Part 122

The following Thursday the Bailiff came, with two judges, and a commissary from the Hague; they asked me many questions, which I could not answer, and also demanded to know where I had slept, which I would not tell, together with many other things too tedious to relate. They also asked: “Do you know Jelis of Aix-la-Chapelle?” I replied: “I never in my life was at Aix-la-Chapelle.” As they kept on asking me for a long time, I finally said: “I know him.” They then asked where I had been with him. I replied: “I cannot tell you this;” more I would not say. “We shall make you tell,” said they. “My lords,” I replied, “I have always been careful not to know much, so that in case I should be apprehended, I might not have much to tell.” They then laid before me the letters I had sent them, and also the hymn; they readily saw that it was the same hand-writing; but I did not confess it. I thought to myself: There is plenty of time yet for it; for I will have to tell them something any way, when they torture me. For the matter concerned myself; hence I did not keep it secret, when I was tortured; but as regards others, I had no warrant to accuse them, and hence I did not want to know where the friends lived, when I talked with any one. And let me tell you, dear friends, this matter is sadly overlooked by some, who are continually inquiring after this one and that one, and take it amiss, if you do not give them the desired information. O dear friends, if you knew what suffering it would mean if you were imprisoned, you would not make such inquiries. Hence, if you wish to make any inquiries, inquire after the faith that can save your souls. See, my dear friends, accept this in good part; for I have written it out of love. All the torture I have suffered was inflicted upon me, to make me inform on others; hence, the less you know, the less you have to answer. The commissary then examined my testament, and said: This is a proscribed testament. I replied: “There you have also lied.” Thereupon he was silent, and evening came on. They then went away, promising to consider my case in the daytime.

Saturday morning they all came before eight o’clock, and took me into the torture chamber, where the executioner was. They then asked me whether I had not changed my mind, and would answer their questions. I began to admonish them. They said: “We have not come here to be taught by you; but we ask you whether you will answer our questions.” But this I did not intend to do. The executioner then stripped me, and bound my hands behind my back. There was a windlass there, and tying a block to my feet, they drew me up and left me hanging. While thus suspended they interrogated me, but I did not answer. They then let me down, and the Bailiff asked me where I had worked since I left Flanders. At Delft, I replied. Thereupon they asked me still other questions, and as I refused to answer them, they drew me up again, and untied the block. The executioner then placed a piece of wood or iron between my legs, which had been bound together, and stood on it. Being let down again, I was asked by the Bailiff, whether I and six of my friends had not been at Leyden at a certain time, which he specified. I did not confess it. Again the executioner drew me up, they having blindfolded my eyes, and they took rods and scourged me. After I was let down, the bailiff said: “Tell it, or I shall tell you?” I would not accuse any one. They drew me up again, pulled my beard and hair, and beat and scourged my back; but as my eyes were blindfolded, I could not see who did it. They might also have asked: “Who smote you?” Luke 22:64. This continued until I had been beaten with seven or eight rods. When they let me down, and I did not answer for a long time, they, fearing that I should faint away, poured water over me, which they had also done while I was suspended. I sat down, and as I did not speak for a long time, the Bailiff said: “You will not tell it; I will tell you: you slept at Stephen Claess’.”

_Adrian._ “That is true.”

_Bailiff._ “You were here before the prison, with six of your friends, and exhorted the prisoners, that they should strive valiantly, and adhere to their faith; and you went and hired a boat for six stivers. Who was the fellow to whom the boat belonged, and the one who was in the other boat, who gave the skipper half a stiver, into whose charge he committed his chest, because he was to sail with you? And he knew the fellow’s name, and knew also what we had done, and that a woman was with us, and how we had read, and that two, sat there, bareheaded, and where we had gone up. I then acknowledged that it was so, and they wrote it down; however, I excused the two from those that were in the boat; but it was of no avail, and thus the matter was left. They then showed me the letters, about four or five in number. “Yes,” said I, “I wrote them.” Upon this they said: “This is the placard writer.” “It is certainly not proper,” said the judges, “that you disparage the Emperor in such a manner.” I replied: “I do not disparage the Emperor; however great the Emperor is, the Supreme Emperor is still greater. Bring me a Bible; I shall prove to you what I have written.” Thereupon they said: “Why did you write these letters?” I replied: “I wrote them because my grief was stirred, and that you might no longer stain your hands with blood, and might repent, as did those of Nineveh.” Jonah 3:5. Thus the matter rested.

