Thieleman J. van Braght · 114 of 210

Old Book of the Martyrs Mirror · Part 52

The monk also said: "Tell me, who is the head of the church?" Francis replied: "Christ." The monk said: "This, too, is an error." Then Francis said: "You call us heretics, but you yourself are a heretic, and not we, for Christ is certainly the head of His church." But the monk said: "The pope is the head here on earth." Francis said: "A body with two heads is a hideous thing." Thereupon the monk again began to call him a heretic, and to admonish him to desist. But Brother Francis told him that he could not desist before he should have proved this to him by the holy Scriptures. The monk said: "We are not bound to prove this to you by the Scriptures." They were then taken back to prison, where Francis put his confession and defense in writing, and delivered it.

After this, they lay in prison for a long time yet, in all about two years, always steadfastly continuing, in many disputations, in the truth confessed, which they had accepted, and were then sentenced to death, and, in the year 1564, cast into the sea, at Venice, and drowned. But the sea will have to give up her dead at the judgment day of the Lord, when such murderers of the pious will be dearly requited, and will see with great terror, how heinous an offense against God it is, thus to touch His believers. See Zech. 2:8; Acts 9:5.

JAN DE SWARTE, KLAESKEN HIS WIFE, KLAES,

CHRISTIAN, HANS AND MAHIEU, HIS FOUR SONS;

PERCEVAL VAN DEN BERGE, JAN MAES, PIE;

TER THE SHOEMAKER, HENDRICK AERTS,

THE HATTER, JANNEKEN CABILJAUS HIS

WIFE, KALLEKEN STEENS, AND HER;

MAN, IN THE YEAR, A. D. 1563

Jan de Swarte, a very good hearted man, of Nipkerke, with his wife and adult children, came to the knowledge of the truth, and united with the church of God. Afterwards he was chosen and ordained a minister of the church, in which ministry he, according to his ability, and in simplicity, so conducted himself (not only in the deaconship, by caring for the poor, but also, according to his gift received from God, in dispensing the Word of the exhortation), that he endeared himself to all that knew him. I Cor. 12:4; II Tim. 2:15.

And as the apostle Paul foretold, that all that will live godly in Jesus Christ shall suffer persecution, so he also met with it, on which account he resided in various towns and villages of Flanders, as in Honschote, Rijssel, Wervick, Meenen, and finally at Halewijn, supporting himself mostly with tapeweaving. With his wages he was very benevolent and liberal to the poor, not only to those of the household of faith, but to all in general (II Cor. 8: 1; Gal. 6:10), by which especially he left behind him a good name, to the praise and glory of God, as also by hospitality, as taught in the Scriptures (Romans 12:13), in which he was not negligent, since it appeared that when he was apprehended, there lodged with him a brother from Doornick, named Perceval van den Berge, a native of Zwevegem, and another, who had come from Honschote, whose name was Jan Maes.

At that time there resided at Halewijn various other. God fearing brethren and sisters, which being greatly envied by N., the priest of the castle, he betrayed them into the hands of the Dean of Ronse, the inquisitor in Flanders, who, on a Saturday night, the 7th of March, 1563, quietly came thither with a great number of servants, from Rijssel, surrounded several houses, entered them, and apprehended the afore mentioned Jan de Swarte, with Klaesken his wife and four sons, namely, Klaes, Christian, Hans, and Mahieu (who was only about sixteen years old), and also Perceval van den Berge, and Jan Maes, already mentioned. Besides these he also apprehended one Pieter the shoemaker, with jacomijntgen his wife, which latter did not remain steadfast. Also, one Heyndrick Aerts the hatter, with janneken Cabiljaus his wife, and another sister, Kalleken Steens, the wife of a brother whose name was Augustijn.

