Part 77
France, which used to be called a free and frank country, yea, a kingdom of liberties, is now so devoid of freedom for the consciences of the true believers, that scarce a corner is found there, where they may confess their faith or practice their worship. At Montpellier they are hurried to the place of execution, and in other places they are likewise miserably put to death.
Germany is occupied by Non-Germans, that is, by ignorant and unreasonable men, who do not fear to resist the will of God, and to imbrue their hands in the blood of God’s saints. At Eichstaedt they are murdered; at Vienna, in Austria, they are burnt.
Flanders, this most beautiful and pleasant country, upon which, from of old, the gracious blessing of the Lord descended as a refreshing shower and morning dew, is utterly ungrateful to the Lord, and acknowledges none of the benefits enjoyed; but there God is touched in the apple of his eye. O awful matter! the pious witnesses of God are placed alive into the fiery flames.
It is time that we begin to give some account of this matter, lest some should doubt what we have said.
OF A BLOODY DECREE, PUBLISHED IN ENGLAND AGAINST THE CONFESSORS OF THE HOLY GOSPEL; IN CONSEQUENCE OF WHICH MUCH BLOOD WAS SHED AMONG THEM, A. D. 1401.
Tyrants generally find a reason for their tyranny, in the orders which they have received from their superiors in authority; this is for them a wide cloak, which can cover much evil. In the meantime they vent their anger, yea, rejoice in their wickedness, while the unoffending and innocent have to suffer.
Now, if this would obtain only with the worldly, what would it matter, knowing that they are worldly-minded; but even the so-called ecclesiastics or clergy, who are credited with everything good, are guilty in this matter.
All this is briefly shown, in the beginning of the fifteenth book of the _Chronijk van den Ondergang der Tyrannen_, with these words: “In the year 1401 a decree was issued in England, against the confessors of the Gospel, or those who gave them assistance or showed them favor; in consequence of which much innocent blood was shed by the ecclesiastical prelates, priests, and monks of antichrist.” See abovementioned chronicle, _page 753, col. 1_, from _Hist. Adrian., fol. 85, Henr. Boxh., fol. 27_.
WILLIAM SWINDERBY, BURNT FOR THE FAITH, AT LONDON, IN ENGLAND, A. D. 1401.
In the year 1389 it occurred as old chronicles show, that one William Swinderby, a priest of the bishopric of Lincoln, was accused of certain opinions, and brought before the bishop of Lincoln, who examined him concerning certain articles, in the church at Lincoln, according to the manner or order of the papal laws, agreeing with their usual ceremonies.
His accusers were the monks, friar Roger Frisby, a Franciscan; friar John Hincely, an Augustinian, and Thomas Blaxton, a Dominican; whom he refuted in all their accusations, showing that the eleven articles which they brought against him, and which they alleged to have extracted from his sermons, were altogether false, or, at least, mixed with much untruth.
But said monks, not content with his disavowal and explanation, opposed him so vehemently with their testimonies, that they declared to have convicted him of the articles with which they had charged him. They brought with them into the city dry fagots, according to the English custom, to burn him, and would not release him until he had promised, or, from fear of death, firmly assured them, that he would not hold, teach, or preach said articles any more, neither secretly nor openly, on pain of incurring like punishment. They moreover drew up in writing a form, which he was to repeat from memory, by way of recantation; to which they compelled him by severe threats. _John Fox, Mart. Angl., ex Registro Hereford._
But afterwards the aforesaid William Swinderby did nevertheless not cease preaching his belief, so that he was apprehended, by order of King Richard II., in the fifteenth year of his reign, coinciding with the year 1392, and closely confined, by order of John, Bishop of Hereford, who had received this charge from the King.
In the meantime he was examined in the faith, and it was found that he taught several articles which militated against the Roman church; but which or what kind of articles these were, is not clearly expressed by the writers; yet it can be inferred from the confession of one Walter Brute, who, in the matter of faith, is compared to William Swinderby, by Abraham Mellinus and others: yea, they declare that Walter Brute was a champion and defender of William Swinderby’s articles, who, among others, maintained this article: “That it is not lawful for Christians to swear on any account, in any case, either by the Creator, or by his creatures.”