They then asked me what I thought of the sacrament of the altar. I told them that it was good for nothing.

_Ques._ “How long have you not been to it?”

_Ans._ “Not for four years.”

_Ques._ “Have you belonged to this belief so long?”

_Ans._ “No.”

_Ques._ “Why did you not go, then?”

_Ans._ “Even in my ignorance I knew that it was good for nothing?”

Thereupon they went away, having been engaged with me from eight o’clock until half-past eleven in the forenoon.

This is what I said on that occasion. Dear friends, be not discouraged, though what I have written presents rather a gloomy aspect; the Lord helps his own; if the Lord had not helped me, it would not have been possible for me to bear it; but we can do all things through him who strengthens us, that is, Christ. And as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also our consolation aboundeth by Christ, 1 Cor. 10:13; Ps. 46:1; Philip. 4:13; 2 Corinthians 1:5.

Here I will let this matter rest. I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus, spoken of by Paul. Gal. 6:17.

On Sunday morning they came, and read to me my examination, and asked me whether it was correct. Then I remembered the words of the prophet: “They are evening wolves, that let nothing remain till the morrow, yea, whose feet run swiftly to shed innocent blood.” Zeph, 3:3; Prov. 1:16. I then asked the bailiff, whether he was not yet sated with innocent blood, since he was so diligent in the way of unrighteousness. He replied: “I do not put you to death.” I said: “The Emperor’s edict puts us to death; but you ought therefore be satisfied with what you have, and not ask for more. By what will you prove that you may put us to death? It is written: If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more; and if he will still not hear, tell it unto the church; and if he will then not hear, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.” Matthew 18:15–17. Here the Scripture says nothing about putting to death.

_Bailiff._ “We have another Scripture, where Paul says: The powers are not ordained in vain; for God himself has ordained them.” Rom. 13:1.

_Adrian._ “Yes, for the protection of the good, and the punishment of the evil (1 Peter 2:14); but it seems to me the order is inverted, that they are for the punishment of the good, and the protection of the evil.”

_Bailiff._ “We shall prove to you from books, that we may put you to death.”

_Adrian._ “You can not do this with the gospel?”

_Under bailiff._ “What do you know about the gospel?”

_Adrian._ “It is written: Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:15.

_Under bailiff._ “There are eight gospels written.”

_Adrian._ “I am well content with four; if these cannot teach me, neither can the others.”

_Bailiff._ “Shall we send you learned men, to instruct you with the word of the Lord?”

_Adrian._ “I am willing to be instructed with the word of the Lord.”

_Bailiff._ “Well said.”

_Adrian._ “I will not speak with them except in the presence of the court, and of those that are imprisoned with me.”

This did not please them, and they went away, the bailiff leaving immediately for Delft.

Three weeks after this, the bailiff came into the prison where we three in number, were sitting, and asked us whether we were not almost beginning to get tired of it. We said: “No.” I then said: James says: “Take it for an example of suffering affliction.” James 5:10. It surprised them greatly that we minded it so little. I then said to the Bailiff: “As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:5.

_Bailiff._ “I should think it would weary you?”

_Adrian._ “Don’t you also begin to get weary of shedding this blood?”

He did not reply. Thereupon he asked whether they should send us learned men. We replied: “We are always willing to be instructed with the words of the Lord.”

_Bailiff._ “You will not be instructed otherwise than with the word of the Lord?”

_Ans._ “We are always willing to give our faith for a better one, that it may not be said that we are obstinate; and our adversaries ought to do the same.”

_Bailiff._ “That is so; suffer yourselves to be instructed, perhaps your stay here is but brief?”

_Adrian._ “You do not know whether your stay here will be long. Though we are now as forsaken, the Lord will soon be gracious to us.”