When Jan de Swarte was apprehended, his two younger sons were not present, but came in the meantime. When they came to the house the neighbors warned them, that those who apprehended their father and mother were in the house. The one said to the other: "Do not let us flee, but let us die with father and mother." In the meantime Jan de Swarte was led out of the house a prisoner, and seeing his sons, he said to them

"Children, do you want to, go along to the New Jerusalem?" They replied: "Yes, father;" and were thus led captive with them.

The inquisitor brought them all prisoners to Rijssel, and there had them very closely confined in the castle. Jan was put into a hole by himself, which was called the "Paradise," and was so small that he could neither stand upright in it, nor lie down full length.

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It happened one day that divers brethren and sisters, prompted by love and compassion, had come from without the city, and were standing over against the castle, calling to the prisoners over the fortification, for their consolation, that among them there was one brother named Herman, who being noticed by one of the beadles of the town, who came out secretly, was also apprehended.

After an imprisonment of ten days, the inquisitor delivered these prisoners into the hands of the secular authorities, who first took out Jan de Swarte with his son Klaes, Pieter, the shoemaker, Hendrick Aerts, the hatter, Percival van den Berg, and Jan Maes, all six of whom, because they valiantly and steadfastly adhered to the divine truth, they sentenced to death, and took them in a wagon to the marketplace, where stood the scaffold, provided with earth and stakes. There they were taken up one after another, and two and two fastened to a stake.

As they were going to death, the clock struck. John asked what time it was. He was told that it was four o'clock. He consoled himself with this, saying: "At five o'clock we hope to be in our lodging or resting place." His son Klaes, said: "We have to die for the reason that we believe!!that Jesus Christ, the Son of the eternal God, is from heaven and not of the earth."

Pieter was gagged, to prevent him from speaking. When they stood at the stakes, wood and straw were placed around them, to which fire was then set, and they were thus burnt alive to ashes.

A few days afterwards also Klaesken, the wife of Jan de Swarte, with her three sons, and Herman, because they adhered immovably to the love of God, were all five sentenced to death by the authorities, and also burned alive to ashes, persevering unto the end as valiant witnesses of Christ.

Almost a year after this, after very long imprisonment, Janneken Cabiljaus and kalleken Steens, were sentenced to death, placed alive into the fire, and burnt to ashes, as valiant and steadfast witnesses of the divine truth.

It also came to pass that the priest of the castle, N., who had so spitefully betrayed these dear friends of God, was very sorely punished by God; for such putrefaction entered his flesh, that it fell off piecemeal, or was cut off from time to time, from his body, no physicians being able to cure the disease.!!Thus it happened on one occasion; a large piece, of putrid flesh having dropped, or been cut off from his body, that the same was eaten by a dog, while he beheld it with his own eyes. How he must have felt on this occasion, it is easy to imagine, especially when viewing it as the fulfillment of a curse said to have been pronounced upon him. "That he should yet with his own eyes see the dogs eat his flesh."

It also happened that while the priest was lying sick, a man came to visit him, who, when the former complained to him of his great misery, remarked to him: "It is the coals from the fire at

Rijssel" namely, from the burning of the friends mentioned above; which did not please the priest very much; but he had to bear this taunt as well as the punishment sent him from God. And in this way he at last died most miserably, even as we read that in former times it happened to Antiochus and Herod. II Macc. 9:9; Acts 12:23.

DIRK LAMBERTS, CHRISTIAN VAN WETTEREN, AND

ANTONIJN DE WALE, A. D. 1563

At Ghent in Flanders there were apprehended, for the faith, three brethren, namely, Dirk Lamberts, Christian van Wetteren, and Antonijn de Wale, who contended valiantly and heroically for their faith and the truth, from which they would not depart for any temptation, pain or suffering, so that they were finally sentenced to death. First Dirk Lamberts, and shortly afterwards the other two, had to follow Christ by entering through death into life; therefore they shall be clothed in fine linen with all the elect of God, and receive; palms into their hands, and the crown of life upon their heads.

