hands of the principal officer of the city or village where he intends
to live; on pain that those who do not bring such certificates shall
not be admitted there to live.
And we charge the officers diligently to inform themselves with regard
to them, and to proceed therein as shall be proper, without our
aforesaid officers, or the particular lords, and their officers, being
permitted to grant such persons any pass or safe conduct.
Again (_page 171_): That all who have knowledge of any that are tainted
with heresy, shall be bound, immediately and without delay to accuse,
report, and indicate them to all spiritual judges, deputies of the
bishops, and other proper persons.
Likewise, if any be found to have acted contrary to these our
ordinances and prohibitions, showing himself to be infected, or favorer
of the heretics, or committing any act contrary to these our ordinances
and prohibitions, especially anything tending to scandal or sedition,
that those who have knowledge of them shall be bound, immediately to
report it to our proctors, or their substitutes and commissaries, or
to the officers of the place where such tainted favorers or offenders
shall live; and this on pain of arbitrary punishment.
In like manner, they shall be bound, if they know the place where any
of such heretics keep or shelter themselves, to indicate it to the
officer of said place, on pain of being considered, as stated before,
favorers, entertainers and adherents of heresy, and punished with the
same punishment as would be inflicted upon the heretic or offender, if
he should be apprehended.
And in order that the aforesaid judges and officers, who shall
apprehend said heretics, Anabaptists, and transgressors of our
aforesaid ordinances and prohibitions, may have no reason, under the
pretense that the punishments seem too great and severe, and were
only decreed to deter the delinquents (Anabaptists), and offenders,
to dissemble with them, their accomplices and favorers, or to punish
them less than they have deserved, as has been found to have frequently
been done heretofore; therefore, we will that those whom they know to
have acted contrary to these ordinances, or who have kept in their
possession, printed, sold, distributed, or published any heretical
scandalous books, writings ... or have contravened the points already
indicated, or to be stated hereafter, or some of them, shall be
actually punished and corrected with the punishments set forth above.
We forbid all our judges, justiciaries and officers, as also our
vassals and subjects, temporal lords, who exercise high justice, and
their officers, in any wise to alter, mitigate or change the aforesaid
punishments, (those ordained to be inflicted with the sword, earth, or
fire); but, on having taken cognizance of such contravention plainly
do declare and decree the aforesaid punishments, pursuant to these
present ordinances, on pain of being severely punished; unless that
in some particular case, said judges, because of great and important
considerations, should find difficulty as to the exact execution of the
punishment decreed against the transgressor by our aforesaid ordinances.
In which case they may nevertheless not mitigate the punishment of
their own accord; but shall be bound to carry or send the criminal
process, faithfully closed and sealed, to the sovereign or provincial
council, under whose jurisdiction they shall belong, there to be
examined and deliberated on as to whether any alteration or mitigation
of the aforesaid punishment is proper or not.
And if our aforesaid councilors find, that in good justice, according
to right and reason (in regard to which we charge their consciences),
any mitigation or alteration is proper, in such a case they may advise
them by writing, and send it all to said judges and officers, that the
latter may finish and terminate said process in accordance with it.
We command them to do nothing less, and enjoin them very expressly and
strictly, on pain of being arbitrarily corrected and punished, not to
make use of said consultations without great and important reasons,
but be governed, as much as they can, by the contents of these present
ordinances.
_Extracted from the great book of decrees of Ghent in which are
collected all the decrees, mandates, and ordinances of Emperor Charles
V., and of King Philip II.; and cited by William I., Prince of Orange,
in his defense against his adversaries, edition 1569, from p. 165–174
inclusive._
AUGUSTINE THE BAKER, A. D. 1556.
