your neighbor; love one another, as behooves brethren and sisters, and
let not your hearts be overcharged with the cares of this life (Luke
21:34), that your hearts do not become alienated; for through many
cares the heart becomes estranged from God. Therefore my dear brethren
and sisters in the Lord, I say with Christ: “Watch, and pray day and
night to God, and be like unto men that wait for their lord; that,
when he knocks, they may open unto him immediately. O how blessed are
those servants whom the Lord shall find thus watching: they shall enter
in with him into the kingdom of God, and possess all things”. Luke
12:36,37. Herewith I will commend my dear brethren and sisters to the
Lord, who is able to keep your treasure, and to give you an inheritance
among all them which are sanctified. Adieu my dear brethren and sisters
in the Lord, adieu, till we get into the kingdom of God. It is very
inconvenient here for writing.
Written by me, imprisoned for the true testimony of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
ADRIAEN JANSS HOEDEMAECKER.
TWELVE CHRISTIANS AT DEVENTER: YDSE GAUKES, DIRCK VAN WESEL, WITH
ANNEKEN AND JANNEKEN, THEIR WIVES; HARMEN THE DYER, BRUYN, ANTHONIS
THE WEAVER, CLAES OPREYDER, LIJSBET AND CATHARINA SOMERHUYS, LIJNTGEN
JORIS, AND TRIJNTGEN HER DAUGHTER, A. D. 1571.
In the year 1571, on the 11th of March, in the night, the Spaniards
at Deventer (having held a tournament during the day) went out with
swords, halberds, guns, and many other implements, to apprehend
the sheep of Christ. They went through many houses, searching in
some streets from house to house; and all whom they could find they
apprehended, and fettered and ironed them, saying: “O you heretical
dogs, because you deny the Roman Catholic faith you will have to die.
For a few days the gates were closed, and there was read by the sound
of the town bell, the proclamation, that no one should conceal any,
and if any one should know of any that were concealed, that he should
report them. But this order was not obeyed: for many were concealed,
who secretly fled, and left their goods for a spoil. In all there were
apprehended twelve, namely, Ydse Gaukes, Dirck van Wesel, with Anneken
and Janneken, their wives; Harmen the Dyer, Bruyn, and Anthonis the
Weaver, Claes Opreyder, Lijsbet and Catharina Somerhuys, Lijntgen
Joris, and Trijntgen her daughter; all of whom at first when they were
apprehended, were valiant, and confessed their faith; but some were
greatly afraid according to the flesh, and abandoned the faith even
before they were tortured. (In the torture they were drawn up, their
hands tied behind their back and heavy weights of iron, or cannon
balls, suspended to their feet.) Several others did indeed remain
valiant in the torture, but subsequently also apostatized from the
faith; and four remained valiant throughout.
Thus it happened that they were frequently visited, and that they
(who had denied the faith with the mouth) were very sorrowful, and
promised and said, that if the Lord should grant them grace so that
they should get out, they would return to the truth. And when on the
20th of May (when they offered up their sacrifice on the 25th) a friend
came to them, they asked very closely what news he brought. The friend
replied, that the news was bad; he feared that they all should have to
die; in short, much was said, and the friend remarked: “I love you, so
much that I would you were all out of all this, and that I could be
imprisoned in your place;” so that the prisoners became very sorrowful,
and wept most bitterly, and said to the friend: “It is best that you
go, on account of the Spaniards.”
Thus it came to pass on the 24th of May, in the evening, that monks
came to them, to speak with them, that they should prepare themselves,
since they were to die the next day. The monks went away at twelve
o’clock in the night, but returned at four o’clock in the morning.
There were two men, Dirck van Wesel and Harmen the Dyer; and four
women, Dirck van Wesel’s wife, Ydse Gaukes’ wife, and Somerhuys’ two
daughters, Lijsbet and Catharina; who did not hearken to the monks,
but, according to all that could be seen and heard, cleaved to the
eternal truth. First, when they came out of the prison, with a very
joyful countenance and smiling, they, bowing their heads, said adieu
to a friend whom they knew well, and who had visited them in prison;
and he smiled to them in return. Thus did at first the four women; but
the two brethren, Bruyn and Anthonis the weaver, who were brought out
with them, were very sorrowful, and did not speak; the women, however,
spoke much and greatly reproved the monks that were with them; yea,
they were heard to say, that Christ their Bridegroom and Shepherd had
thus gone before, and they would follow him as his own sheep, and they
kissed one another very affectionately, the two sisters having hold of
each other’s hand, and began to sing: “My God, whither shall I go?”
Then they had to separate, and six of them were put into the wagon.
When they arrived at the scaffold, they brought Catharina, the younger
sister, upon the scaffold first. She was very bold in speaking, and
said: “Know, ye citizens, that it is not for any evil, but for the
truth.” When she had ascended the scaffold, her sentence was read,
which was as follows: “If she would abide in the Catholic church, she
should be executed with the sword; but if not, should be burnt alive.”
She was then asked, whether she would abide in the Catholic church.
