Part 208

My affectionately beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, I wish you from the depth of my heart, for an adieu, that you may always prosper in soul and body. I Maeyken, your weak sister in the Lord, thank you from the very depth of my heart for the great love that you are showing us; I wish before God, that the same may also be done to you in distress, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord. Excuse me, that I do not write more with my own hand; for I am very unskilled therein. However, I did not deem it to be necessary; for Hendrick, our dear brother, my fellow-prisoner in the Lord, has done it so well for us both; I wish you the same before God, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord. Let it seem to you as though I had written it; my heart’s wish is, that we may seal it with our blood, to the praise and glory of the holy name of the Lord, and to the salvation of our souls. With my own hand I bid adieu to all my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord. Adieu; always adhere valiantly to the eternal truth. Adieu. Pray the Lord for us; I pray day and night for you in my weakness. Adieu, G. C. N. T. and your wives. Adieu, B. J. B. P., my dear sisters. Adieu, Andries M. Adieu, adieu; receive this in good part.

ANOTHER LETTER FROM MAEYKEN DEYNOOTS, TO HER BROTHER AND SISTER.

I prisoner of the Lord salute you from the inmost of my heart, my very dear and affectionately beloved brother and sister J. and Andries who are now in great tribulation and sorrow on account of the sad parting. O be patient in all your tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, and rejoicing in hope, which maketh not ashamed, my dear brother and sister in the Lord. O it is a good thing to be patient, and wait for the help of the Lord; for he that fears God is comforted after temptation, and after chastisement he finds favor. The Lord does hide his face for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will he have mercy on us. Is. 54:8. Hence, my dear sister Janneken, console yourself with the Lord’s holy word; though you are now as it were a forsaken and heart-stricken wife, it is but a little while, and your sorrow shall be turned into everlasting joy; for thy maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called, verse 5. O you warrioress of God, contend valiantly against your flesh and blood, and continue steadfast unto death, and there shall be given you the crown of eternal life, with full joy, which no man shall take from you. Andries, my dear brother, that you parted from us with great sorrow, and that you desire to be with us, this you must commit to the Lord, for everything must have its due time. They did not lack the power, when they said to me: “Woman, you must come with us.” I said: “In the name of the Lord.” They greatly desired you. I said: “If it were the Lord’s will, you would get him.” I went again very willingly; then I saluted our dear brethren with the kiss of peace, since love impelled me to it. I believe my brother and fellow prisoner has informed you how it further went, and of the proceedings with us, as far as known to him; I cannot write anything concerning it, for want of paper. My dear brother and sister, I thank you heartily for your good exhortation, faithful warning and sweet consolation, and wish before God, that the same may be done to you in your distress. I read it with many tears, and time and again thanked the Lord, who through his great grace remembers his poor, weak, imprisoned and bound children, and does not forget them. Comfort and admonish one another with the same words, my dear brother and sister in the Lord, and kiss one another once for me; I hope to do as you said. Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and to the comforting word of his grace, and herewith bid adieu to all dear brethren and sisters in the Lord; I know of no one that is known to me, whether he be far or near, of whom I do not think. Adieu with an inward holy kiss of love and peace. Adieu, and pray the Lord for us; I pray day and night for you. Adieu, my dear brethren and sisters. Adieu, adieu, adieu, with tears; adieu, keep firmly on, till you are taken hence. This adieu I write to you all. Excuse this simple letter.

Written by me your weak sister in the Lord, in the castle of Rijpermonde where I am imprisoned and bound with iron chains or fetters, for the eternal truth’s sake. I long for the day when I shall offer up my sacrifice; however, I hope to wait for it with patience. A. D. 1571.

MAEYKEN DEYNOOTS.

ADRIAEN JANSS HOEDEMAECKER, AND JELIS DE BACKER, BOTH BURNT ALIVE AT THE SAME STAKE, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS, IN RIJSSEL, A. D. 1570.--THREE LETTERS OF ADRIAEN JANSS HOEDEMAECKER, WRITTEN IN PRISON AT RIJSSEL.