JOOS JANS PUT TO DEATH, A. D. 1563

The same year a brother named Joos Jans; was apprehended at Somerdijck, for living according to the truth, and was immediately taken to.Zierickzee; where he suffered much examination and hardship, but suffered himself nevertheless in no wise to be moved or turned away from the Word of God and the love of Christ, so that he was finally sentenced to death and beheaded, thus valiantly testifying with his blood to the truth.

NOTE The repeatedly, mentioned decree of Emperor Charles V, enacted in the year 1550,,,and confirmed by Philip II, King of Spain, A. D. 155.6 (for which year we have circumstantially shown the same), as also, A. D. 1560, was at this time, namely, A. D. 1564, renewed and established the third time, for the annihilation and 'destruction of the innocent and defenseless Christian believers, as may be seen in the. large book of decrees of Ghent, and Cited by William I, Prince of Orange, in his defence against his adversaries,, edition 1599, page 165, etc.

Thereupon followed no small persecution, as, may be seen from the history of the following martyrs.

DANIEL KALVAERT, BURNED, A. D. 1564

Daniel Kalvaert, a native of Thielt, in Flanders, was apprehended, A. D. 1564; at Arm' entiers, for the testimony of the truth, and thence taken to Rijssel, but after being subjected to some S*olicitation and torture, he was brought back to Armentiers, escorted by forty beadles, and there sentenced by the authorities, to be burnt alive to ashes; which offering he boldly brought, after which his ashes were thrown into the river Leye.

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PIETER VAN OOSTHOVE, A. D. 1564

Pieter Floriss, called of Oosthove, a native of Nipkerke in Flanders, was apprehended for the divine truth, at Armentiers, A. D. 1564, and; through many solicitations and sufferings, was prevailed upon to apostatize from his faith, induced by the promise that he should not die, and be released. But when again in his prison, and coming to himself, he reflected how greatly he had suffered himself to be deceived, for though he should escape temporal death for a little while, he .should therefor have to taste eternal death. This produced in him such an agonizing sorrow, that he, like Peter, betook himself with earnest supplication to Almighty God, and besought Him with scalding tears for forgiveness for the great offense he had committed, and for a more steadfast mind than he had shown before. His prayer was not left unheard, for when he was brought before the authorities again, he utterly renounced his apostasy,' and thenceforth boldly confessed his faith, and steadfastly adhered to it, so that he was finally sentenced to death,,to which he went with glad constancy, and was thus strangled and burnt.

STEVEN DE GRAFT; AND SIJNTGEN, A. D.: 1564,

In the year 1564 there was apprehended at Ghent in Flanders, for the truth; a brother named Steven de Graet, with Sijntgen, his aged mother. They were both well confirmed in the faith; and continued in it amidst all solicitations and sufferings, even unto death, which they, for the name of Christ, had to suffer publicly; hence they shall also openly praise the Lord; in the throne of heaven, and help sing the glad new song, in honor of the Lamb, and'of, Him that sitteth upon the throne. Rev. 14:3.

FIERIJNTGEN. KETELS, LEENTGEN HER MOTHER,

WITH PIERIJNTGEN AND MARIJNTGEN VAN

MALE, IN TIDE YEAR A. D. 1564

In the same year four sisters of Christ were apprehended at Ghent, namely, Pierijntgen Ketels, with Leentgen her mother, and two sisters, Pier= i j ntgen and Mari j ntgen van Male. These did not counsel with flesh and blood, but with God, who was able to strengthen them, for whose name they, after many assaults and unwavering steadfastness, had to lay down their lives in the monastery of St. Peter, without the city of Ghent. Therefore they shall be crowned by the Young Man upon Mount Sion, and be joyfully received by their bridegroom. II Esdras 2:46; Matt. 25:10.

PIETER VAN DER MEULEN, A. D. 1564 .

