Thieleman J. van Braght · 180 of 210

Old Book of the Martyrs Mirror · Part 118

If I did not want to be saved, I should seek an easy life as gladly as others; for he that would fear God must expect all these, tribulation, suffering, bonds, and imprisonment, and we can nowhere have a free place; for it is given unto us not only to believe in God, but also to suffer for His name. Hence, my dear father and mother, though I must here die for Christ's sake, and men say all manner of evil about me, let it not cause you sorrow; for if they have called the Lord Beelzebub, how much more them that believe in Him? Hence be not surprised, and only deal kindly with my little child, which I bore and gave birth to in great sorrow here in my bonds, which I love as my own soul, so that I can not write of it without tears, when I think of my dear husband, of whom I bore it, and that I must now leave it here. But the Lord knows why He has so ordered it that I had to leave here a little orphan child. I commend it to you, and to Him who created and made it; I trust that He will not suffer it to be wronged, though it is here deprived of father and mother. The Lord well knows how I bore it, and for whose sake it was; hence, exercise a parental care for it, my dear father and you dear mother; as long as you live show the love which you bear to me to my dear child; he that loves the tree, will also love the branches.

Oh, oh I that the Lord would take it, what a great joy it would be to me, since I mutt die. O that it had been the will of the Lord, that I could yet have brought it up, in what great regard I should have held it for my dear husband's sake; though I should have suffered want with it, I should not have parted with it; but the will of the Lord be done. I am possibly not fit to offer up a sacrifice to the Lord; He has perhaps some purpose with me, that He still suffers me to be confined here. I did not think that I would remain in confinement here so long. Hence, dear father, I was much afraid of long imprisonment, and it has now come upon me, which greatly grieves me, as I well know that the expense here is very great, and that I am a great burden to my sister; for she has great trouble and expense here, though I know that she does it gladly from the heart. But, my dear father, I know that her ability is not great, and yet I do not know how to thank her fully for it, nor have I ever merited from her, what she has shown and given me; for she has shown her love in time of need one sometimes has friends indeed, till he needs them. In time of need one will know his friends. Oh, that I had been taken away at the first, that you would not have needed to have any expense on my account. But, my dear father and mother, I hope that you will not leave me in need; I hope that you will help my sister in paying for the board, though I wrote you in the letter, that it should remain, that you should keep it for my child.

My father, you might well think that we did not have much to live on, since we did not have much when we were married, and our married life did not last long. Therefore I thought that you should keep that which was, though it is not much, for my child; and since you wrote that my sister would care for me, I thought that you were helping me therein, though my sister has done her best to help me, and I know that it is a great burden for her. And they have given me much, that I should not go into the dungeon, which I was willing to do, because it lasts so long, and the expense here is so great, though one is also not confined without expense in the dungeon, in which one also can not see; hence they do not wish to leave me in want, nor to let me go into the dungeon because of the money.

Further, dear father, I inform you that I sent letters with Hans van der Dam, but I have not yet received an answer. If I am taken hence, snake inquiries whether there is still anything left; it would come my child in good stead. I also wrote my child a testament, to remember me and its father by it. When it attains to the years of understanding, and you are still alive, cause it to read the same sometimes, that it may know why its father and mother died. Further, dear father, I know nothing special to write you; but if I should write you no more, and I should soon enter on my journey, write me a letter speedily, how it is with you and my child; and if you should hear from Hans, have my brother Passchier write a letter to send to his father.

Nothing special for this time, but I herewith take leave and farewell from you my dear father and mother, and from all my dear brothers and sisters; and for my sake do not forget my dear child; always remember me by it. Once more adieu; greet my lady very heartily, and tell her I thank her much for all the favor she has shown me; the Lord will leave no good deed unrewarded. Herewith farewell; kiss my child for me, and often visit it. And greet Pleuntjen and Lieven most cordially in my name, and tell them that I request them to do the best with the child, for I have the confidence concerning them that they love it for my sake, for it is a pledge of love, which I love more than all else that is upon the earth. I hope now soon to follow my husband, if it is the Lord's will. Oh, that I might have died with him, to obtain the kingdom of God together with him. Herewith farewell, my dear father and mother; I commend you to God.

By me, your dear daughter, imprisoned at Antwerp for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP.

