Chapter CXX: Preface: To Second Part (63)

Furthermore, dear friends, there were twelve of us brethren and sisters apprehended; there was also a new convert. We men were confined together eight days; then the women were examined, and they renounced the faith, especially your mother and her daughter. After that I was brought before the lords, when they asked me my name, and how long ago I had been baptized. I said: “About four years.” And I said: “How do you know that it was done?” Then they said: “We cannot be satisfied, but you must swear us an oath.” “No,” said I, “I must not swear.” They said: “We may.” I said: “We may not.” They said: “Where is it written?” I said: “Matt. 5.” They said that I had read it erroneously. Then one of them said to me: “What a lamb you are.” After that he said: “What a devil you are.” Then they asked, how many children my wife had. I said: “One of about nine weeks.” Then they asked: “How many did you have?” I said: “Six.” “And there is none of them baptized?” said they. “That is true, my lords,” I replied. Then they asked me concerning the man that had baptized me. I told them, that he was dead. And who had thus led me astray? I said: “My former life;” and that God had revealed it to me. They then wrote, that we had despised God’s Spirit. And they read it all out of a letter, as it seemed to me. I said to them: “It seems to me, that you know it well.” “We do,” said they. It seemed to me, that they wrote more than I had confessed. Then I said, that they should not write more than I had confessed. “We do not,” said they. And they had it read to me again. And I was satisfied with it. Then they asked me concerning my father and mother and sister, and how many brothers I had. I said: “Two.” And they asked me closely concerning their names. I said: “Pieter is the younger, and Symon.” “Where does he live?” said they. Then I told them: “He is of your belief.” “He is not,” said they. I said it was true. And I much excused them both, and said, that they were not so bad. I then entreated them, that they should not touch the innocent. Now they said: “Then the woman lied; we must have her brought up.” I said: “My lords, I did not say that I do not have more.” They said: “Have you more then?” I said: “One.” Then they interrogated me closely whether I did not have more. I replied: “No.” Then they wanted to know his name. I told it to them. Then they asked me, whether he was baptized. I told them, that they should ask him himself. Then they said: “You do not know how to speak before the court; how will you speak before God? We shall make you tell it.” I said: “The body is at your disposal.”

Then they let me go down, and brought up the men, one after the other, and they all freely confessed the faith. And we were put together again; then we rejoiced, that we were allowed to be together again; this continued several days. Then Anthonis was tortured, but remained valiant. After that they fetched me, and asked, whether I would name those whom I knew. I said: “No.” Then they said: “We shall make you tell it; but if you ask grace, we shall grant it you, as we did to the girl in the Norenburger street.” That was Mariken Backers, who said like Peter, that she did not know the man; this I did not want to do. Master Pouwels was standing there, and they said: “Do you know this man?” “I saw him yesterday,” said I. Then the commissary said: “Take him, Master Pouwels.” Then I went to the rope. The executioner entreated me much; “You are still a young man,” he said. I then divested myself of my upper garments, and the shirt was pulled off by the sleeves, and tied around the middle of my body, and I had to stand there naked, until the captain and the inspector came; and my hands were tied behind my back.

They then drew me up, about a foot from the ground, and in this manner left me suspended. I suffered great pain; I had intended not to open my mouth, but I cried out thrice, and then kept silence. This is only child’s play, they said, and letting me down again they placed me in a chair, and neither asked nor said anything to me. I had an iron bolt with two rings on my feet, and they tied three cannon balls to the rings. When they drew me up again, a Spaniard with a gold chain wanted to strike me in the face, but he could not. While thus suspended, I worked hard and drew one foot through the ring; then the whole weight was on one leg. They would have tied it again, but I forced it through. Then they all laughed, and I had great pain.

Then they placed me in a chair, and I named several persons whom I thought they knew, for they could name others to me. Concerning Claes Opreyder I have no certainty; for one says this, and another that. I hope by the grace of the Lord to give my life for it; I say, by the grace of the Lord. My mind is still unchanged; I pray the Lord night and day, to give me strength. Do you also heartily pray the Lord for me; for the effectual fervent prayer of the righteous man availeth much. James 5:16.

Afterwards I had great conflict from my wife, because she frequently sent monks to me; but God helped me. After that I was brought above before the bishop and the pastor, and they talked much with me, that I must believe more than was written in the Gospel. “For,” said they, “how do you know that I am a man?” I said: “How should I not know that?” “Where is it written,” said they, “and in what chapter?” And they also asked how I knew that she was my wife; and other such sophistries, but little from the Scriptures.