Shortly afterwards, also one brother Pieter vdn der Meulen contended so valiantly, at Ghent, for his faith in Christ, that, with firm faith and confidence in God, he withstood all who sought to turn him away from it, even unto death, so that he departed this world, and went with Christ into peace and rest, to help judge at the last day those who judged him here. Luke 23:43; I Cor. 6:2; Matt. 7:2:

MAEYKEN BOOSERS BURNT TO ASHES FOR THE TESTI;

MONY OF JESUS CHRIST, IN THE CITY OF

DOORNICK, THE 18TH OF SEPTEM;

BER, A. D. 1564

A confession and letter of consolation of Maeyken

Boosers, imprisoned at Doornich, where she

sealed her faith with her death

The eternal, unfathomable grace of God, and the power of the Holy Ghost, be with you all, my beloved friends and brethren. I let you know that I am well according to the flesh; but according to the spirit I might be better, for I find weakness in me; but my hope is fixed upon God, who strengthens the feeble, and comforts the afflicted. My heart constantly longs to be fit in His sight, that I might finish to His praise that which He has commenced in me. Therefore I pray you, my beloved brethren, not to forget me, even as I well perceive that you do not, for which I thank you very much, and hope that the Lord will preserve you in His holy truth. I further inform you that the lords wanted to know of me, who were baptized with me, and whether none were in the city, and what were their names and surnames. I said: "What I do not know I cannot tell." But it was all to no avail. They ordered the executioner to strip me. I felt very much ashamed, and I pleasantly entreated them to believe me; but it was of no avail. I then said: "Your will be done," and undressed myself. They led me to the rack and bound me to draw and rack me. The commissary said that I should name them. I told him that I could not do it; whereupon they loosed me, without my having named any one, for which God on, high be praised. However of Pieter and George they had knowledge already; hence I had to name them too, but their surnames I did not know. Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and to the Word of His grace. May the Lord keep us all in one faith to the end of our lives. Amen.

Another letter from Maeyken Boosers to her

parents

I greet you from my inmost heart, my beloved father and my much beloved mother, with all that are in your house. Please know that I am well and unchanged in purpose, the Lord be praised forever, as I trust through the goodness of God it is also with you. Further, I thank you heartily for the kind greeting you wrote me, on account of which I greatly rejoiced, learning your feelings and affection for me; and for remembrance' sake I will write you something about my imprisonment.

In the first place the commissary asked me how old I was when I was baptized. I replied: "About twenty three or four years." They asked me why I had it done. I said: "Because God had commanded it." They asked me whether I did not know that I had been baptized previously. I said

"I know nothing of it; neither, has God commanded it." They asked me whether I did not have sponsors. I replied: "It may be; they may have died." They then said that they should send me learned men. I said: "You ought to be wise enough to talk with me;" but no, they would send learned men. They then sent the parish priest of our lady's church, who came and asked me why I had not been in his church so long, and that he had not known of me. I told him that I had quietly kept at home. They asked me where my church was. I answered: "My church is not known to you; for if you knew her, you would not let her in peace very long."

We had many words about baptism. I said that Christ sent out His apostles into all the world, and that they first taught all nations to observe ail things whatsoever He had commanded them, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Infants cannot learn; but he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. Then they said that the apostles had baptized whole households. I said: "Yes, then they rejoiced that they were become believers in God; this children cannot do. Acts 16:34. Christ called the children to Him and said that to such belonged the kingdom of heaven, but He did not command that they should be baptized." They then brought forward Adam's sin, saying that they were born in it. I replied that Christ had died for them. I asked them whether they meant to remove sin by baptism; since infants can have no sin, therefore they cannot die unto sin, and rise through baptism into a new life. Then the lords said: "Your doctrine is: `He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,' is it not?" I said: "Yes." They then asked whether Christ was not of Mary's flesh. I said that Mary had conceived Him of the Holy Ghost, even as the angel said to,her. "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." Luke 1:35. They asked once more whether He did not assume flesh from her, since He had not brought it from above. I replied that I believed the testimony of John, where he says: "The, Word became flesh, and dwelt among us." John 1:14. They asked whether I did not believe that He is Mary's son according to the flesh, and the Son of God according to the spirit. I replied that He was God's own begotten and only begotten 'Son, without beginning of days, nor end of life, and was now at the last born of Mary, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Heb. 7:3. Hence He is not of the earth, earthy, like Adam, nor will He return to earth [dust]; for He is the Lord from heaven. I Cor. 15:47. Now if He had flesh of our flesh, He would have to see corruption, for God said: "Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return;" but this was not spoken of Adam alone, but of all his descendants. Gen. 3:19.