With this it rested. He then said: “We shall send you some one.” We called to him, as he descended the stairs, that he should bring a Bible or Testament with him.

In the afternoon there came a priest with two servants; he advanced in fine style and laid out his wares, thinking to sell something, and his words were full of suavity. And when one of us spoke, he had much to say. Thereupon I said that the Lord had warned us of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of them that go in long clothing.

_Priest._ “The clothing don’t make it.” I then told him that their things, as infant baptism, ringing of bells, mass, and all other trumpery, were good for nothing. Upon this he replied that holy baptism of infants was right. I asked where the authorization for it was to be found.

_Priest._ “In the 16th chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians.”

_Adrian._ “There it is written: The house of Stephanas are the first in Achaia who addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. These certainly could not have been infants; infants cannot addict themselves to the ministry of the saints, but have themselves to be ministered unto.”

He asked us in regard to the jailer and his household, whether there were no infants there.

_Ans._ “No.”

_Priest._ “How do you know it?”

_Adrian._ “It is written there: The jailer rejoiced with all his house, that he had become a believer in Christ Jesus. Infants cannot rejoice in faith; for they have no faith.” Then he was at his wit’s end again. He fared likewise in regard to Lydia, the seller of purple.

_Priest._ “When I was young, my faith was as perfect as it is now.”

_Adrian._ “What did you say then?”

He made no reply. He also said: “When I was born, I had my hand, and was not conscious of it; so also, my faith, which was hid in me; and the original sin which I had was taken away through the regeneration of the water which takes place in the font.” I asked him whether the water had been crucified for him, or Christ.

_Priest._ “Christ.”

_Adrian._ “And yet you seek your salvation in the water?” He was silent. Dirk Jans then asked him where it was written that bells ought to be baptized.

_Priest._ “This is instituted by the holy church.” He also asked him concerning the reading of mass. He replied that he had God in the mass, corporeally in flesh and blood. I then told him that he was a deceiver.

_Priest._ “Did not God say: ‘Take, eat; this is my body; and drink, this is my blood, and as often as you eat this bread, ye do shew the Lord’s death?’”

On this point we had much discussion. I then asked him whether he had read 1 Tim. 4?

_Priest._ “Yes.”

Thereupon I inquired as to whether he had brought a Testament with him.

_Priest._ “Yes, here is a Latin Testament.”

_Adrian._ “We have not studied in Latin universities, but in the highly celebrated school of the gospel, of which the Spirit of God is teacher.” John 16:13.

He said he could read it in Dutch. He then read the passage relating to the forbidding to marry, and the commanding to abstain from meats. 1 Timothy 4:3. I asked him concerning whom this was spoken. He replied that he did not know.

_Adrian._ “If you are a teacher you ought to know this?”

_Priest._ “It relates to the end of the world.”

_Adrian._ “It speaks there of the latter times; now do you mean to say that these are not the latter times?”

Upon this he replied nothing, but said that he had not forbidden marriage, nor meats.

We said: “Your father, the Pope, has done it, and you exerted yourselves with Haman to obtain mandates to put us and our people to death, and contributed in giving the Emperor ten thousand pounds of silver?”

_Priest._ “I did not.”

_Adrian._ “Are you Christians? Christians ought not to persecute any one.”

_Priest._ “We do not persecute you.”

I then asked him, whether the Christian church persecuted, or suffered persecution.

_Priest._ “It suffers persecution.”

I asked him wherein he suffered persecution, whether we were not the ones that suffer persecution.

_Priest._ “We suffer persecution from the devil.”

We then demanded to know where it was written that we might be put to death for our faith. He replied that it was ordained on account of the evil sects. We said: “We belong to no sect.”

_Priest._ “It is suspected that it might also be the case with you.”

Thereupon Dirk Jans said: “Is a man hanged because he is suspected of having stolen, though he has not done so? So neither may we be put to death before we are convicted.”

The priest finally went away. We had silenced him in many things concerning which he had no understanding. I also said that he was one of those who rob God of his glory by their confession, presuming to forgive sins. Herein he was likewise defeated, whereupon he went away. I hope that we shall soon offer up our sacrifice together.