Then I went back to my castle, in which I had to be confined. My mother also visited me once; I greatly pitied the woman. I said that God would comfort her. Then they said, it was the last day of grace. On the same day the bishop made an exhortation to the apostates. Then came the superior of the Franciscans and said: “I run down here for your sake, it was the last day of grace, but God’s grace is always open.” After the exhortation was over, they took me above, where stood my wife, crying bitterly; but I said: “We must not forsake God.” “You are not to forsake God,” said the bishop, and she wept much. But turning my heart to God, I thought, the suffering after this life would be too long. Katelijntgen was also greatly tortured, and drawn out and suspended with two irons to her legs. Then came the executioner, and said that though the woman had been drawn limb from limb, she would not have said one word; this was a joy for me to hear. Trijntgen, too, was subjected to many assaults, by comfort and promises, and by threats that she should be severely tortured. They compared her to a dog, who, they said, was better than she. The Lord helped her. But (as a warning) she was not prudent in speaking; for, the pastor speaking of the Old Testament, she would not listen to it, which was speaking foolishly on her part; but she wanted to adhere to the New Testament. This Gijsbert told me, and he says that he is innocent with regard to us, for there were read to him at least a hundred [names] from different places; and through him I obtained these [writing] materials. And, dear brother, see to my poor little orphans. I wish all the godfearing the fear of the Lord. Written in great fear and distress. I commend you to the Lord; take good heed to yourself.

Written by me, your dear brother, from prison, the twentieth day of our imprisonment.

YDSE GAUKES.

THE SECOND LETTER OF YDSE GAUKES.

We prisoners in the Lord for the testimony of our dear Lord Jesus Christ, of which we are not worthy to boast ourselves; grace and peace from our dear Lord Jesus Christ be with our very dear and chosen, beloved brethren and sisters, through the obedience of the Gospel. We wish you, our much beloved, the true penitent faith which works by love. To this end may the power of the Holy Ghost strengthen you. Amen.

After all proper salutation, be pleased to know, our much beloved, that we are still in good health according to the flesh, and also according to the spirit, and unchanged in mind and faith, and, moreover, have a peaceful conscience, and are sure that it is the truth, and that no other shall ever be found, though there are many subtile spirits, who seek another way than taught by Christ, and in which he went before them. Hence, rejoice with us, our much beloved, that our Father has helped us to triumph. Truly indeed did he say: “Though a mother forsake her child, yet will he not forsake us.” You must confess with us, that he has done this; for which we cannot thank him enough, since we well know, that of ourselves we have nothing at all but wickedness: as the apostle says: I know that in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. Rom. 7:18. Further, my much beloved chosen brethren and sisters, know that the Lord can still order it well; though we are here in the tyrants’ hands, yet we fare better here than you people think; for the Lord still sends us every day a Habakkuk (_H. Drag. 34_), which is my sister, who can still come to us every day, and she does not tire of it either; besides, every third day we have a kind guard, so that many people can speak with us. Furthermore, dear friends, I cannot conceal from you the joy which we have, that they have confined us together in the tower, each in a small cell about eight feet square and made of two thick planks. In this place we are confined; but we see and often speak with one another, which is a great joy to us, and for which we are also envied by him who used to be my best friend on earth, who said that we were confined too close to one another, and that we strengthened one another still more. Hence the Lord may well say, when an unclean spirit has been cast out, he comes and looks at the house; if he finds it empty and swept, he takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself. Matt. 12:43.

Furthermore, my dear friends, be not proud, and trust not in yourselves, but commit your cause to the Lord. He who was the strongest and of the best courage when we were first apprehended, and with whom to be together was a joy to us, moreover, who remained very valiant in the torture, lies now also in the mire; hence trust not in yourselves. Further, dear friends, they let us lie here, so that in six weeks no one looked after us, save that the commissary had our sister Trijntgen brought above, to ask her concerning one from Ghent whom they did not know; they also inquired after other friends from Ghent, but did not obtain their wish. Then we expected our sentence since we knew nothing else but that we should offer up our sacrifice. At the last two Franciscans came to me; however they had not been sent. They unlocked the doors, and asked how it was with me. “As God will,” said I. “Yes,” said they, “and as you will too.” We talked of the Gospel: they asked: “How do you know that it is the Gospel?” I said: “I know this well, for Christ has sealed it with his blood.” One of them became angry. I said: “Be still, or wait a little; you treat us worse than Jews; for the Jews are tolerated for tribute, but us you put to death.” Then he became angry again and said: “Your rascality puts you to death.” “We have done nothing amiss,” said I. He wanted to go away, and cried aloud. “Be meek,” I said. “Yes,” said they, “this is your word: O Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” Then he went off. Once there came also two Beguines,[327] who wanted to say much to my fellow prisoners. I said: “May one also baptize something else than men?” “No,” said they, “no beasts.” I said: “Why then do you baptize bells?” That was customary they said; “it is an old custom that when there is a bad storm we ring the bells; then it passes away.” I said: “Yes, when the worst is over, you begin to ring, and thus you think that it helps.” Then they said: “It is not good for the people to come to him.”