They then asked me whether I did not believe that in the sacrament there were Christ's flesh and blood. I said: "No; He is ascended, and sits on the right hand of God His Father." They then asked me whether I would not believe that all the saints are in heaven. I said: "What I have not read I cannot answer; but this much I have read; `The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them.' "

Wisdom 3:1. To this they did not say much, but asked what I held with regard to Mary. I replied that she was a pure and holy vessel, and blessed above all women, since she was worthy to conceive and give birth to the Son of God.

They asked whether I did not confess that there is a purgatory. I said: "I find two ways on record, the one very broad and leading to damnation, the other very narrow and leading to eternal life." They also asked what I held in regard to the pope. I said: "The pope I do not know; but if this is his doctrine, which is observed here, I hold him to be like his doctrine." Much more was spoken, but I only write this to while away time. Farewell.

Another letter from Maeyken Boosers, to the

brethren

My dearest and much beloved brethren in the Lord, I let you know that my heart is of good cheer and courage, the Lord be forever praised, for He preserves us by His right hand, and delivers us out of the midst of our enemies, for without Him I would be lost, since they, both spirituals and seculars, come to assail me in manifold ways, as could be seen this Sunday, when Mr. Massaert, with a judge and a secular, a learned man, held me to be the vilest sect that ever was under heaven. But when I told them my faith, I moved them all to tears, so that they could scarcely speak, and ultimately left me in a friendly manner.

No more for the present, except that I commend you to the Lord; may He constantly keep and preserve you in His holy truth. I hope it will soon be over with me; for I desire nothing so much, than that I might please the Lord, and die a blessed death. Amen.

A testament from Maeyken Boosers to her children

A heartfelt and affectionate greeting to you, my beloved children. Give ear to your mother, who is now in bonds for the truth; for it has pleased God, that all who will live godly must suffer persecution. Hence I am well satisfied and of good cheer, that the servant must follow his lord. His blessed will be done with me; if it had been His pleasure, He would have prevented these bonds. My dear children, it has been so from the beginning, that the righteous must suffer, and that the unrighteous always prevail. But their day shall soon come, that they will lament and cry out in their distress: "Mountains, fall on us, and hills, cover us from the face of the Lord." Luke 23:30. Alas! when the righteous shall shine forth as the sun, and the ungodly shall go into eternal fire. O beloved children, search the Scriptures, and conform to~them, that you may hear the blessed words

"Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom of my Father." Pray the Lord for wisdom, and learn to fear God, and you will get true understanding. Do not conform to the world, in pride, dancing, running, and idle gossip; but evince by your walk a godly life, adorn yourselves like the holy women, accept the Scriptures and live according to them, that your souls may be saved, and that we may meet hereafter. May the Almighty God, the King of. kings, grant you His grace according to the riches of His goodness, to be strengthened in the inner man, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts; and may He guide you into all truth. I pray you, my dear children, be peaceable among yourselves, for this is a fruit of the Spirit. Willingly help one another, without gainsaying, and always remember the poor; communicate willingly of all that you have; make yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; love that which is eternal, and not what is temporal; seek the heavenly, and not the earthly, for all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven; the glory of man perisheth, but the Word of the Lord abideth forever. Isa. 40:6. Love not the world, neither the things that are in it, namely, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, which are not of God, but of the world; and the world shall perish, with all that is in it; but he that doeth the will of the Father abideth forever. I John 2:15; I Cor. 7:31.