ANOTHER LETTER FROM JANNEKEN MUNSTDORP,

WIFE OF HANS VAN MUNSTDORP, TO HER SISTER;

WRITTEN WHEN SHE WAS CONFINED IN PRISON

AT ANTWERP, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS

CHRIST, AND SENTENCED WITH THREE

OTHERS TO BE BURNT; WRITTEN AT ONE

O'CLOCK IN THE NIGHT, THE 5TH OF

OCTOBER, IN THE YEAR Off' OUR

LORD 1573

The abundant and unspeakable great grace of the Father, and the mercy of God, and the loving kindness and love of the Son; with the communion of the Holy Ghost, who through grace has been sen us by the Father, through the name of our Lor Jesus Christ, to the comfort and joy of all faithful true children of God, by whom we are all guided taught and instructed; the same keep your under standing, heart and mind in Christ Jesus, to th praise and glory of the Father, to the salvation o your soul, and to the edification of all dear brethre and sisters that fear the Lord and love the truth The same God, who only is wise, make you fi hereunto, to whom be glory, honor and power might and strength, forever and ever, Amen, an for a perpetual adieu. After this, my heart's wis from God, for an adieu, and a perpetual farewel to you, my dear brethren in God, and to you, m very dear and chosen, affectionately beloved sis. ters [I would say that] the time has now com that we must part from one another; I shall now b freed from all sorrow; sorrowing and sighing shal befall me no more. My dear friends, adieu, adieu we must now part here. Though the Lord has s ordered it with me, I am yet constrained to writ you once more for the last time. True, I hav written you adieu, but now it goes to my heart sentence has been passed upon me that I must die I said to them, that they should take good heed that our blood should be severely required at thei hands. They said they did not do it, that it was th decree of the king. I said that this would not sav them, but the Lord forgive you if you do it igno rantly; but I think that you, in part, know wel enough what kind of people we are. They washe their hands from it. I said: "Pilate did so too.' They said that Pilate was a just judge, and that w acted contrary to the king's command. I said tha we had greater reason to obey God, than the king it is a little matter that you inflict this tempora death upon us, for we know not how long we shal live, but we know that we must certainly die sometime; and I said that they should take good hee with regard to shedding innocent blood. Thus w four were sentenced, and it will now soon be over with us. My dear brothers and sisters, the Lor has heard me, that I am permitted to offer up sacrifice for His name. I did not think that the Lor did so love me; I have certainly never merited i of Him; but He will make me fit hereunto throug His grace. Oh, what a strong helper in distress w have, who does not let us be confounded. Ho short has seemed to me the time that I have bee here, whereas I was previously so afraid of it; an that He has so faithfully succored me in all my distress, and now makes me so happy that I kno nothing to say of sadness. Oh, oh! how strong i our God; who should not want to fear Him? o whom will we be afraid? God is with us; who ca be against us? At all events we must here leav everything behind. I may well say that there wa never more joy in my heart, than I had when I wa sentenced. My dear sister, fear not men who mus pass away like grass; for they can do no more that the Lord permits them. My dear brethren and sisters, be not afraid; if the Lord had permitted them, they would not have waited with me so long; but now the Lord permits them. I am well pleased with it, that they shall remove me out of this evil, wicked world, from the evil that I might yet have had in it, so that I shall not be moved; for I expect no joy in this world, because of my dear husband, who went this way before me, and whom, by the graceof the Lord, I am now to follow, having long waited for this time. I also go before you now; follow me. This is the narrow way which the prophets and apostles went, who also had to drink the cup which we must now drink. We shall now soon have passed through this wilderness, as soon as we have drunk the bitter waters. Ex. 15:23. The time of travail is now at hand; weeping and mourning shall then be over. Oh, what a joy this is in my heart, so that I cannot describe it to you: Oh, how mightily the Lord works in us poor, weak vessels; for I know that I have never merited it from the Lord, but am worthy of nothing but eternal death. If the Lord would enter into judgment with me, I should in no wise be saved; but now I must expect salvation out of pure grace, and I doubt not that He will remember my past sins no more, as the prophet says: "When a sinner turns away from his wicked life, and does righteousness, he will re= member his unrighteousness no more." Ezek. 18: 21, 27.