[327] Nuns of the order of St. Bega.

I can also not hide from you, how unmercifully they dealt with our sister: they tied her clothes together in the middle, but completely bared the upper part of her body. Then said our sister (who is still a young girl): “Never yet was such shame inflicted upon me.” “You inflict it upon you yourself,” they said. Further, my dear brethren and sisters, who shall see or hear read this our brief letter, we inform you all thereby, that our mind is still valiant and unchanged; that we do not exhort you more, is attributable to our little knowledge; for which I hope you will excuse us. Know, my beloved friends, that we greatly rejoice with exceeding joy, because we received letters from you; for it refreshes our inward man.

Now, my very chosen dear brethren and sisters, we prisoners, beseech you most earnestly, that you will now take heed to yourselves, and to your walk; for my much beloved brother and sister, when one comes to be thus confined, then only he finds, that the way is narrow and the gate strait, that leads unto life; yea, many shall strive for it, but not enter in, because they are not of the right number. Therefore, my dear and in God beloved brother and sister, examine daily the inmost of your heart when the daily fear comes upon you, and do not hide your sins, lest you sink under them; for you cannot conceal them from the Lord--he has eyes like flames of fire. O my chosen, you can deceive no one but yourselves. We have an example in David, when he sent the man into the battle, and wrote that he should be put in the forefront of the hottest battle, and where there were valiant men opposed to Israel; in order that he might obtain the wife. What did Nathan say to the king? There was a man who had many sheep, and there was a man that had one only sheep; and he that had many sheep took from the man that one sheep, and slew it. Then David himself judged that he [David] was worthy of death; but he went and watered his couch with his tears. 2 Sam. 11:14; Ps. 6:6. See, my dear brother and sister, let us ever watch and take heed, and if we are overtaken by any evil, let us not be too good to repent, but with David and Manasseh (2 Chronicles 33:12) confess our sins, and we shall find grace before God. O my dear and chosen brother and sister, had this been done in Friesland, and every one looked into his own heart, it would never have turned out so badly. But when every one is proud and says: “Show me my guilt;” thinking, I will not yield, what should the people say? yea, I will resign my honor and ministry. O friends, had they taken heed, and every one examined his own heart, and willingly repented, no one would have fallen into such great trouble.

Hence, my beloved, always keep in the obedience of the Gospel, and do not suffer yourselves to be moved by every wind of doctrine, but abide in that before which you have bowed your knees; remember that Paul says: Though an angel from heaven should come and preach any other gospel, let him be accursed. Gal. 1:8. And beware of the abominable marrying out of the church, which some of you would introduce; and behold Israel, how they had to forsake the heathen wives. Therefore, my dear friends, take diligent heed, as long as it is called to-day; and let us always diligently build on the temple, with the sword of the Spirit at our side, that we may resist the enemies, lest they take our glory. For we have received a talent, which the Lord shall require again at our hands; and if he finds us faithful, he will make us rulers over many things. Hence, my chosen, let us ever take earnest heed, always diligently to keep the pearl of great price which we have found, lest robbers take it from us; for if it is taken from us we are ruined. Hence keep good watch, and think, dear brethren and sisters, that if a piece of gold were given you not larger than a penny, and it were said to you: “Keep this but three or four years, and there shall come a dearth, which shall last a year; and keep this piece so long, and you shall buy for it enough to keep you from want; but if you lose it, you must die of hunger;” how closely would you guard it--would you not every day, when the time drew near that you would be in need of it, see whether you had not lost it? I think, every hour. See, my chosen, you that have received the faith, to you this money is given, to keep it as long as you live; and if you keep it unto the end, you shall receive eternal life for it.