Concerning holy baptism, he made this confession: “He (Christ) was buried that we might all, by baptism, be buried with him into his death; and that, having died unto sin (notice, this is not the work of children), we should live unto righteousness.”
As to his views in regard to all other articles, we have found them very scriptural, salutary and good. In regard to this, see _John Fox, Angl., page 440_.
It is certainly true, that William Swinderby’s articles of faith thus shone forth through their radiance of divine truth, that the children of darkness (the Romanists) could not bear them, so that they finally, after a long and severe confinement, finished his trial, pronouncing sentence of death upon him, namely: that he should be executed with fire, that is, burnt alive, as a heretic, in Smithfield, London. This, it is stated, was done with him, twelve years after his first imprisonment.
FURTHER OBSERVATION REGARDING HIS DEATH.
Concerning the death of this pious man, a certain author gives the following account from John Fox: “Having received this commission and full power from the King, against William Swinderby, the bishop doubtless did his very best to procure his arrest without delay; however, he did not immediately proceed with the execution of death against him, but kept him in prison for a long time. At last, A. D. 1401, he was burnt alive in Smithfield, at London.” Second book of the _Hist. of the Persecutions, fol. 505, col. 2_, from _John Fox, Hist. Angl., page 438_, also, _page 436_.
Again, _A. Mellinus, page 515, col. 4_: “Baleus also accords with this, saying that William Swinderby, after his recantation, was strengthened in the confession of the divine truth, and was finally, A. D. 1401, burnt alive, in the sight of a great number of people, in Smithfield, at London.” _Bal. Cent. 6, Script. Britt., in Append. ad Jo. 1, Horesb, page 493_.
NOTE.--_A. D. 1405_, John Wenschelberg now wrote against the superstition in popery, and also against the deception practiced by the priests. Among other things he related of a Bohemian priest, who had colored the host of the Sacrament (of the altar) with his own blood, and had persuaded the people, that the blood had of its own accord mingled with the bread. “These are,” he said, “the lying signs and false miracles of antichrist.” But what happened to him on this account, from the papists, we have not found in the old writers. Compare _Joh. Munst., fol. 181_, with _Chron. van den Ondergang, page 758, col. 1_.
WILLIAM THORPE PUT TO DEATH AND BURNT FOR THE FAITH, AT SALTWODEN, IN ENGLAND, A. D. 1407.
Now, when the abomination of desolation, through the papists, began to exalt itself more and more over the true faith, it occurred, about A. D. 1397, that a godfearing, pious man, named William Thorpe, formerly a priest, was sorely persecuted for the truth of the Gospel, particularly for his belief against the sacrament of the altar, image worship, pilgrimages, the power of the priests, the swearing of oaths, etc.
Of these articles of his accusation, especially of his belief against the swearing of oaths, and what is alleged against it by opponents, we have already given an explanation in the presentation of his faith.
However, notwithstanding that he was already imprisoned, upon the intercession of some well-disposed persons, and through the fact that the archbishop of Canterbury, who had apprehended him, had fallen into disfavor with the King, he was released after the first persecution. But since this pious witness of God did not cease to preach against the Roman church, particularly against the swearing of oaths, (as divers old writers note), he was eventually, about A. D. 1407, apprehended at Salopia, brought from there to Canterbury, and ultimately imprisoned in the castle of Saltwoden; where the archbishop and the prelates beset him very hard, in order to draw him from his faith.
In the meantime, a number of disorderly persons having crowded into the prison, some demanded that he should immediately be burnt; others, that he should forthwith be thrown into the sea, which was near by, and drowned. In this dreadful uproar, a priest from their midst fell upon his knees before the archbishop, entreating him, that he might do his utmost for this William Thorpe, to convert him, by the reading of his matins or morning prayers, which he should perform for him, saying: “I venture to promise that after three days he will change so remarkably, that he will not refuse to do anything for the archbishop.”