_The first letter from Adriaen Janss Hoedemaecker, to his wife._

The love of God the Father, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you my dear wife and sister in the Lord, now and forever; this I wish you from the depth of my heart as an affectionate salutation. Amen. After this good wish of my heart and Christian salutation, let me inform you, my dear and in God beloved wife how it still stands with me, that I am still well content and of good cheer, the Lord be praised for his grace which he shows me, and I hope by his grace, that he will help and keep me unto the end, since with Jeremiah, I have committed to him my cause against my adversaries, who are set against me and against the Lord, since I am imprisoned for the name of the Lord, because with the prodigal son, I have arisen to confess my guilt before my God, against whom I have sinned and transgressed, who graciously received me, when I sought and entreated him with tears. And for this reason they persecute and gainsay us, because we have received mercy from God, as the Lord has spoken and declared, saying: “If ye were of the world, the world would love you, but because I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” John 15:19. Mark, my dear wife, the words of our Lord, what is the reason that we are hated; so that in the time of hatred and persecution we may comfort ourselves with the grace of the Lord, as also the apostle Peter testifies, saying: “Because we no longer run with them to that excess of riot, as are lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries.” 1 Peter 4:4,3. Therefore does the world speak evil of you: therefore say they as is written in the Book of Wisdom: “Let us lie in wait for the righteous; for his life is not like other men’s, his ways are of another fashion; he declares our ways to be sin, and avoids us like filth; therefore he is grievous unto us; we will torment and examine him with despitefulness, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience, and let us condemn him with the most shameful death.” Wis. 2:12. This has ever been the reason, why the righteous have been evil spoken of, envied, persecuted, despoiled of their goods, cast into prisons and bonds, drowned, beheaded, and burned, as we may first read concerning Abel, as John testifies with these words: “Let us love one another, not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous”. 1 John 3:12. Hence the apostle says: “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” V. 13. Christ declared to the Jews: “Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of these do ye stone me?” John 10:32. Hence, my dear, beloved wife, it will not fail, as the apostle says, that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus will have to suffer persecution; for evil men and seducers always wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2 Tim. 3:12,13. Hence, the righteous may always prepare themselves for suffering and tribulation; for they are led forth unto death as sheep for the slaughter: we that live are constantly delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, and are always in peril to die every day for our glorying which we have in Christ Jesus our Lord. We may therefore well prepare ourselves for suffering, even as the Lord told his apostles: “In the world ye shall have tribulation; yea, the world shall rejoice, but ye shall weep and be sorrowful; for a woman that is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come.” John 16:33. Thus we must also bring forth Christ with sorrow in this world. Therefore the apostles strengthened and encouraged the churches, that they must with tribulation and suffering enter into the kingdom of God, even as our head Christ went before, as is written concerning him in the prophets. For the kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force (Matt. 11:12), as I now experience myself; for we did indeed formerly have some temptations such as are common to man, but now we must strive unto blood. 1 Corinthians 10:13; Heb. 12:4. For I may now well say with the apostle, that I bear in my body the marks of the Lord. Gal. 6:17. For they have scourged me three times, until the blood flowed, and this that I should betray my fellow brethren; but the Lord by his grace kept my lips. I was suspended by my hands so that I did not touch the ground. Yea, my dear beloved wife, I was seized with great fear so that I could hardly stand it, when they scourged me the third time; hence I thought of the words of the apostle who says: “The Lord will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.” 1 Cor. 10:13. Then they desisted though they threatened to torture me; and they said that they would rend my limbs asunder, or I should tell them who had associated with me, and who were my fellow brethren; but the Lord did not let them have their will this time; what they will do yet, the Lord knows, for to him every thing is known.

My dear and in God beloved wife, faint not at my tribulation, which ought to be a comfort to you, that the Lord has called me hereunto, that he wants to magnify his name by me, and that I am counted worthy to suffer shame for his name, and to seal his word with my blood before this wicked and adulterous generation. I hope to go before you in truth, and before all my dear brethren and sisters who still walk in like peril; that they may take an example from me, not in any wise to forsake the Lord in tribulation, but firmly to cleave to him, who (though he is great), will not forsake his own in distress who trust in him, and serve him in truth; for his eyes are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry, yea, the Lord is the strength of the righteous in the time of trouble. Psalm 34:15; 37:49.

Herewith I will commend my dear and in God beloved wife to the Lord, who is able to keep your treasure, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Acts 20:32. Adieu, my dear wife, whom I love in truth, adieu. For I suspect that the parting is close at hand; for I wait from day to day for the redemption of my body, and to enter into godly rest to my fellow brethren that were also slain for the truth. Rev. 6:11.

Greet the brethren and sisters in my name with the peace of the Lord.

Written in my bonds, by me,

ADRIAEN JANSS, Unworthy prisoner in the Lord.

_The second letter from Adriaen Janss Hoedemaecker to his wife._

I, Adriaen Janss, imprisoned at Rijssel for the name of our Lord, and the testimony of my conscience, wish my dear and in God beloved wife, much grace, mercy and peace, from God the heavenly Father, who is the true Father in heaven and earth; that he would grant you to be strengthened with might by his Spirit, and Christ to dwell in your hearts, and to be rooted in through love. Ephesians 3:14. This I wish you, together with the consolation of the Holy Spirit, as a Christian salutation and affectionate adieu.