Thus, my much beloved, now that you know that the day is approaching when you must have it, take earnest heed lest you lose it; for if you should lose it the last day, it could avail you nothing; though one had kept it a hundred years, it could not avail him anything; as the prophet says: “If a man hath done good all his life, and walked uprightly, and turned himself to unrighteousness, all the good that he hath done before shall avail him nothing, See, how the Lord requires obedience of us, as the prophet Samuel said to Saul: “The Lord delighteth more in obedience, than in sacrifices.” 1 Samuel 15:22. And consider also the man of God, how he was punished by the Lord because he had hearkened to the false prophet, and not done what the Lord had commanded him. 1 Kings 13:24. Behold Israel, when they had sinned, they had to turn their backs before their enemies: Josh. 7:12. And Christ himself says: “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” John 15:14. Yea, he that endureth to the end shall be saved (Matthew 10:22); for it lies neither in the beginning nor in the middle. Hence, look diligently before you, lest ye be deceived; for Christ has truly said, that many false prophets shall rise and cry: “Here is Christ, there is Christ.” Matt. 24:11,5. Therefore, my chosen, beware, lest you be deceived. They went out from us, says the apostle; but if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. 1 John 2:19.

Herewith I will commend you to the Lord, and to the rich word of his grace. Know, that our brother Claes still suffers great pain in his limbs, on account of his age; and our sister Lijntgen has also great pain in her shoulders; but Trijntgen and I do not ail. Now we prisoners greet you very cordially; also all the churches and lovers of the truth in the neighborhood; by name, P. J. and your wife; and I thank you most heartily for your letter. Greet W. in my name, and send it to L. J. in Molqueeren, in Friesland, and also, to Jan de P. and to those of Amsterdam; I have also written something for him, which put with it, and see that this also gets to Embden, to my beloved brother and his wife. My dear brother, and dear sister, grieve not for us, for your mother and sister are of very good cheer; and tell Machtelken, rather to beware of Harmen; he seeks to bring her into the mire; if he can get out, I have heard him say, he will make a good Christian of her. We also salute our scattered fellow-believers. Now, my affectionately beloved brethren and sisters, remember us prisoners in your prayers and assemblies, for the earnest prayer of the faithful avails much. We expect from day to day to offer up our sacrifice. And, dear friends, do write us.

Written in great fear and distress, in the prison at Deventer, after having been imprisoned nine weeks.

THE THIRD LETTER OF YDSE GAUKES, WRITTEN IN PRISON IN DEVENTER.

The grace of God our heavenly Father, who created and made heaven and earth; and the love of his beloved Son, our Lord, Redeemer and Savior, which is Jesus Christ, by whom he has delivered us from eternal enmity and the torment of hell; and the power of the Holy Ghost, who works in all his elect; this we wish all our known, and also our unknown, brethren and sisters, and all lovers of the truth, as a most cordial and affectionate salutation. Amen.

Further, my very elect brethren and sisters, fellow-believers of our most holy faith, by the grace and mercy of God, branches on the vine of the Lord; we prisoners, confined for the testimony of the truth, intend to write you yet a little, by which you may remember us; if the Lord permits it that you may get this little out of the lions’ den; for we think and trust that our Lord will soon deliver us, and that we shall have no time any more to write to you. If we did not have my sister, we would fare very meagerly and suffer hunger; but now we have a sufficiency; may the Lord reward it, and recompense it a hundredfold to them that show us mercy.

Now, my dear and much beloved brethren and sisters by the obedience of the Gospel, know that according to the flesh we are still tolerably well, and in the faith unchanged, and are sure that it is the right truth, and that no other will ever be found neither now nor in eternity, for we are sure, and find the Lord faithful in all his promises; as he says, that he will not forsake his own, but keep them as the apple of his eye; and that he will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape; wherein we also firmly trust. Hence, my dear chosen brethren and sisters, beseech the Lord heartily for us, that he will give us power and strength when the hour of suffering is at hand; for our persecutors greatly threaten us, that they will torture us in this and that manner, and roast us alive with a large fire placed at a distance from us.