A. D. 1556, or thereabouts, there was in Beverwijk, a brother named
Augustine, a baker by trade, who had forsaken the world, and been
baptized upon his faith, according to the ordinance of Christ, which
the papists could not endure. There was at that time a burgomaster who
was very bitter, and filled with perverted zeal, who sometimes said
that he would furnish the peat and wood to burn Augustine. The Bailiff
had said that he should not apprehend Augustine without previously
warning him; but he did not keep his word; for he came upon a time when
Augustine was at his work, kneading dough. Perceiving him, Augustine
attempted to flee, but was instantly seized by his pursuers, and cast
into prison; and as he was a man who was much beloved, it greatly
grieved the Bailiff’s wife, who said to her husband: “O you murderer,
what have you done!” but all in vain, he had to follow his Lord Jesus
as a lamb is led to the slaughter. As he steadfastly adhered to his
faith, they passed a cruel sentence on him, namely that he should be
tied to a ladder, and thus cast alive into the fire, and burnt. On
his way to death, he saw one of his acquaintances, to whom he said:
“Farewell, Joost Cornelissen.” The latter, prompted by his good opinion
of him, replied in a friendly manner: “I hope that we shall hereafter
be together forever;” whereupon said Burgomaster replied out of a
heart judging with partiality: “He will not get to the place whither
you will go; but he goes from this fire into the eternal.” Thereupon
Augustine said to the Burgomaster: “I cite you to appear within three
days before the judgment seat of God.” As soon as the execution was
over, the Burgomaster was instantly smitten with a raging sickness,
and continually cried with a guilty conscience: “Peat and wood, peat
and wood!” so that it was terrible to hear; and before the three days
had expired, he died; which was a great sign of the all-seeing eye of
God, who would not suffer such cruelty to go unpunished, as an example
to all those who from perverse blindness should commit such deeds. For
it is often seen that those who think to do God service by exercising
tyrannical cruelty over the pious, come to a bad end; for the apostle
James also says that they shall have judgment without mercy that have
shown no mercy. May the Lord enlighten those who are in such blindness.
FRANCIJNTGEN, GRIETGEN, AND MAEYKEN DOORNAERTS, A. D. 1556,
At Belle, in Flanders, three women were apprehended for the testimony
of the truth, namely, an old woman named Francijntgen, a young maiden
named Grietgen, and niece to the former, and another young maiden,
named Maeyken Doornaerts, all of whom suffered much tribulation and
torment. The old woman, when they wanted to torture her naked, said to
the lords: “Remember that you were born of women; therefore, do not put
me to shame;” by which she obtained leave to keep on her shift on the
rack. Great pains were taken to draw the young maiden Grietgen from
her faith, since she was still very young; but it was all in vain,
for she would much rather expect eternal joy for this temporal pain
or suffering, than purchase this brief and transient pleasure with
everlasting suffering.
The other young maiden, Maeyken Doornaerts, also had to lie naked
on the rack, and when they could by no pain or suffering cause her
to apostatize from her faith, they began to accost her with asking
her, whether she was not ashamed to lie there so nude. She replied:
“I did not place myself here naked; but you, who inflict this misery
and disgrace upon me who am innocent, shall hereafter have to suffer
eternal shame and pain for it.” And though she was tortured to such
a degree, that her blood flowed down by the rack, she nevertheless,
through the grace of God, who always strengthens his own, remained
steadfast in the faith. Thereupon all three were sentenced to death,
and burnt. Standing at the stake, Maeyken Doornaerts said: “This is
the hour for which I have greatly longed, that it might put an end
to all my tribulation.” Thus these three heroines valiantly fought
their way through, suffering all this, because they were baptized upon
their faith (according to the teaching of Christ), and thenceforth
sought, in all simplicity, to serve and please the living God more than
mortal men; for which they also expect the joyful crown of eternal and
imperishable life.
ABRAHAM PUT TO DEATH A. D. 1556.
In the year 1556 there was at Antwerp a very pious and godfearing
brother named Abraham, who was apprehended for his faith, and, after
a bold confession, and steadfast adherence to the same, condemned to
death, and thus publicly in the market place, offered up an acceptable
sacrifice for God, sealing the truth with his blood.
JAN DE KUDSE, A. D. 1556.
Shortly after, also Jan de Kudse, an ardent lover of God, who had
likewise been apprehended for the truth, from which he would not
depart, meekly suffered death as an innocent lamb of Christ, in
the market place at Antwerp, in order to follow his Lord; and thus
violently entered through the strait gate into the kingdom of God.
CONFESSION OF CLAES DE PRAET WHO FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AND
HIS WORD WAS IMPRISONED AND BURNT AT GHENT, AND LAID DOWN HIS LIFE AS A
BURNT OFFERING UNTO THE LORD A. D. 1556.