Furthermore, after all proper and Christian salutation, I hereby inform you my dear wife in the Lord, that I am well content, and have a good conscience, the Lord be praised forever for his grace, who has kept me in his grace until this hour, and I hope that through his grace he will keep me unto the end, according to his promise, for he says: Though a mother forsake her child, yet will I not forsake thee. Is. 49:15. Yea, the Lord says: I will not leave you comfortless. Herewith, my dear wife, I comfort myself when I am tempted. I further cannot conceal from my dear wife the many tears which I shed when I think of your sorrow, which I presume you have on my account, because we must now give up our Christian fellowship which we have had together by faith. Yes, my dear and beloved wife in the Lord, to every thing, says Solomon, there is a time: “A time to meet, and a time to part.” Eccl. 3:1. Hence my dear wife in the Lord, what more godly parting can there be than for the name of the Lord; and though we now must part, I hope that I shall go before you, and that you will also follow to that place where there will be no more parting, for there we shall ever be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:17. Herewith you may comfort yourself, even as the apostle Paul comforted the church at Thessalonica. I further beseech and exhort you by the mercies of God, that you take heed unto the vocation in which the Lord has called you, and that you walk as you have received the Lord, with all humility and meekness, and walk in the love of God, and of your neighbor, Eph. 4:1; Col. 2:6. Always remember the poor saints where you live; give according to what the Lord has bestowed upon you; continue also in prayer day and night; adhere firmly to the doctrine of Christ, and whatsoever you have heard and received let it abide in you; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 2 Corinthians 12:11. And remember me as long as I am here; I hope not to forget you as long as I am in this tabernacle, with my prayers to God. Though with my body I am absent from you I am nevertheless present with the spirit and remember you with tears.

Herewith adieu, my dear wife in the Lord, adieu, till we get in the kingdom of God to our heavenly Father. Written with tears by me,

ADRIAEN JANSS.

Greet the friends much in my name, especially my S. J. I would write more, but there is no good opportunity here for writing. Written to my dear wife.

_The third letter from Adriaen Janss Hoedemaecker written to the brethren and sisters._

I Adriaen Janss, imprisoned at Rijssel for the name of the Lord and the testimony of my conscience, wish my cordially beloved brethren and sisters, my companions of the faith in the kingdom of God, and in the patience of our Lord Jesus Christ, much grace, mercy and peace from God the heavenly Father, who is the true Father of all mercies, and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation; and from Jesus Christ our Lord, Redeemer and Savior, who delivered us from this present, proud world, according to the will of God his Father; together with the power and consolation of the Holy Ghost, and a steadfast mind unto the end of your life. This I wish you as a Christian salutation in the Lord, and as an affectionate adieu.

Furthermore, after all proper and Christian salutation, my dear and in God beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, I cannot forbear, because of the fellowship which we through the Gospel had together in the Lord, to write you briefly, for the comfort and joy of your heart, concerning the grace which I have received from God, so that I am of good cheer and well content (the Lord be praised for the grace he shows me), so that I hope by his grace, that he will make my cause terminate to his praise, for which I daily pray him. For I desire nothing else than that his name might be magnified by my weak members, and ask my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, with me to beseech God, so to strengthen me, that I may triumph in Christ Jesus our Lord; I hope that he will hear your prayer and mine. For the prophet David says: “The Lord will fulfill the desire of them that fear him; he will also hear their cry and will save them.” Ps. 145:19. Since I desire nothing but what tends to his praise, I hope that he will hear us. I trust I shall not forget you in my prayers to God, but to remember you, even as behooves the members of the body in Christ; and as I, when I was still with you, served you with the little gift which I received from God, so I must also exhort you yet in my imprisonment, and say with the apostle: “I the prisoner of the Lord beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called of God, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:1–3. Yea, as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him (Col. 2:6,7); and always remember the former days, in which ye were illuminated (Heb. 10:32), and what promises you made to the Lord, when you entered into covenant with him, so that you should serve the Lord in holiness and righteousness all the days of your life. Hence, my dear brethren and sisters, walk faithfully before your God, who called you in his grace out of darkness into his marvelous light, who has received you as sons and daughters, enlightened you with his Holy Spirit, and promised you his kingdom.

Hence I repeat it, walk worthy of your vocation, in the love of God and your neighbor; love one another, as behooves brethren and sisters, and let not your hearts be overcharged with the cares of this life (Luke 21:34), that your hearts do not become alienated; for through many cares the heart becomes estranged from God. Therefore my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, I say with Christ: “Watch, and pray day and night to God, and be like unto men that wait for their lord; that, when he knocks, they may open unto him immediately. O how blessed are those servants whom the Lord shall find thus watching: they shall enter in with him into the kingdom of God, and possess all things”. Luke 12:36,37. Herewith I will commend my dear brethren and sisters to the Lord, who is able to keep your treasure, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Adieu my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, adieu, till we get into the kingdom of God. It is very inconvenient here for writing.