Therefore, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, help to pray the Lord for us, since of ourselves we have nothing but all weakness, and are compassed about with frail flesh. But we find abundant comfort when we consider the word of the Lord, and his promises to those who strive valiantly unto death, and cleave to them; for he that remains steadfast shall receive the promises, since he never yet has forsaken any that trusted in him, and who think of the fight which our captain Christ Jesus fought for us, so that they willingly follow him. Hence, we joyfully wait for our redemption, though they threaten us much, they can do us no more than what the Lord permits them; and whatsoever the Lord permits them, to that we will resign ourselves, for our flesh, with which we have offended the Lord so often, has merited it more than a thousand times. Furthermore, my dear brethren and sisters, we expect from day to day to be offered up, for we thought we should offer up our sacrifice when our fellow prisoners offered up theirs. Now, my much beloved brethren and sisters, you that have submitted to the obedience of the Gospel, and have with Noah entered into the ark, and are with Lot gone out of Sodom, and with Moses out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and choose rather to suffer affliction with the children of God, than to enjoy, with Pharaoh, the pleasures of sin for a season; therefore now, my dear friends, be valiant with righteous Noah, who firmly trusted in the Lord’s promises, and with patience waited for the day promised him by the Lord, namely, an hundred and twenty years. See, my dear brethren and sisters, who are still in this tabernacle, and have with Noah received a promise, that there shall come a day that will be upon all flesh; if you are then found upright before the Lord, you shall with Noah be forever saved. And obey the Lord with Lot, and firmly believe what God commands you, for he wants his commandments kept, as we have an example in Lot’s wife, that she was turned into a pillar of salt; and further in Israel; when they observed his laws and commandments, no one was able to harm or hinder them; as we have an example in the children of Israel, to whom the promised land was promised; but they did not obtain it, because they did not trust in the Lord; for of six hundred thousand not more than two entered into the promised land; but their descendants were led through Jordan by Joshua, and the Lord mightily helped them, so that they according to the Lord’s command went around Jericho with the ark of the covenant, and the walls fell.

See, my dear, beloved brethren and sisters, if we trust in the word of the Lord, and keep his commandments, and always walk according to the Lord’s rule, and call upon the Lord day and night, he will fight for us. Yea, our enemies shall not be able to harm us, but they shall be confounded. But if the righteous forsake the Lord, they must turn their backs before their enemies, as we read in Joshua, concerning Achan and others, also of Saul, who was the first king of Israel; when the Lord had commanded him, to go forth to fight against the Amalekites, and to spare no one, he went, but did not keep the Lord’s command; hence the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, and the Lord set David in his stead; on which account he persecuted David. And thus the righteous have ever had to suffer from the unrighteous: Jacob, from Esau; Abel, from Cain, because his offering was acceptable before the Lord, and his brother’s not; hence he was killed by Cain; and this generation is still in the world.

See, my much beloved and chosen brethren and sisters, to whom the truth, which is hid from so many thousands is revealed, and who have received grace from God; let us show obedience to the Lord, as did our father Abraham, who is the father of the faithful; and Jephthah, who did not spare his only daughter, but willingly offered her up to the Lord. Judges 11:39. Hence, my dear brethren and sisters, let us diligently fear the Lord, and observe his commandments, and he will be gracious unto us. Therefore, my very dear and beloved brethren and sisters, only be faithful unto the end, and neither be terrified, nor fear; though this generation has now great power to crush and kill the people of God, they can do no more than the Lord permits them. Hence let us keep good watch for our souls, and always be vigilant; for the Lord says himself: Watch and pray; for the Lord shall come as a thief in the night. O, my dear brethren and sisters, that we might then not be found idle or drowsy, but with the five wise virgins always have oil in our lamps, and ever be ready and watch for the coming of our bridegroom, so that with Gideon we may be found worthy; for they were not all accepted; only three hundred were found worthy. Judges 6:12. Even as also Christ himself says, that many are called, but few chosen. Matt. 20:16; 22:14.

Hence, my dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, let us diligently pray to God with a fervent heart, that we may be known and reckoned with the little flock, and that we may be stones in the Lord’s temple, and branches on the Lord’s vine, and valiantly follow our Lord and Bishop even unto the end; and it shall be well with us; and walk in all righteousness and holiness, and always be mindful of the day of the Lord, and not depart from the Lord’s way; and he will have compassion upon us and be gracious unto us. For he shall separate the sheep from the goats, and say to them on his right hand: Come, ye blessed, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. And to them on his left hand: Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Matt. 25:32. O how lamentable will it then be with those who here have feared men more than the Lord; yea, who now say: The Lord is gracious and merciful, which is true; but he is also righteous, and wants his commandments kept. Hence, O dear people, think of the day of which Peter says: “That one day is with the Lord as a thousand years.” 2 Peter 3:8. How lamentably it will then be deplored! See, my dear brethren and sisters, my materials are about to give out; hence I must conclude. We prisoners will therefore herewith bid you adieu, namely we four; our names you well know; let this reach Jan de P., our sister Lijntgen’s brother. We prisoners cordially salute you with the word of the Lord, and are still of good cheer, and trust to offer up a willing sacrifice to the Lord; the Lord God strengthen us with his Holy Spirit. And, dear brothers Bauke, Symon, and Pieter, who are my brothers according to the flesh, take care for your souls; though you are young yet, do not depend on that; you know neither the day nor the hour, and enough is revealed to you, that you well know that it is the truth. Herewith I will send you my last adieu, as I do not think that I will see you anymore; but see that we may meet one another again with joy.