Grace and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, be with
you all, my most beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ;
according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Let
every one among you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called
so that satan may not torment you in your trial; and diligently exhort
one another in love; for I would willingly write you an exhortation,
but the time is not convenient for it, because I am closely watched by
the jailer, who stands in great fear of the dean. Nevertheless, I am
greatly inclined to write you something about my examination, and the
malice and forged lies of the priests, by which they think to condemn
me, but God be praised, who helps me gain the victory. I write you
this, if haply some that are yet young may be edified thereby.
At first after I was imprisoned, until the sixth day I was in great
sorrow; my heart was weighed down and heavy, and my flesh feared
greatly. I said to myself: “Now I must undergo this and many other
conflicts;” I thought of wife and children; and satan went round me
to devour me, with many strange temptations which it would take too
long to relate. On the sixth day, in the forenoon, the jailer came and
called me out of the place where I was confined, saying: “Claes, come
down, and follow me;” and he led the way. My heart kindled within me
with joy to the Lord my God; so that all my trouble and anxiety was
driven from me, as dust is swept from the street. Then thought I: “O
gracious God! now I find that thou art faithful to thy promise. Heb.
10:23. Lord, direct now my speech, as thou hast promised.” Heb. 10:23;
Luke 21:14. He then led me into a room, where sat the Chief Judge
with two other Judges, the Bailiff, and a man with a long beard, who
had a large book before him, in which to write. They regarded me very
intently, when I entered the room, and I did them great reverence, and
bade all of them peace. Rom. 13:7. The jailer placed a chair for me,
and said: “Claes, sit down here; it is so ordered.” I sat down with
good cheer, the heart lifted up to the Lord my God, forgetful of myself
and the things that are in this world.
Then they said: “Cover your head.” I said: “It is not proper now.” The
bailiff asked me: “What is your name!” I replied: “Claes de Praet.”
Then said he: “Write this, and born in this city.” The clerk then asked
me: “Were you born here?” I replied: “I know nothing to the contrary.”
_Bailiff._ “Where have you been so long, Claes? The last time you were
away from home so long?” _Claes._ “In Emderland.” _Bailiff._ “What
did you do there?” _Claes._ “I tried to learn whether I could not
buy or sell, or do something, by which to earn my bread.” _Bailiff._
“Yes, and to see the brethren, I well perceive.” _Claes._ “Yes, Sir
Bailiff.” _Bailiff._ “Yes, Claes, have you received any other baptism
than the one you received in your infancy, when you were Christened?”
_Claes._ “I don’t remember so far back.” _Bailiff._ “Have you received
a baptism which you remember?” _Claes._ “Yes, Sir bailiff.” _Bailiff._
“How long ago?” _Claes._ “About four years.” Then they were all greatly
astonished. The bailiff asked me once more: “How long did you say?”
Then the other judge said: “About four years.” Then the bailiff looked
at me very sharply, and asked who they were, that had intercourse with
me, and which of my brethren were also baptized. I replied: “It is not
our way to ask each other: Where are you from? or where do you live? or
what is your name? or what do you do?” _Bailiff._ “You don’t want to
know it?” _Claes._ “No, Sir Bailiff.” _Bailiff._ “You do it, so as not
to bring any one into trouble?” _Claes._ “Yes, Sir bailiff; for we well
know that our blood is much sought, and the Lord has permitted us to be
as wise as serpents.” Pr. 1:11; Matt. 10:16. Then the bailiff snarled
at me, and they talked much Latin with each other.
The bailiff then asked: “Where was it that you received your baptism?”
_Claes._ “At Antwerp.” _Bailiff._. “Where there?” _Claes._ “Between
St. George’s gate and the Koeper gate.” _Bailiff._. “In what house?”
_Claes._ “In a small, new house.” _Bailiff._. “What trade was carried
on in it?” _Claes._ “I saw no trade carried on there.” _Bailiff._.
“Yea, Claes, who was present? there must have been witnesses present
to testify that you were a brother?” _Claes._ “There were three or
four persons present who lived in the house, and the one who brought
me there.” _Bailiff._. “Who was it that brought you there?” _Claes._
“It was a young man.” _Bailiff._. “Where was he from?” _Claes._ “I did
not ask him.” _Bailiff._. “How many were baptized with you?” _Claes._
“Three of us.” _Bailiff._. “Where were they from?” _Claes._ “I did
not ask them.” _Bailiff._. “What trade did they follow?” _Claes._
“One was a journeyman mason, it seemed to me.” _Bailiff._. “How did
he that brought you there know where to find you?” _Claes._ “He set
the day when he would meet me at the Koeper gate.” _Bailiff._. “How
did you know that the baptizer was in the city?” _Claes._ “I had made
inquiries at different times, while out trafficking, and thus heard
that he was there.” _Bailiff._ “Where did you hear that he was there?”