Written by me, imprisoned for the true testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ.

ADRIAEN JANSS HOEDEMAECKER.

TWELVE CHRISTIANS AT DEVENTER: YDSE GAUKES, DIRCK VAN WESEL, WITH ANNEKEN AND JANNEKEN, THEIR WIVES; HARMEN THE DYER, BRUYN, ANTHONIS THE WEAVER, CLAES OPREYDER, LIJSBET AND CATHARINA SOMERHUYS, LIJNTGEN JORIS, AND TRIJNTGEN HER DAUGHTER, A. D. 1571.

In the year 1571, on the 11th of March, in the night, the Spaniards at Deventer (having held a tournament during the day) went out with swords, halberds, guns, and many other implements, to apprehend the sheep of Christ. They went through many houses, searching in some streets from house to house; and all whom they could find they apprehended, and fettered and ironed them, saying: “O you heretical dogs, because you deny the Roman Catholic faith you will have to die. For a few days the gates were closed, and there was read by the sound of the town bell, the proclamation, that no one should conceal any, and if any one should know of any that were concealed, that he should report them. But this order was not obeyed: for many were concealed, who secretly fled, and left their goods for a spoil. In all there were apprehended twelve, namely, Ydse Gaukes, Dirck van Wesel, with Anneken and Janneken, their wives; Harmen the Dyer, Bruyn, and Anthonis the Weaver, Claes Opreyder, Lijsbet and Catharina Somerhuys, Lijntgen Joris, and Trijntgen her daughter; all of whom at first when they were apprehended, were valiant, and confessed their faith; but some were greatly afraid according to the flesh, and abandoned the faith even before they were tortured. (In the torture they were drawn up, their hands tied behind their back and heavy weights of iron, or cannon balls, suspended to their feet.) Several others did indeed remain valiant in the torture, but subsequently also apostatized from the faith; and four remained valiant throughout.

Thus it happened that they were frequently visited, and that they (who had denied the faith with the mouth) were very sorrowful, and promised and said, that if the Lord should grant them grace so that they should get out, they would return to the truth. And when on the 20th of May (when they offered up their sacrifice on the 25th) a friend came to them, they asked very closely what news he brought. The friend replied, that the news was bad; he feared that they all should have to die; in short, much was said, and the friend remarked: “I love you, so much that I would you were all out of all this, and that I could be imprisoned in your place;” so that the prisoners became very sorrowful, and wept most bitterly, and said to the friend: “It is best that you go, on account of the Spaniards.”

Thus it came to pass on the 24th of May, in the evening, that monks came to them, to speak with them, that they should prepare themselves, since they were to die the next day. The monks went away at twelve o’clock in the night, but returned at four o’clock in the morning. There were two men, Dirck van Wesel and Harmen the Dyer; and four women, Dirck van Wesel’s wife, Ydse Gaukes’ wife, and Somerhuys’ two daughters, Lijsbet and Catharina; who did not hearken to the monks, but, according to all that could be seen and heard, cleaved to the eternal truth. First, when they came out of the prison, with a very joyful countenance and smiling, they, bowing their heads, said adieu to a friend whom they knew well, and who had visited them in prison; and he smiled to them in return. Thus did at first the four women; but the two brethren, Bruyn and Anthonis the weaver, who were brought out with them, were very sorrowful, and did not speak; the women, however, spoke much and greatly reproved the monks that were with them; yea, they were heard to say, that Christ their Bridegroom and Shepherd had thus gone before, and they would follow him as his own sheep, and they kissed one another very affectionately, the two sisters having hold of each other’s hand, and began to sing: “My God, whither shall I go?” Then they had to separate, and six of them were put into the wagon. When they arrived at the scaffold, they brought Catharina, the younger sister, upon the scaffold first. She was very bold in speaking, and said: “Know, ye citizens, that it is not for any evil, but for the truth.” When she had ascended the scaffold, her sentence was read, which was as follows: “If she would abide in the Catholic church, she should be executed with the sword; but if not, should be burnt alive.” She was then asked, whether she would abide in the Catholic church. She answered: “No; I want to abide in the truth.” They said: “Then you will be burnt alive.” “I do not care for that,” she said; “you deal in lies:” and she spoke very boldly. She was then taken from the scaffold again, and put into the wagon; and her mouth was closed, so that she could not speak any more. Then the two brethren (namely, Bruyn and Anthonis) were one after the other brought upon the scaffold, and were both beheaded, without speaking anything, except that the one was heard to say: “O Lord, be merciful to me.” They then returned to the tower, and fetched Dirck and Harmen. These both had their mouth gagged, so that they could not speak; but they made many signs on the way by nodding, and smiling and were very bold, so that the people were astonished.