O my dear and much beloved, chosen sister, whom I greatly love from the heart and this out of a godly love, you have shown me so much friendship, and assisted me in need, that I cannot fully requite you, since I am now but a poor, weak creature, and about to pay all that I owe, whether according to the flesh or according, to the spirit. Hence, my dear sister, I cannot reward you, but I thank you very heartily (writing you still some more) for all that you have ever shown me. O dear sister, you write me that I should forgive you what you may have done amiss to me; O my dear sister, you have done nothing amiss, to me, but know that I fall short to you in many tings; but I trust that you will bury it with me, and remember it no more. I know that I fall short in everything; but Christ died, to pay for that in which we fall short. Did He not die a bitter death for us, whereas He was without spot or wrinkle, and no guile was found in His mouth; how should we then not gladly die for a righteous man? hence let us not spare ourselves, but willingly go into death for the name of Christ, and not fear what men can do to us. Rom. 5:7; Heb. 13:6.

And, my dear, brother and sister, be of good cheer; though men put us to death, it is the will of the Lord. Pray, do not sorrow for me any more; for I know that you have great sorrow on my account. It is now all over; I shall soon have conquered my last enemy, and be able to 'say with Paul: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness." I Corinthians 15:26; II Tim. 4:7, 8.

I shall soon be an epistle to you, which may be read of all men. II Cor. 3:2. And, my dear sister, though we must part here, know that it is .for something better; we have neither hour nor time. It is so glorious to die for His name, and Peter says

"Rejoice if you suffer and endure for well doing; this is acceptable with God." I Pet. 4:14; 3:17; 2:20.

But, my dear sister, it is now my turn; it may very soon, perhaps tomorrow, be your turn; be of good courage, and patiently abide your time, my dearest sister. You write me in regard to my child; I have confidence in you that you will do your best with it, I have committed it to the Lord, to do His good pleasure with it, and to move your heart to it. For, dear sister, I trust that you love me from the heart, and they that love the tree will also love the branches. I read your letter again with tears, when I heard that you were so sad on my account, and that I was so joyful.

O my dear sister, how glad I was that I had kissed you once more. Grieve not, that you have not visited me more; I did not take it amiss, for I well know that you did not lack the will: my dear sister, you have done so much for me. O my dear brother and sister, I would write you more yet, of the hope that is now in me, but I cannot write you so much; it is much greater still [than I have described to you]. I hope that, you will take this in good part, and will herewith bid you a perpetual adieu; and do the best with each other. And you, my dear brother, pray, comfort my dear sister in her tribulation which she has on my account, for I love her from the bottom of my heart. Parting is grievous according to the flesh, but according to the spirit I thank and praise the Lord, that I am permitted to offer up such a sacrifice, which can be acceptable to him; yea, that I can offer up my flesh and blood at the stake. Gladly I give it to Him that gave . it me; though I had seven bodies; I should gladly deliver them up for the Lord's 'sake. Pray the Lord heartily for me, that I may now make strait paths for my feet, to the edification of all dear brethren and sisters. Herewith adieu. I have sent knit needles for my daughter; keep them, and do the best with her. I also leave you here a poor little orphan without father or mother: the Lord be your dear' Father, and I commend you to Him that created and made you. My sister, I wish you would keep my lamb in remembrance of me, and I sent some sugar for you and your daughter, of 'which I ate when I was sentenced; and thank Engel much in my name for the pot of wine, and tell him adieu. I know nothing special now to commit to you, but do the best with my young lamb; the Lord will not leave unrewarded what you do for His name. Bid my father and mother, my dear brethren and sisters, adieu and farewell; adieu and farewell to all; farewell'to my dear brethren and'chosen sisters, whom I love from the depth of my heart; I greet you once more with the holy kiss of peace, as though I were present with you; kiss one another. My fellow sisters who are with me also greet you, and have kissed me once for you, and I have done the same for you. My 'dear, chosen brethren and dear sisters, weary not of Jesus Christ. I hope to go before you yet to the heavenly city, to wait for you under the altar with all the chosen saints; follow me. My dear chosen sister, I must now go before you, where I shall enjoy bliss. Adieu, sister dear; remember me still; the time of travail is at hand, to offer up my sacrifice at the stake, much beloved. Herewith I commend you to the Lord.

I shall seal this with my blood. Adieu, adieu, my dearest brethren and sisters, with your little lamb, and also mine, which I bore under my heart. I have written this for you yet after I was sentenced, after one o'clock in the night; however, it was not irksome to me. I take leave and bid you adieu once more, till we meet hereafter, where men shall separate us no more. Adieu, till we together drink the new wine which Christ shall give us at His table. Matt. 26:29. This other letter is from Augustijn, who sent it to me. Adieu, adieu, all of you adieu. I shall follow Hans, my dear husband. The lady with her midwife, and her nurse are going now, and shall receive a like reward. Nothing more from me, but adieu for the last time. Follow me.