O my dear friends, see that you exercise a care for one another, and walk prudently; because men are so incensed, and make such strenuous efforts to apprehend our brethren, wherever they find them. Hence, walk a little more wisely herein, than some of you do for, dear friends, if the Lord permitted it, they would deal roughly with them if they had them. Therefore, take it in good part; for there are so few laborers in the harvest; hence, take good care of them that are in it. Moreover, dear friends, when you meet to speak of the word of the Lord, spend not your time in idle talk, and old wives’ fables, but exercise yourselves in godliness, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and stand protected in all things; and always give diligence, in honor to build up the spiritual temple until the appearing of the Lord. 1. Tim. 4:7; Eph. 6:13; 1 Pet. 2:5. He that is holy let him become holier still; he that is pure, let him become purer still; as Paul writes to the Thessalonians, that they need not that he should write unto them, but he said that they should increase more and more. Rev. 22:11; 1 Thess. 4:9,10. Thus also you, my dear brethren. Read the exhortation I have written you, which will no doubt be shown you. Salute all the friends in the Lord, especially our brother G., who is a faithful minister; all that are in bonds salute him, and they also greet all lovers of the truth. We commend you to the Lord; know, that we are all of good cheer yet; the Lord be praised always.

My dear friends, I must write you yet a little more. The paper was not sufficient before, for, dear friends, paper is a precious article when we are in bonds; but as Habakkuk brought me some more, I write you a few additional lines, concerning certain things that occurred in our imprisonment, which were forgotten before. It happened that the servant who had betrayed me, came to bring us our food. I then asked him to forgive me, if I had injured him in any way, and thus I often talked to him as kindly as I could, which we are commanded to do. Matthew 5:44. He replied: “You have not injured me, nor have any of your people.” My kind words, and the love I manifested, caused him to feel ashamed that he had betrayed me, and that I spoke to him so affectionately. Rom. 12:20.

A few more things about the priest that came to instruct us. I asked him whether he had faith. “Yes,” he replied.

_Adrian._ “If you should sit here in prison with us for a month, I think you would deny your faith.”

_Priest._ “Possibly not.”

He then commenced speaking about faith, and said that faith was incomprehensible.

I said: “If faith is incomprehensible, how then can we be saved?” Then he was beaten. Thereupon we touched upon the calling of preachers, and the words of Paul, that teachers must be blameless, and following the passage further on, “given to hospitality.” I then said: “You would rather be a guest, than entertain one, and receive strangers;” adding:

“If I should come to your house, would you receive me?”

_Priest._ “Possibly.”

We also discussed infant baptism, which he would prove by the households. I asked him to whom the scriptures speak; do they not speak to them that have ears to hear, and hearts to understand?

_Priest._ “Yes.”

I then asked him whether any scripture belonged to infants.

_Priest._ “No.”

_Adrian._ “If no scripture belongs to infants, neither does baptism.” Then he was caught and had nothing more to say about his infant baptism. He also spoke in regard to eating the flesh of Christ, and drinking his blood, how Christ gave his apostles flesh from his flesh, and blood to drink outwardly. I then said that he was worse than the Jews.

_Priest._ “Why?”

_Adrian._ “The Jews murmured and said: ‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’ but you now come and would eat it.” “Be assured,” said I to the priest, “Christ did not speak this passage in the sense in which you adduce it.” In short, he would gladly have retreated, could he have done so honorably, for there was no market for his merchandise.

SIX PIOUS BRETHREN, NAMELY, LIEVIJN JANS, MEYNERT HERMANS, PIETER THYMANS, REYER EGBERTS, HENDRICK ANTHONISS, CLAES GERBRANTS, ALL BURNT ALIVE FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT AMSTERDAM, ON THE 6TH DAY OF AUGUST, A. D. 1552.