But the archbishop, filled with anger, raged on with undiminished fury, threatening the martyr, that he would see to it, that he should get his deserts. Thereupon, this pious witness of Jesus, as he refused to apostatize, was most cruelly maltreated in the prison, in the castle of Saltwoden. Some hold that he was burnt soon after that severe examination, in the month of August of said year 1407. See _Vignier, A. D. 1407_, from _Guil. Tindal_; but Baleus is of the former opinion. _Cent. 7, Script. Britt., cap. 42, in Guil. Thorp., page 538_.
NOTE.--_A. D. 1410_. At this time a tradesman was condemned as a heretic by the (Roman) bishops, and delivered to the secular judge; because he believed and said that the bread in the Lord’s Supper was given for a memorial; thus denying transubstantiation, or the essential change of the bread into the body of Christ. For this he had to suffer the slow and dreadful death by fire. Compare _Fasc. Temp., fol. 118. Hist. of the Mart. Adri., fol. 52_, with _P. J. Twisck’s Chron., page 763_.
That all this happened to him, because he, besides opposing the Roman superstitions, also held, that men may not swear at all, has already been stated, and is confirmed by _F. H. H., van den Loop der Werelt, page 99_. Also, _P. J. Twisck, Chron., page 758_.
CATHARINE OF THOU, IN LORRAINE, BURNT FOR THE FAITH, AT MONTPELLIER, IN FRANCE, A. D. 1417.
On the second of October, about two o’clock in the afternoon, it occurred at Montpellier, in France, that a certain sentence of death was pronounced, and executed the same day, upon an upright and godfearing woman of Thou, in Lorraine, named Catharine Saube, who, loving the Lord her Savior more than her own life, steadfastly fought through death, and, pressing her way through the strait gate[194] into the spacious mansions of heaven, left flesh and blood on the posts, in the burning flames, on the place of execution, at Montpellier.
[194] “Enter ye in at the strait gate. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life.” Matt. 7:13,14.
The history of Catharine Saube is, as old writers testify, faithfully extracted from the town-book of Montpellier, commonly called _Talamus_; which word, Chassanion thinks, has been corrupted by passing from one language into the other; and that by the Jews, who at that time resided in great numbers in France, especially at Montpellier, it was called _Talmud_, which among the Hebrews or Jews, signifies a very large book or roll containing many and various things. Hence it may very easily have been the case, that the French, after the manner of the Jewish Maranes, who lived among them, erroneously called the word Talmud, Talamus, meaning to designate thereby the large book containing the civil records of the burgomasters of Montpellier. From this town-book, the following acts were faithfully translated, from the ancient language of Montpellier into the French tongue, by a trustworthy person of Languedoc, and in English[195] read as follows:
[195] “In our Dutch,” says the original.
“On the 15th day of November, A. D. 1416, after mass had been read in the parish church of St. Fermin, at Montpellier, Catharine Saube, a native of Thou, Lorraine, came into that church, to present herself. About fifteen or sixteen days previously, she had asked the lords and burgomasters of that city, for permission to be shut in with the other recluses in the nunnery on the Lates road.
The aforesaid lords and burgomasters, and all manner of trades-people, together with over 1500 towns-people, men as well as women, came to the church, in this general procession. Said burgomasters, as patrons, that is, fathers and protectors of the recluse nuns, conducted said Catharine, as a bride, to the abovementioned cloister, where they let her remain, shut up in a cell, after which they all returned home together.” _Acta Gallica Ibid. in Martyrolog. Gallico._
See, these are the identical words of the extract or copy taken from the town-book; we let the reader judge, as to what was her reason in applying for admittance into the nunnery. Certainly, some did not presume so badly, who have maintained, that experiencing in her heart the beginnings of true godliness proceeding from an ardent faith, she was impelled by a holy desire to reveal to the other recluse nuns the true knowledge of Christ Jesus; finding herself sufficiently gifted by the Lord, to do this. This is very probable; since credible witnesses have declared that in said book _Talamus_ it was also recorded, that some time after the death of Catharine Saube, the whole convent in which said Catharine had been confined was burnt, together with all the nuns; doubtless on account of their religion.