Fear God; this is the conclusion.

SUSANNEKEN AND KALLEKEN CLAES, A. D. 1573

In the year 1573, at Ghent, in Flanders, there were also apprehended, for following Christ, two sisters, young maidens, named Susanneken and Kalleken Claes, or Draeyaerts, the former aged about twenty six, and the other about twenty four years. While imprisoned in the Saucelet, the city prison, they had to suffer many entreaties. and afflictions from the enemies of the truth,,in all of which they steadfastly adhered to their only Shepherd, Lord, and the Author of their faith, to help them bear His bloody banner, His cross, and reproach, and, as courageous heroines, to strive valiantly unto death, which they had to taste for His name; for as they remained steadfast, and would in no wise depart from the divine truth, nor from the true faith, upon which they, according to Christ's ordinance, had received baptism, ,they were finally sentenced to death as heretics, and, on the 4th of December of the aforesaid year, and with balls tied into their mouths, to prevent them from speaking or confessing with their mouths. the cause of their innocent, fearless, voluntary,,.and God pleasing death and sacrifice, they were brought into the Friday market, and there publicly burned at the stake, going thus with burning lamps, and the oil of love in their vessels, to meet their Forerunner and Bridegroom, who will let thetp,1~, as wise virgins, to His marriage, when the foolish shall knock and not be heard, and, with too late repentance and sorrow of heart, shall have to remain excluded.

ANTHONIS YSBAERTS, A. D. 1573

While the Duke of Alva so dreadfully persecuted, and tyrannized over, the believers, there was also apprehended and put to death, for his faith and the practice of the truth, at Tielt, in Flanders, one Anthonis Ysbaerts, who had been a servant of the High Bailiff of Ghent, and consequently often attended the executions of the saints, where he did not always with a sin desiring, unconcerned, vain mind, nor with blinded eyes, behold the invincible steadfastness in the faith, and thejoyful peace of mind, of the Christians, who in the midst of their innocent sufferings undauntedly confessed, proclaimed and magnified the name of God; but he was finally so stirred and troubled by it in his heart, that he forsook not only the service of his temporal lord, but also the worship of idols, and betook himself henceforth to become a servant of God, notwithstanding he had many times witnessed what had befallen others on this account, [and knew] that he had to expect the same, as it also occurred with him.

As soon as he had betaken himself to hear the word of God, and to follow Christ, and so advanced therein, that he was considered worthy to receive baptism upon his faith, and to be received as a fellow member of the church of Christ, he had to flee the country, and thus went to Vriesland, where he, not being conversant with any. trade, could earn only a very precarious living. In the meantime it happened that a brother who had also fled from Tielt (mentioned above) on account of his faith, and come to live in Vriesland, and who had left behind much property, hired this Anthonis, and sent him to Tielt, to arrange his unsettled affairs, and save his effects and convey them to him, as much as he conveniently could. When he had attended to all the things with which he had been charged, and was just on the point of returning to Vriesland, the bailiff of Tielt came to him, and asked him, whether he did not belong to the same people as those that had sent him out, which when he did not dare deny, the bailiff sent for his beadles, and had him conducted to 'prison, where he had to resist not a little vexation and torment; but when he, in all things, steadfastly adhered to the accepted truth, he was finally, pursuant to the king's decree, sentenced to death, to be burnt alive as a heretic.

This sentence having been read to him, he requested permission to speak a word, and this being granted, he asked the lords whether they did not think that such a sentence was too cruel for him, who had not done anything amiss to any one. This produced such a commotion among the judges, that they held a consultation and concluded that he should first be strangled, and then burnt. He thanked them that they had shown him so much mercy.

There was also with him one Friar Pieter de Backer, who sought to converse much with him, in order to cause him to apostatize, but he mostly refused all he said, finally saying: "Let me alone; my heart is of good cheer, my departure is very near at hand, for the bell which is striking now shall not strike another time before I hope to have offered up my sacrifice, and to be at home with my Redeemer, in whom all my hope and confidence rests."

He was therefore brought forth to die, in very mean attire, for which he had exchanged his own clothes, which were better, giving the latter to one who was imprisoned for his crime, and was shortly to be released.