Now, my dear brother Bauke and your wife, your mother and sister, and I your brother, salute you and all acquaintances most cordially; I send you our last salutation here, and may the Lord make us worthy, that hereafter we may meet one another again with joy. Claes greets you very cordially, and we also greet much all those that have remembered us by writing, and we are much rejoiced in this, that you still have such delight in the truth. Herewith we bid our dear brethren and fellow-believers of our faith our last adieu; may the Lord keep you all in righteousness and holiness.

Written in our dark prison, with bad materials; hence receive it in good part. Given the ninety-fifth day of our imprisonment, the 14th of June, in the year 1571, in Deventer.

DOUWE EEUWOUTS, A. D. 1571.

They who seek truly to follow the words and commandments of God often have to suffer great contempt and persecution from the learned of this world, as was well seen at Leeuwaerden, in Friesland in the case of a brother named Douwe Eeuwouts, who on the 3d of January of the year 1571, for the name of Christ, had to leave five little children alone in the house, and suffer himself to be imprisoned in a dark dungeon, where he had to remain confined with criminals for a long time, which he, though longing to be offered up, patiently suffered. Afterwards he was examined by the bishop and others, who greatly tormented him, in order to cause him to recant, but all in vain. They asked him concerning his faith, which he freely confessed. They also greatly praised up to him the Pope’s trumpery; but he said, he would keep to the commandments of God, and let go the commandments of men. He also proved, that their hours, mass, confirmation, anointing, exorcising, and other things, were not in accordance with the word of God; and he further besought them, that, now that he had confessed his faith, they should not torment him any more, but cut short his sufferings and troubles; for he was ready to give up his life for the truth, knowing that he might then expect the crown of life. Finally the bishop condemned him as a heretic, and delivered him to the secular judges, that they should deal with him according to the king’s decree, for these so-called Christians, like the Pharisees, can put no one to death. But in consequence of the bishop’s delivering him, Douwe Eeuwouts, after long imprisonment, was sentenced to death on the 12th of October, A. D. 1571, to be drowned the following night. When he heard this sentence, he showed himself valiant as a giant in the faith, not terrified by impending death, but greatly longing for the new Jerusalem; and sat in the room with his head uncovered, thanking, praising, and praying to his heavenly Father, till the hour of his departure had come. They then took him, and tied him in a bag, when he began to sing: “I poor lamb on the heath.” Many that were there praised his boldness, that he went to death so voluntarily and joyfully.

Thus he most joyfully departed this temporal sorrow, and ended his life in the water, and now rests under the altar, and there waits for the eternal joy which is promised to all of God’s dear children.

HANS MISEL, A. D. 1571.

In the year 1571, Hans Misel, a weaver, who was yet a young man, at Langensmeer in Swabia, was asked by some persons to read and speak from the word of the Lord; and as he declared to them the way of the truth, he was betrayed, and reported at Warthausen. The lady who then resided there, sent her clerk thither, who came with servants, surprised the brother, drew his sword, and with the hilt of the same several times struck the brother on the heart or breast, berating him fearfully, and saying, he had power to do this and more. He also struck him with the blade of the sword, and said he had authority to thrust him through with it, and kill him. But the brother did not allow himself to be intimidated, but with gentle words said to the clerk, that he should calm himself, and not carry on so. The clerk bound him himself, and they took him with them to Barthausen, and kept him that night in a house, where they reveled and caroused, and made sport of and ignominiously treated the brother, the whole night. When day came, they conducted him into the castle, and confined him in a tower, where many priests came to him, who greatly labored with and tempted him; but all that came to him had to retire from him with shame. The executioner also had to do his part to try him; they greatly racked and tortured him, but could not move him to renounce his belief or to do anything that was contrary to the faith. When they had finished all their temptations, and he remained steadfast, and would not depart a single step from the way of faith and of the divine truth, the lady of the castle sent for the priests, and said to them, that she was a woman, and knew little how he ought to be dealt with; they should advise her as to what ought to be done with him. Here the lady had hit upon the right counselors, even as though one were to ask the wolf what ought to be done with the sheep; for they immediately presented to her the imperial law and mandate, and thus adjudged him worthy of death, according to the way of their fathers, who also gave counsel concerning Christ and cried: Away with him, he is worthy of death; we have a law, and by the same he ought to die. John 19:15,7. Thus it happened that he was sentenced to death; several in the council however would not give their voice; but this was of no avail, the devil, who works in the children of unbelief, was master of the game.

