May, he was very unmercifully and tyrannically tortured by the bloodthirsty servants of antichrist, and led forth under the blue sky, and on the 30th of May of the same year, put to death, and burned for the genuine faith of the truth, following the footsteps of his Lord and Master Christ Jesus. Some time prior to this two other pious followers of Christ were put to. death at Gouda, for the testimony of Jesus, one of whom according to the counsel of God, was not yet baptized upon his faith; but the God of all grace, who knows the heart, mind and thoughts of all men, accepted in him the will for the deed. Thus they suffered with Christ, and shall be received. with Him into eternal glory, at that time when all the earthly, carnal generation of men shall weep and lament over themselves eternally.
Subsequently, when Gouda was taken by the troops of the prince of Orange, it was deliberated upon to exhume the priest who had been the cause of the imprisonment and death of said Faes Dircks, and of the dispersion and persecution of many of those who feared God. They afterwards changedtheir mind, but hired a man for about four guilders, who took down the bones of Faes Dircks from the scaffold, and opened the grave of the aforesaid priest, who had previously died, and been interred in the church of the Franciscans, near the high altar, and then laid the bones of Faes Dircks upon the body of the priest; thus deriding this traitor, because he had deemed the God-fearing unworthy to live with him in the same town, and, after their death, their bodies unworthy of burial, but they had to be given as food to the birds of heaven. But at the speedy coming of Christ from heaven, this idolatrous priest shall find, when it will be too late for repentance, who of them both will be acknowledged and accepted by the chief Shepherd as an acceptable sheep, or as a rejected goat.
Concerning this martyr Faes Dircks~ we have obtained three examinations, namely, two without torture and one on the rack, just as the same have been extracted by the secretary there from the town records of Gouda, which we therefore will communicate to our fellow believers for the greater confirmation of the foregoing account; they read as follows.
First Examination
The 11th of May, 1570, the bailiff of Gouda brought to examination the hereinafter mentioned person: there being present, Gijsbert Jan Maertenss, and Gerraert Huygen, burgomasters, Dirck Andries, Mr. Heyndrick Jacobs, Mr. Cornelis Heyndricks, judges.
Faes Dircks, chairmaker, about thirty-one years of age, says that he is a native citizen of Gouda, and that on last Easter Day he heard the pastor of Gouda preach; that those who go to the Lord's table do not receive roasted, sodden or raw meat, but that they receive the roasted flesh of our Lord, roasted on Good Friday, on the tree of the cross. Hence, hearing this, he went out of the church, since he did not feel well at this, nor deem himself worthy to receive it, and did not go to the Lord's table.
He; says and confesses, that he does not consider the sacrament of the altar real flesh and blood, and this for the reason that there is but one God.
He also confesses, that about a year ago he was baptized at Rotterdam, and that he did not know the one that baptized him, but that the latter delivered an exhortation, saying that the Lord had said"That all that believe and are baptized shall be saved."
He further says, that the one who baptized him baptized him in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and that water was poured over his head out of a basin, and that there were present ten or twelve persons, one of whom was named Wiert Claess, of Gouda.
When asked whether Euwout the barber, and Dirck Jacobs, the shoemaker, or others from Gouda
were not also present with him at Rotterdam, he says,"No," but that Wiert Claess was present there, and that to his knowledge Wiert was not baptized at that time.
NOTE.-Here follow some more questions and answers, which are treated of in the following examination; hence we have omitted to place them here. In conclusion the secretary wrote: Thus done on the days and in the presence aforesaid, in the Thiendewegs Gate; I being present as secretary of Gouda.
JORIS JACOBS.
Second Examination
The 19th of May, 1570, the bailiff brought Faes Dircks, the second time to examination, in the presence of the pastor of Gouda', Mr. Joost Boorgoos, Gijsbert Jan Maertenss; Jan Gerritts Pels, and Gerrit Huygen, burgomasters, Gerrit Gerrit Bouwenss, Dlrck Andriess, Mr. Heyndrick Jacobs, Floris Gijsberts; and Mr. Cornelis Heyndricks, judges.
The afore-mentioned Faes Dircks, when he was asked whether he still persisted in and adhered to what he said and confessed on the 11th of this month, replied that he still adhered to it.
He says, that he believes in Almighty God, and in Jesus Christ; who was born of the virgin Mary. He also says, that infants cannot be regenerated, since they have no understanding to believe, and that water cannot save them.
When he was asked whether he did not believe that Christ Jesus is in the holy sacrament he says,"No," since there is not more than one God, and He is in heaven, and not here in the sacrament. He says that he considers himself a sheep of Christ; and that he regards Christ as, his Shepherd, and that he knows no other shepherd.
When he was asked who baptized him, he says that he does not know, and that he never saw the one that baptized him, either before or since; and that no one'was present there from Gouda, except Wiert Claess; who brought him there, and that he [Faes Direks] arrived in the place on an evening, and stayed there the whole night and the following day, until the evening when he was baptized.; this took place at Rotterdam, in a house, in a large garret.*
NOTE.-Here follow again solve questions and answers, -which are more fully explained in the third and last examination; and which we have omitted in order to avoid repetition. The secretary then, after stating the time when, the place where, and the persons in whose presence this took place, again subscribes himself, by the name of Joris Jacobs, secretary of Gouda.