When he came to the stake where he was to offer up his sacrifice, he kneeled down and offered up an earnest prayer to God, and then voluntarily prepared himself for death. But when the executioner was to strangle him, he could not find his twistingstick; hence the bailiff with his sword cut off a piece from the torch which they had to light the fire, that it might be used for a twistingstick. Thereupon he, commending his spirit into the hands of God, sweetly fell asleep in the Lord, and when he had been strangled, the fire was lighted to burn him. And just as this was taking place, there arose such a terrible storm, that many people were frightened, and were of the opinion that God thereby meant to show His displeasure upon the tyranny inflicted upon His elect.

FIFTY FOUR PERSONS, BRETHREN AS WELL AS SIS;

TERS, NAMELY, THIRTY SEVEN AT ANTWERP

AND SEVENTEEN AT BRUSSELS, VERY UN;

MERCIFULLY BURNT FOR THE TESTI;

MONY OF JESUS CHRIST, IN THE

YEAR 1574

After manifold and long tyranny, torturing, murdering and killing of the children of God, it further occurred, in the year 1574, through the order of the most dreadful, bloodthirsty tyrant, the Duke of Alva, that there were apprehended, in a meeting, at Antwerp, in Brabant, thirty seven persons, and at Brussels, in Brabant, at one time, seventeen persons, men, women, widows, and young maidens, who, in the places stated here, were very severely confined, and tortured and examined with dreadful tyranny, to cause them to apostatize from the truth of the holy Gospel, and from following Christ, and to obey again the papistic superstitions, together with all their trumpery of human ordinances and commandments militating against God. Especially were they dreadfully tyrannized and tortured, that they should inform against their fellow believers, and deliver them up into the hands of the executioners and torturers, since they were by no means sated yet, but greatly thirsted after more innocent blood. But these valiant heroes and men of God courageously resisted and overcame, through faith and the invincible power of God (which was in them), the subtle and tyrannical wiles of the devil. Hence the blind scribes declared them heretics, and delivered them into the hands of the secular authorities. These, made drunk with the wine of the Babylonian whore, allowed themselves, this and many other times, to be used as the executioners and obedient servants of these idolatrous priests and monks, and caused all these fifty four persons to be unmercifully burnt, at different times, so that they all died steadfastly, and scattered and confirmed the faith of the eternal truth with their death and blood. And though open thieves and murderers were permitted to open their mouths and confess to the bystanding people their distress, as also to call upon the God of heaven for forgiveness of their sins, yet the awful tyranny and envy against the true children of God were so great, that this was frequently denied them, and to this end they filled the mouths of the pious witnesses of God with gags and balls, so that they were not able to proclaim to the by standing people their innocence and the true reason why they suffered this. But the priests and monks having noticed that these pious men of God, when they came to the place of execution, freed themselves from these gags and balls, and spoke to the people from the word of God; the monks, in order to prevent this, had instruments made resembling vises, between which they made the prisoners stick their tongues, which they then had screwed fast, and the tips thereof touched with a red hot iron, that they should swell up and thus not slip back. And this new and abominable invention of the monks, these tyrants, to their own perpetual shame, used on the persons mentioned here.

All this these true witnesses of Jesus suffered, and were, as humble sheep and lambs of Christ, led to the slaughter, who did not resist, but were thus unjustly put to death by them. But this deed, it is to be feared, will at the coming of Christ, when it will be too late to repent, exceedingly smart their eyes; while these brave heroes and heroines who so valiantly strove for the name of the Lord, will by their Bridegroom Christ Jesus upon mount Zion, be rewarded with the crown of eternal glory; for the fight is now fought, and they are now resting under the altar.

Whoever will, let him read Emanuel van Meteren, the laudable historian of the High Lords States; printed A. D. 1614. On page 99 this matter will be found verified.

ADRIAEN HOEDEMAECKER AND MATTHEUS KEUSE,

A. D. 1574

At Bruges, in Flanders, in the year 1574, there were also apprehended for following and practicing the doctrine of Christ and His apostles, one Adriaen Hoedemaecker, called Kort Adriaentgen [Short Adrian] of Ghent, and one Mattheus Keuse, and after they had been in confinement for a time, they were, for the steadfast confession of their

faith, sentenced to be burned. When they cane upon the scaffold, to offer up their sacrifice, the priest addressed several remarks to them, whereupon the executioner said to him: "Attend to your preaching." The executioner then kissed these brethren, and comforted them with the Word of God, hearing which the priest or confessor said to him: "Attend to your office; for preaching is my business." After this and other things, these two brethren boldly offered up their burnt sacrifice to the Lord, and commended their souls into His hands, thus taking their departure out of this vale of tears; to enter into the eternal joy with God and all His saints.