Now when he was to be executed in the morning, his friends came in the night, and wanted to help him out of the tower. They dug until they came almost to him, so that he heard them. He warned them, that they should not dare do this, since he should not come out to them through the hole; hence they had to let it go. And as the sentence had come, that he was to be executed, they wanted to give him something to eat first; but he would not eat, and when he heard that his last hour had now come, he requested to be left alone in peace, in a corner for a little while, which they granted him, without knowing why he requested this; however, they had him watched, to see what he should do, and what he intended. He raised his hands to heaven, and offered up an earnest and sincere prayer to God, and also praised God, that he had permitted him to see this hour, and had counted him worthy thereto; and prayed that he would give him power and courage for it, that he might die the death of an upright and manifest witness of God. He then also faithfully thanked God for all the benefits which he had ever shown him, and also prayed that God would assist him now in this last hour, which was at hand, and thus commended himself into the hands of the Lord his God.

The executioner said: “This man is bolder than we all.”

When he had finished praying, he came forward again to the people with smiling lips, and was willing to die. The confessor of Warthausen went with him when he was taken out, and wanted that he should renounce, and have mercy on himself. But he said, that they should renounce and turn from their whoredom, villiany, and the idolatrous, ungodly life, into which they were sunken.

When the executioner brought him to the place where he was to be executed, he said to him, that if he would recant, he still had authority to let him go. But he refused, and would there seal his faith with his blood, and so far as he was concerned, he said, he might proceed. Thus he was beheaded and then burnt, and as they could not burn him quickly enough, they cut him into pieces and burned the pieces. When the executioner had struck off his head, so that the same lay on the ground, his body still remained erect, with the hands uplifted, as though he were praying, till the executioner pushed him over with his foot. It was also said that his head and hair could not be burned, but that it was found entire and undisfigured in the ashes, and was thus buried. This took place on the 13th of December of said year 1571.

When he was about to be executed, he said, his blood should be seen in the sun. And it came to pass on the third day after, at noon that the sun presented a blood-red appearance, and where it shown through the windows, upon tables and other things, they seemed as though they were standing in the fire, so that the people came together in the streets from amazement, as those who saw it and are still living can testify.

JAN BLOCK BURNT FOR THE FAITH, AT NIMEGUEN, A. D. 1572.

About the year 1572, there was burnt at Nimeguen, a young man named Jan Block, who had wealth, and lived of the same, so that he had not learned any profession or trade. He associated with a brother named Symon van Maren, a furrier, born at Hertogenbosch, with whom he formerly was wont to go to the tavern to tipple, but who, after he was converted, admonished him to read the New Testament, which advice he also followed; and the good Lord so opened his heart, that he understood from it what was right, and joined the church of God. This done, he could not remain hid, since he led a better life than before; so that all his property was confiscated, and a price set upon his apprehension, that whoever would betray him, should receive for it seventy gold reals. Then he fled out of the city, and in a village asked a mason for work as a tender, in order that he might earn a living, since he knew nothing else to do. The mason refused him this, saying: “They would come here to apprehend you, and this would bring me into trouble.” Sometime after he came into town, where he was espied by a traitor, who went and reported it to the officer and his beadles, who came to seek him. The woman of the house had compassion on Jan Block, and he went and stood upon the bed behind the curtains. The bailiff looked into the chamber, but did not search very closely, since he was not a bloodthirsty man, and then turned back again, saying: “He is not there.” The traitor said: “He is there; I saw him go in.” One of the beadles went back, and raising the curtains, saw him standing there. He was then taken along, as a malefactor. While in prison he was often visited, and cared for by the godfearing.

Finally sentence of death was pronounced upon him, and he was condemned to be burned at the stake as a heretic.

While this took place, one of the lords in the court, who, since Jan Block was of high descent, had formerly associated much with him, sought, as he pretended, to convert him to the Romish faith before his end; to whom this valiant witness of Jesus Christ, turning around, answered: “You should have converted me when we were formerly together in such and such places (which he named to him) and each of us had a harlot in his lap.”

Coming upon the scaffold, to be put to death, he showed such a joyful countenance, as though he had come to a wedding feast or a festival; for he went to the stake at which he was to offer up his sacrifice, with as much alacrity as though he had made a leap.