Then said the chief judge: “They know all their people.” _Bailiff._
“Do they still live in the house where you were baptized, or don’t you
know this either?” _Claes._ “Shortly after they were all driven from
the house.” _Bailiff._ “Then you can’t tell us anything about it, can
you?” _Claes._ “One went to England; another was burnt, and where the
rest went to I don’t know.” _Bailiff._ “What kind of a man was he who
baptized you?” _Claes._ “He appeared to me to be a blameless man.”
_Bailiff._ “Yes, Claes, how do you know that the man that baptized you
was blameless?” Then one of the judges said: “He said it appeared to
him that he was blameless.”
The chief judge then said: “These people also preach, do they not?”
Then the _Bailiff._ remarked to him: “We used to ask all these
questions, but we do it no longer.” And they rang the bell for the
jailer to come and take me away. This they put on record.
The clerk asked me what persons from Ghent I had left at Emden. I would
give him no answer, because it was not his business to ask. The judges
then said to me: “Claes, we will send you men that will teach you the
true faith.” _Claes._ “I trust I have the true faith, and if they will
confirm me therein, they will be welcome; but if they want to draw me
away from it, I don’t want them.” Then they said, urgently: “Claes,
hear them; hear them always.” I then heartily thanked the judges and
the _Bailiff._, since they had been molested with me. The jailer’s
servant then told me to go above, and I went. I felt very gloomy,
because they had not asked me concerning my faith. Two servants who
had stood at the door and listened, came up above to me, and tormented
me with many things and said: “Poor fellow, that you are, to give your
life for it, and leave your wife and children in want; it is not right
for you to break your marriage, since God himself has instituted it”
I said: “I do not break my marriage, nor does my wife; but they are to
blame for it, who take me from my wife; they may well take heed what
they do.” They said I should speak that which they wanted to hear. I
replied: “God did not teach me this;” and admonished them, to beware of
staining their hands with such blood. I spoke to them earnestly, and
they went away, and asked God to grant me my greatest happiness. Then
I sat there alone, and Satan came to tempt me, saying within: “Poor
man, are you here for the sake of your faith? The lords don’t ask you
concerning your faith, but regarding the baptism you received from such
and such a man, as you well know.” And he tormented me with all that
he could produce, doing his very best to cast me down. Then thought I:
“O thou wicked tempter, thou murderer, I well feel that thou art the
same that tormented Peter, and of whom he warned us.” 1 Peter 5:8. And
I fled to God, and commenced a hymn, singing joyfully, and became glad
and happy that I had fought through this storm. James 5:13. I was there
about ten weeks.
Then the jailer came, and said: “Claes, come hither; here are two
royston crows;” and enjoined me much to think of my wife and children.
I said: “I think of them enough; but Christ has said: ‘Whosoever will
not forsake father and mother, sister and brother, wife, child, yea,
his own life, for my name’s sake, is not worthy of me.’” Matthew 10:37;
Luke 14:26. He said: “It is true, if one can do it.” He then led me
into a room where were two Jacobines. They took off their caps, and
I did the same with mine. They bade me good evening, and I them. The
one asked me: “What is your name, my friend?” I answered: “Claes,” and
said: “What is your name?” He replied: “Brother Peter de Backer,” and
told me, that he had been at the chief judge’s, and that the latter
had requested that he should come and instruct me in the true faith. I
said: “This I have received from God.” _Ques._ “What is your faith?”
_Claes._ “I believe only in Christ Jesus, that he is the living and
true Son of God, and that there is no other salvation either in heaven
or on earth.” _Ques._ “Is there nothing else to be believed? What
becomes of the mother, the holy church, in whom we must believe?”
_Claes._ “Do you know which is the holy church?” _Ques._ “Do you know
it, let me hear it?” _Claes._ “I ask you; for you speak of it?.” _Ans._
“The same which was it from the time of Christ, and of the apostles,
and which the apostles maintained and still maintain.” _Claes._ “What
one is that?” _Ans._ “The mother, the holy Roman church.” _Claes._ “Is
this the apostolic church?” _Ans._ “Yes.” _Claes._ “Did the apostles
thus maintain it?” _Ans._ “Yes, just as we, neither less nor more.”