Third examination on the rack
On the 27th of May, 1579, Johan Pieterss, mayor of Gouda, in the name of Sir Cornelis Mylo, castellan and bailiff of the city of Gouda, brought Faes Dircks to the torture, in the presence of Gijsbert
Jan Maertens, Gerritt Huyge Hapkooper, burgomasters; Gerrit Gerrit Bouwenss, Dirck Andriess, Dirck Janss Lonck, and Mr. Cornelis Heyndricks, judges.
Faes Dircks being asked whether he still adheres to the confession which he made on the 19th of this month, says that he still adheres to it.
When brought to the torture, and asked, in whose house he was baptized,'he said he did not know, but subsequently understood that it took place at the house of a shoemaker named Michael, residing near the East Gate, at Rotterdam.
He says that when he was baptized, about eight or nine others were baptized with him, among whom were Dirck Jacobs, a shoemaker, and Jan Adrienss, a tanner, and that the wife of Michael, the shoemaker, and Wiert' Claess, were present when the baptism took place, but that Wiert was not baptized.
When asked whether Euwout the barber, Jan Aertss, the weaver, and Jan de Bagijn were also present when he was baptized, he says '.'No," and he says further that Dirck' Jacobss and the tanner came early in the morning before daylight into the house where they were baptized.
He says that the one who baptized him had a strange language, and talked somewhat loud.
He says, that a woman named Maertjen Philips, residing in'the Cingel, is of his faith, and also Willem fanss, cutler, Wiert Claess, and-Jan Aertss, weaver.
When asked whether Euwout the barber was'of the same persuasion and faith with him, he says that he does not know and that he has not had any conversation with him' in regard to matters of faith, but that he has been at, his house. He says that he does not know whether Jan de Bagijn is also of the same faith as he that speaks or not.
Again; The above confession .was then read to the aforesaid Faes Dircks, under the blue sky, without torture and iron bonds, and being asked whether he adhered to it, he replied that he did, and that he desired mercy, and not justice. Done in the presence of the full court.
JORIS JACOBS.
NOTE.-Since not only the three afore-mentioned examinations, but also the sentence of death of said friend of God, were sent us by the present secretary of the town of Gouda, we. will add the latter here, as it reads in the ,original, that no one may in any wise doubt what has been related..
Faes Dircks executed with fire
Whereas Faes Dircks, native citizen of this .town of Gouda, at present a prisoner, has confessed, without torture and iron bonds, under the blue sky, before my lords of the court, that about a little over a year ago he was rebaptized at Rotterdam, by a man whom he does not know; that he also for two
years back has rejected communion with the holy church, our mother, and does not believe in the holy, worshipful sacrament of the altar, in which lies the salvation of man: without that said Faes Dircks has been willing to repent of this, to be instructed otherwise, but has added, that he would not listen to him that desired to instruct him, and to turn him from his error and heresy, all this being contrary to the written laws and decrees of his royal majesty published at different times in these countries; therefore the judges with the mature deliberation of the council, having examined and weighed all that is of importance in this case on the behalf and in the name of the King of Spain, as Count of Holland, Zealand and Friesland, our common lord and prince, have condemned the aforesaid Faes Dircks, at present a prisoner, and condemn him by these presents, to be brought to the scaffold without this town, and there to be executed with fire; and declare all his property confiscated for the benefit of his royal majesty; unless the aforesaid Faes Dircks depart publicly before the church, from his aforesaid heresy, and declare and confess that he has been led astray and deceived; in such case the judges reserve to themselves the punishment to be inflicted upon him for his crime, the same to be according as they shall find proper pursuant to the decrees of his majesty aforesaid.*
Done by Jan,Claess Diert, and Simon Pieters, burgomasters, summoned, Gijsbert Jan Maertenss and Gerritt Huyges, burgomasters, Dirck Ottes van Slingerlandt, judge, summoned, Gerrit Gerrit Bouwenss, Dirck Andriess, Mr. Heyndrick Jacobs, Dirck Janss Lonck, Mr. Cornelis Heyndricks, judges, and announced to Dirck van Necq, judge, summoned. Published on the 30th of May, in the year 1570. Subscribed.
JORIS JACOBS,
Secretary of Gouda, A. D. 1570.
In the year 1570, there were imprisoned at Haarlem in Holland, a brother named Adriaen Pieters, and a sister named Barber Joosten, not on account of any crime or heresy, but only because they sought to follow Christ in the regeneration, for which they were envied by the servants of antichrist, who sought with many tyrannical means to draw them from Christ, and to make them follow their self-invented idolatry which militates against God. But these, as giants in the faith, valiantly resisted, through the grace of God, the snares of Satan. Hence, they were condemned and sentenced to death by the rulers of darkness. Adriaen Pieters was burnt, and Barber Joosten was drowned in great steadfastness, and thus they both remained faithful to the Lord their God unto death and hence out of grace, obtained the crown of eternal life.
Maerten Karettier of Busbeke, who also would rather suffer affliction with the children of God, than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, and live in joy with the world, was apprehended for his faith at Rijssel and there made a good confession of it and evinced great steadfastness, for which reason he finally, as a valiant witness of God, had to taste death.
In like manner, there was also apprehended, at Luyck, a sister named Lijntgen Kemels, who, after having made a good and steadfast confession of her faith, was burnt there, and thus went boldly, with her lamp burning, to meet her bridegroom, who also joyfully took her as a wise virgin in to his [marriage] feast.