Having arrived at the stake, he pointed out to the executioner his carelessness, consisting in this, that the holes where he was to be fastened were not bored at the proper place.

Shortly after this, after having commended his soul into the hands of God, and suffering many tortures, he was burned, and an end put to his life.

All this was so affecting, that several of the lords who had sat in judgment over him shed tears of compassion for this innocent, but nevertheless well-established and steadfast young man; which we have deemed necessary to record from the testimony of those who according to their statement were present on that occasion and witnessed it.

A LETTER WRITTEN BY JAN BLOCK.

It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:26.

The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Blessed be God, the heavenly Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted or comforted, it is all for our good and our salvation. This salvation, except my bonds, I wish you from the depth of my soul, for comfort and salvation in your greatest need, when you, dear brother in the Lord, will have need of help and comfort, as you, moved and impelled through the operation of the Holy Spirit, have now at the right time written and sent to me, poor prisoner at Nimeguen, for the word of our dear Lord; by which you have done me such a great and acceptable service, that I shall never in my life be able sufficiently to thank God my heavenly Father, who appointed you, like Habakkuk, to bring food, by which the pious Daniel was fed outwardly according to the flesh, through the confidence which he had toward our God. O how great is this spiritual food, dear brother, with which you have fed and comforted my poor, hungry soul, which you, according to the opportunity of the past, abundantly wrote to me in your letter from the holy word of the Lord, for my consolation, and to incite me to take undaunted courage; for which I, as said above, cannot sufficiently thank you. By the help of our dear Lord I hope to do the same; through the almighty Lord I still have the will to do well from the heart. I hope and trust in God our heavenly Father, who shall strengthen me, poor, unworthy prisoner for his holy word, to finish it to his holy praise, when I shall offer up my sacrifice, as you write to me of many prophets and apostles, yea, of Christ himself, who, for the sins of us all, out of love for us, was led to the slaughter as a dumb lamb; how much more ought I, poor miserable sinner, to deliver up my life for his holy name’s sake, of which I sincerely deem myself unworthy. Yet I trust, as above, and as you wrote to me, as the prophet Ezekiel speaks by the mouth of the Most High, that he will remember sins no more, as we, the Lord be thanked, well know on what condition the Lord has spoken to us. All that desire this, and are converted from the heart, God will hear.

And such as lament and moan night and day over their great transgression, as I poor, miserable sinner have done, he will hear, and be gracious unto them, for he loves to forgive, so that I, as said above, gladly surrender myself for the name of my Lord, and suffer by his grace very patiently for my sins, and deliver up my body, as did the seven children in Maccabees. And the pious Eleazar would much rather die honorably, than dissimulate and set a bad example to the young brethren. Thus, by the grace of God, is also my mind, dear brother in the Lord. But, much beloved brother, I have such great conflict on account of my former life, that I did not gain a living as an honest man. But, the Lord be thanked, a little before my imprisonment, I had resolved by the grace of the Lord, to support myself in all humility and holiness by the labor of my hands; however, I have not time to carry it out. Hence my mind is often troubled, and this by the passage of Paul where he says that, Though I had faith, so that I could remove mountains, and gave all my goods to the poor, and gave my body to be burned, and had not charity, it were all of no avail. And that we are to live so holy and unblamable, this causes my heart to shrink, and my eyes daily to flow like a river, because I have so sinfully spent my precious time; this the Lord knows, for whose word and testimony I, miserable sinner am imprisoned; yet I would not give my hope and faith for a thousand worlds. O dear brethren, how little have I known, much less had, the true regeneration and new creature, as I now feel it through the grace of God, and should gladly confess it, if I had the time. Friends, have earnest love to one another, and edify one another in all humility and earnestness in the exercise of godliness, and daily exhort one another to all holiness; also that each be the least in his own eyes, and that you do not walk so haughtily and with such display, lest the poor, blind world, according to her doing, surpass[328] us in many things. This view I have now, by the grace of God, had for some little time, and if I had indeed in the beginning felt it thus, and accepted it, as I ought to have done, and as I now, alas! in my last time had resolved, by the grace of the Lord, to do, I should certainly not have come to such great sorrow, which originated in superciliousness or secret pride and an easy life. Hence, dear brother, and dear ministers of the church of God, wherever you are, take diligent care, as faithful laborers in the vineyard, [and direct into the right way] the branches, which shoot up very lightly, and grow in the fullness and vanity of their mind, who are also alienated from the life of God. I only now begin to experience with the understanding, what the new creature is.

[328] Walk, move more circumspectly.--_Trans._