My children, do according to the will of the Lord; I, your mother, hope to walk the way before you. Mark wherein and how I go before you, and regard not the honor of the world, but esteem it an honor, to suffer for the name of our God. For He who was King over all was not ashamed to leave His glory, and came into the world, and suffered the most ignominious death for us, and, though He was innocent, was beaten and marred, that there remained not one sound spot on His blessed body. Thus did He love us, thereby leaving us an example that we should follow His steps. He is the light that came into the world, that all who follow Him should not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. John 8:12. The Lord grant that that light shine also around you, and that you walk in it. Amen.

Another, short letter from said mother to her

children

My children, I greet you most cordially, and send you back your letters, that you may fulfill the promises you therein made to me. Always be subject to those who instruct you in righteousness, and reprove you when you transgress. Farewell, and herewith adieu to you in this world. My dear children, fear God, and eschew all evil.

Another letter from Maeyken Boosers, to her fa;

ther and mother

My most beloved father and mother, I commend myself to you from my inmost heart, praying the Lord that He will comfort you and me with the consolation of the Holy Ghost the promise of the Lord, whom He promised to send to His disciples, saying: "I go unto the Father, and shall send you another Comforter, whom the world cannot receive, for it knoweth him not." John 14:16, 17. Hence, my dear father and mother, be of good cheer and await with patience what the Lord wills to do with me. I, too, wait patiently for His comfort. What has passed I esteem not more than a breath of air, and it gives me no trouble, the Lord, in whom I hope, be praised; for He it is who comforts the humble, and puts down the proud from their seats. Luke 1:52. Though there is now tribulation before us, yet we know full well that the day of the Lord will soon come, and that all ungodliness will be brought to nought. And God shall judge them without respect of persons, and reward every one according to his works. Therefore, my dear and much beloved father and mother, worry not on my account; let the Lord finish His work. I hope that He has predestinated me poor unworthy one for an offering acceptable unto Him, for I have hoped in His mercy; and that He will not enter into judgment with me, for if He should judge me according to my deserts, I should be worthy of eternal death; but the Lord, I hope, will have mercy upon me.

I further let you know that I was brought before the dean once more, but neither of us yielded, and as he was leaving he said to me: "If you persist in this belief, you are eternally damned." I said: "How can you speak so? seeing God shall judge." "Yes," said he, "I dare indeed say it, for it will be so." Then Master Klaes followed me and asked: "Where have you kept yourself so long? I have long sought you." I replied: "You have me now, sure." "I have not," he said; "If you were in our hands, we should keep you longer than these will, I think." Herewith, my dear father and mother, I will commend you to the Lord; may He preserve you and me unto the end. Grieve not for me, but rejoice that the Lord counts me worthy; for I will cheerfully resign for His sake these my members, which He has given me. Farewell always.

Another letter from Maeyken Boosers to her breth;

ren and sisters

O my dearest and much beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord, I greet you once more with the peace of the Lord, that the same may remain with you forever. Amen.

I let you know that these my enemies still keep tormentine me about baDtiSm:but of the incarnation of Christ they say nothing to me. The dean told them my faith, and they asked me nothing except whether I believed that Christ was David's son. I replied that He was the Son of the living God. "Oh! ohl" said the dean. The lords asked: "Is it not written: `Out of the seed of David according to the flesh'?" Acts 13:23. The dean answered them, for there was no hearing; he frequently told me I lied, because I withstood him, that he could not show me that the apostles had baptized children. They all fell upon me at once, and said that no one could enter the kingdom of heaven, except he were born of water and of the Spirit. They hastily asked me whether I did not confess this too. I said: "This Scripture belongs not to children, but to the adult, who have ears to hear." Then they arose and said: "You labor under an opinion."