The same public records state, that the year following, A. D. 1417, on the second of October, about two o’clock in the afternoon, when M. Raymond Cabasse, D. D., of the order of Jacobine or Dominican monks, vicar of the inquisitor, sat in the judgment-seat, under the chapter which is beside the portal of the city hall at Montpellier, in the presence of the Bishop of Maguelonne, the Lieutenant governor, the four orders, yea, of all the people, who filled the whole city hall square, he declared by definite sentence, that the aforesaid Catharine Saube, of Thou, in Lorraine, who, at her request, had been put into the cloister of the recluses, was a heretic, and that she had disseminated, taught and believed divers damnable heresies against the Catholic faith, namely: “That the Catholic (or true) church is composed only of men and women[196] who follow and observe the life of the apostles.” Again: “That it is better to die, than to anger, or sin against God.” Again: “That she did not worship the host or wafer[197] consecrated by the priest; because she did not believe that the body of Christ was present in it.” Again: “That it is not necessary to confess[198] one’s self to the priest; because it is sufficient to confess one’s sins to God; and that it counts just as much to confess one’s sins to a discreet, pious layman, as to any chaplain or priest.” Again: “That there will be no purgatory after this life.”
[196] Here no third class of members of the church of Jesus Christ is mentioned, namely, infants; but only men and women, that is, believing and obedient persons.
[197] Though she calls the bread of the Supper the host, yet she does not acknowledge, that the body of Christ is present in it; hence she refused to worship it.
[198] The confession recognized by her, is not according to papistic manner, but agreeable to the teaching of James 5:16: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.”
Said town-book _Talamus_ contained also four other articles with which Catharine was charged, or at least which she professed; from which it can be inferred that she rejected not only many papal institutions, but among these also infant baptism. The extract from the aforesaid town-book, concerning these four articles, reads literally as follows:
1. “That there never has been a true pope, cardinal, bishop, or priest, after the election of the pope (or bishop) ceased to be done through miracles of faith or verity.
2. “That wicked priests or chaplains neither can nor may consecrate the body of Christ, though they pronounce the sacramental words over it.
3. “That the baptism which is administered by wicked priests, is of no avail to salvation.
4. “That infants which die after baptism, before they have faith, are not saved; for they do not believe but through the faith of their godfathers, godmothers, parents, or friends.”
These are the last four articles found in the town-book of Montpellier; from which it certainly is clearly evident, how very bold, ardent, and penetrating the faith of this woman was; so that she did not stop short of attacking even the Pope, the priests, and the superstitions practiced by them, and convincing them with God’s truth. For, when she says, in the first article, that “there never has been a true pope,” etc., what else did she indicate, than that there never has been a true pope, cardinal, bishop, or priest in the Roman church, seeing the election of the pope was never done through miracles of faith or verity?
Secondly, when she says, that “Wicked priests or chaplains neither can nor may,” what else does she mean to say than that wicked priests, who are not holy themselves, need not imagine at all (which is nevertheless believed in popery), that by uttering a few words they can consecrate a piece of bread, yea, transform it into their God and Savior? which, Catharine had declared before, could not even be done by priests of upright life; for therefore she would not, as she said, worship the wafer consecrated by the priest, because she did not believe that the body of Christ was present in it.
Thirdly, when she says, that “The baptism which is administered by wicked priests is,” etc., what else does this indicate than that the shameful life of the priests destroys the ministry itself, and that as little as the words which they pronounce over the host, tend to consecrate it, just as little tends the baptism practiced by them to salvation?
Fourthly, when she says, that “Infants which die after baptism,” etc., what is this but to say that infant baptism is not necessary to salvation, yea, conduces in no wise to it? because infants themselves do not believe, only their godfathers, godmothers, parents or friends, in their stead; but that to be saved, one must believe himself, and be baptized upon this belief, as the Lord says, Mark 16:16; for the faith of another cannot help any one in the world, and consequently, cannot help infants to salvation.