_Claes._ “Did the apostles read mass?” _Ans._ “Yes.” _Claes._ “Where
is this written?” _Ans._ “I will show you;” and he referred me to the
Corinthians, where Paul speaks of the supper. 1 Cor. 11:20. I said:
“He speaks here of the breaking of bread; but did he read mass as you
do?” _Ans._ “Yes, neither less nor more than we do.” _Claes._ “Did the
apostles persecute and maintain their church with fire and sword, as
you do?” _Ans._ “Yes, they shed blood, betrayed and killed.” _Claes._
“Peter shed the blood of Malchus, and Judas betrayed; but where did
they kill any one?” _Ans._ “Peter smote Ananias and Sapphira with the
sword of his mouth, so that they fell down dead.” And he laughed and
held up his finger. Then said I: “It seems to me you belong to those of
whom Paul speaks (2 Tim. 3:5), whom we are to flee; for your folly does
not remain hid, but becomes manifest before men; for you sit and mock
and loiter, and show plainly, that you are men of corrupt minds, ever
learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” And I
reproved him much. They wanted to prolong the conversation much longer,
and question me with regard to baptism, the incarnation of Christ, and
other articles of faith; but I had resolved not to dispute with them,
without judges being present; but to confess as I confessed above
before them. When they perceived that I would hear them no longer, and
was on the point of leaving, one of them said: “O Claes, how lamentably
you have gone astray; and yet I love you so much; I would that you were
of our mind with me, and that I might give my body to be burned. O poor
man, I will pray for you, and have others pray for you, when I preach.”
_Claes._ “I don’t want you to pray for me, nor that you have others
pray for me; for your prayer is vain, and is not heard by God, so long
as you people continue in your wickedness.” _Ans._ “Perhaps there are
one or two in the whole number, that are good.” _Claes._ “Begone; for
you only want to talk.” Then he went away laughing, saying: “I shall
have you prayed for, whether you desire it or not, for I like you well;
and I will come again.”
About two weeks afterwards, there came two of the same band; the one
was a large fat man, who had much talk in him; the other was very
fierce and captious in his remarks, and wanted much to engage me in
a disputation; but I would not enter into any, only that I put many
questions to them, as I had done to the others, and made them expose
their wickedness themselves; for very many prisoners had come and
stationed themselves back under the window of the room, and behind the
door, to listen; which I well knew; hence I asked the more, because the
one was so loquacious, which was owing to him having imbibed too much.
Having been confined about seven weeks, I was called down and led
into a room, where sat the Dean of Ronse, with his clerk, and another
person. The Dean told me to be seated, and I took a seat forward at
the table, beside him, whereupon he gave me a long lecture, to which I
listened. He said that it was impossible to please God without faith,
and that he that did not believe was damned. Finally he asked me:
“Why did you allow yourself to be thus seduced, and led into error,
and apostatize from the holy church?” I replied: “Since it is written
that it is impossible to please God without faith, I was diligent in
examining the faith, and asking God to strengthen me in it, through his
grace and mercy. This he has done abundantly, and I want to keep it
faithfully unto his praise, and not to forsake it on account of any
suffering, nor for aught that is in the world.”
_Dean._ “You think you have the faith, but you have departed from it.
And that you people are so bold and of good cheer even unto death, is
all owing to the devil, who can transform himself into an angel of
light. Hence, when you read the Scriptures, you were instructed by
some poor, simple tradesman, who taught you the same according to his
reason; therefore you are now deceived. You should have let those teach
you, who have received the true doctrine, the ministers of the holy
church, that is, the pastors.” _Claes._ “Are they the ones that have
received the true doctrine?” _Dean._ “Yes.” _Claes._ “Why, then, do
they live the life of devils, as may be seen?” _Dean._ “What does that
concern you? It is written, Matt. 23: ‘Do after their commandments,
but not after their works.’” _Claes._ “Are you, then, the scribes and
Pharisees, of whom Matthew has written?” _Dean._ “Yes.” _Claes._ “Then
all the woes come upon you, that follow further on, in said chapter.”
_Dean._ “No, they do not.”