“The blood of the martyrs,” said one of the ancients, “is the seed of the church; the rose grows in and among the thorns; so also the rose of the blooming church of Christ.” This appeared in these sore and sorrowful times, when scarcely anything was heard of but slaying, burning, murdering and shedding of the blood of the innocent and defenseless lambs of Christ; so that in that very time far more persons were stirred up to follow them and embrace their faith, than had been slain before. Whole bands so to speak, marched to the spiritual conflict, yea, to the places where nothing but certain death was to be expected. Each was ready to become an offering for God (if he accounted him worthy for it.) Neither fire nor sword was feared for the testimony of the Lord: for they looked to his comforting and most glorious promises which he has given to the steadfast.

This appeared in the year 1552, in the month of August, in the case of six pious Christians, who, having fled from Babel, betook themselves to the vision of peace, to the spiritual Jerusalem of the true church of God, notwithstanding many assaults and storms were made upon them insomuch that it cost them their lives through the cruel and terrible death by fire.

The circumstances of the case were as follows: Three of them had already through baptism been accepted as members of the church, and the other three were ready for it. In the meantime they were all apprehended, and brought to Amsterdam, where they all made a good confession of that most holy faith, which dwelt in their souls, though the last mentioned three greatly deplored the one fact, namely, that they were not baptized to which they, if it had been possible, would have yet attended before their death.

In short, sentence of death was passed upon them all, namely that they should be executed as heretics with fire, that is, in common language, burnt alive; which cruel death they all steadfastly endured, as appears from the following sentence, which we received from the book of criminal sentences of the city of Amsterdam, just as it was read in the court immediately before their death, and which we shall therefore here adduce as an indubitable attest of the aforementioned matter.

_Sentence of death of the aforementioned six persons, Lievijn Jans, Meynert Hermans, Pieter Thymans, Reyer Egberts, Hendrick Anthoniss, Claes Gerbrants._

Whereas Lievijn, son of Jans of Ghent, otherwise called Liefken de Keyser, weaver by trade; Meynert Hermans of Balch, wood-sawyer; Pieter Thymans of Sutphen, formerly cooper, now book-binder by trade; Reyer Egberts, citizen of this city, Hendrick Anthoniss, of Leyden, both of them weavers; and Claes Gerbrants, native of Wormer, have resorted to the conventicles and gatherings of the Anabaptistical sect, and gone to hear the doctrines of the heads or teachers of said sect, namely, said Claes Gerbrants the doctrines of Menno Simons, ten years ago, and said Lievijn of Ghent, and all the others, the doctrines of Gillis, of Aix-la-Chapelle; and forasmuch as they, adhering to the doctrines, errors and heresies promulgated by the aforesaid false teachers, have separated from the faith, obedience and unity of the holy Christian Church, and hold pernicious views with regard to the sacraments of the holy church, insomuch that the aforesaid Lievijn, Meynert and Pieter, have been rebaptized by said Gillis, of Aix-la-Chapelle, thus renouncing the baptism which they received in their infancy, and the aforesaid Reyer Egberts, Hendrick Anthoniss, and Claes Gerbrants, likewise renouncing their aforesaid baptism have confessed themselves to be ready for rebaptism, if they can attain to it, all of which is contrary to the holy Christian faith, the ordinances of the holy church, and the written laws and decrees of his Imperial Majesty, our gracious lord; and as they moreover, obstinately persist in their unbelief, heresy and errors; therefore, my lords the Judges, having heard the demand made by my lord the Bailiff, concerning the aforesaid delinquents, together with their confessions, and having duly regarded the circumstances of the aforesaid case, condemn said delinquents to be executed with fire by the executioner, and furthermore declare their property confiscated for the benefit of his Imperial Majesty, as count of Holland and our gracious lord, without derogation or prejudice to the privileges of this city. Done and pronounced in the court, on the 6th day of August, A. D. 1552, in the presence of all the Judges, _dempto_ Andries Boelen, by the advice of the Burgomaster.

_Concerning the Torturing of Hendrick Anthoniss and Reyer Egberts, and when it Occurred_.

Of these, two were examined by torture, namely, Henrick Anthoniss, on the 28th of June, and Reyer Egberts on the last of June, 1552.

Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences, preserved at Amsterdam, in the keeping of the secretary of the city.

N. N.