Now; when this pious heroine of God would in no wise depart from her faith, sentence of death was finally pronounced upon her; and having been led to the place of execution, she was burnt, at Montpellier, in the afternoon of October 2d, 1417.
Concerning her sentence and death, the town book of Montpellier contains the following words, as translated from the original into the Dutch (now into the English): “Having pronounced this sentence upon her, the vicar of the inquisitor, M. Raymond, delivered her into the hands of the bailiff, who was provost or criminal judge of the city. The people entreated him much in her behalf, that he would deal mercifully with her; but he executed the sentence the same day, causing her to be brought to the place of execution, and there burnt as a heretic, according to law.”
These are the words of the aforesaid _Talamus_, or town book, which also contains this further addition: “That the bishop of Maguelonne, after singing a common mass, also preached a sermon before the members of the council, concerning Catharine Saube, against many who said that the sentence of death had unjustly been passed upon her; and rebuked the indignation of those who spoke against this sentence, with very vehement and severe words.”
This is briefly the extract concerning the martyrdom of this godfearing woman, by which many ignorant, plain people were prompted in their hearts to examine the truth a little nearer, and to apprehend the light of the Gospel in the midst of these dark times, which God blessed, as shall be seen hereafter. See also the second book of the _History of the Persecutions, fol. 572, col. 2–4_. Also _fol. 573, col. 1_. Also _Hist. Mart._ by _J. S., edition 1645, fol. 40_.
A GREAT NUMBER OF CHRISTIANS CALLED WALDENSES, BURNT FOR THE FAITH, IN FLANDERS, A. D. 1421.
Now when the children of light, who confessed the doctrine of the Waldenses, in the midst of the darkness of popery,[199] began to lift up their hands more and more, in the Flemish countries, and to combat with the power of the word of God the errors of the Roman church, and to reject principally papal authority, the mass, transubstantiation, pilgrimages, the invocation of saints, purgatory, infant baptism, the swearing of oaths, revenge towards enemies, etc., as we stated concerning the belief of the Waldenses, in the account for the eleventh century; the prince and king of darkness, through the instrumentality of his satellites, laid his hands on them, and ultimately brought the matter so far that very many who would in no wise, neither for life nor for death, apostatize, were condemned to be burnt alive, which was also done with them; and thus they endured the trial of their faith with great steadfastness, in the fire, at Donau, in Flanders, in the year 1421. Wherefore the captain of the faith, Jesus Christ, shall hereafter eternally crown them, as pious champions, with the unfading crown of honor, according to his promise: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10.
[199] The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up. Matt. 4:16.
Of the sacrifice of these friends, mention is also made in the second book of the _History of the Persecutions, p. 577, col. 4_, where it says: “At Donau, in Flanders, A. D. 1421, a great number was discovered, who professed the doctrine of the Waldenses, many of whom, remaining steadfast, were burnt alive.” Also, _Vignier, Hist. Eccl., in the year 1421, ex Monstrelets_.
NOTE.--Whether those of Dort, in Holland, were also guilty at this time, of the blood of the saints, we have not been able to ascertain; nevertheless, the Lord severely chastised them in this year, 1421, so that, through heavy floods, the city became an island, and was deprived of seventy-two villages that lay round about, and were all swallowed up in the water.
Hence, the following inscription is found carved on the outside of the Speuy Gate of said city, over the arch, in blue stone:
“_All land and water which here you see, were Seventy-two parishes, chronicles state, Swallowed by water’s resistless power; Thousand four hundred seventy-one by date._”
This event is so generally known, and has been described by so many authors, that I deem it unnecessary to add anything by way of confirmation. A sad thing for the place of our birth. NOTE.--_A. D. 1423._--At this time, writes P. J. Twisck, Henry Gruenfelder was burnt for the truth, in the city of Regensburg, in Germany; and shortly after, in the same city, Henry Rathgeber. _Chron., p. 787, col. 1_, compared with _Georg. Pac., cap. 11_.