She answered: “No; I want to abide in the truth.” They said: “Then
you will be burnt alive.” “I do not care for that,” she said; “you
deal in lies:” and she spoke very boldly. She was then taken from the
scaffold again, and put into the wagon; and her mouth was closed, so
that she could not speak any more. Then the two brethren (namely, Bruyn
and Anthonis) were one after the other brought upon the scaffold, and
were both beheaded, without speaking anything, except that the one was
heard to say: “O Lord, be merciful to me.” They then returned to the
tower, and fetched Dirck and Harmen. These both had their mouth gagged,
so that they could not speak; but they made many signs on the way by
nodding, and smiling and were very bold, so that the people were
astonished.
Thus these two were brought upon the scaffold, and they frequently
smiled and nodded to those whom they knew, and who stood before them.
Harmen then fell upon his knees and prayed to the Lord; but as he made
it too long for them, the executioner pulled him up, and he boldly
placed himself at the stake. While the executioner was fastening
Harmen, Dirck kneeled, and called upon the Lord from the heart; for
they could not speak. Then Dirck arose and affectionately embraced
Harmen as he stood at the stake, kissed him, and pointed with his
hand up to heaven. Thereupon Dirck went with a joyful and smiling
countenance, and stationed himself with his back to the stake, and cast
up his eyes to heaven. When they had been thus fastened to the stakes,
the four women were brought from the wagon to the scaffold, and saw
the two standing at the stakes. They were very glad and smiled, folded
their hands, cast up their eyes to heaven, kissed one another, and all
of them fell upon their knees, and each placed herself very boldly with
her back to the stake. While they thus kissed one another, there came
a noise almost as if it had been thunder or a wagon without horses,
and it seemed to come from the Brink, and roared before the wagon, so
that the people fell over one another, and no one knew what it was,
so that a great fear arose. The Spaniards said that it thundered.
Previously, when the two were beheaded, the monks made a speech, that
every one should keep his children away from this people, and that no
one should become offended, though they should now be burnt, which
was the pleasure of the Royal Majesty; and that no one should make
any disturbance. They had no sooner concluded this speech, than there
came such a noise, even as though it came from the main street beyond,
so that the people did not know what to do with themselves for fear.
Hence the Spaniards began to cry alarm, and the drums also began to
sound the alarm; but it all passed off without any harm being done.
Some said that they saw a light over the scaffold, like a dark sun;
this, however, I did not see, but I saw and heard the noise. Moreover,
when they were standing at the stakes, straw and wood were laid around
them, so that only their heads were visible. While thus standing at
the stakes, they made many a friendly sign to those whom they knew,
by smiling, by nodding, and by casting up their eyes to heaven; so
that the Spaniards said: “To whom may they nod thus?” And the one to
whom they nodded stood by the Spaniards in front of the scaffold, and
heard the Spaniards say it. This brother also nodded and smiled, and
pointed with his hand on high, that they should take God for their
helper. Thereupon they cast their eyes up to heaven, except Dircks van
Wesel who was unconscious already when the wood and straw were laid
around him; for the chains that were around his neck choked him, for
he had been greatly tortured, so that his arms had been much injured;
and when the executioner fastened his arms behind around the stake, a
faintness seized him, so that he became unconscious, and was not seen
to manifest any further signs of life. The executioner then lighted
the fire, and all six were burnt alive (together with two baskets full
of books), some almost to ashes. The bones and bodies were buried near
the gallows.
This was thus done at Deventer, on the Brink, the 25th of May, A. D.
1571.
Subsequently, on the 16th of July of the same year, the other valiant
heroes, namely, Claes Opreyder, Ydse Gaukes, Lijntgen Joris, and her
daughter, named Catharina, were brought from the tower, with their
mouths gagged, so that they could not speak, and passed along the
streets very boldly, smiling and nodding to many. Thus Claes was
brought upon the scaffold first, and he fell upon his knees, to prayer;
but the executioner lifted him up, for the Spaniards would not tolerate
it, and cried: “Villains, villains!” But the six preceding ones, who
had been offered up first, had performed their prayers, and had not
been prevented from it; for they had been allowed to come together,
and also to kiss one another; but since the people said so much about
it, how they had prayed, and so lovingly kissed one another, they had
resolved to bring only one at a time on the scaffold. Now when Claes
stood at the stake, they also brought Ydse upon the scaffold, and he
forced his way to Claes and kissed him. Hence the Spaniards clamored
again, and were enraged. While they were fastening Ydse, a Spaniard,
one of the chiefest, together with a monk, stood by Catharina; but
her mother stood at some distance from them, so that she could not
hear what they said to her daughter. Then the monk said: “Your mother
has recanted, for she has confessed that she was seduced; and will be
executed with the sword; and if you will recant too, you shall not
die, because you are young yet; but you shall be married and receive a
large dowry, and be helped on.” But in reply to all this she shook her
head. And then the Spaniards also said much to her, that she should
recant, and she should save her life. But others said: “Do not tell
her this; but say, that if she will renounce her heresy, she shall
die as a pious Christian and be executed with the sword.” And others
said: “She must only be made to believe, that she will save her life;
when she has recanted she shall die nevertheless.” But she shook her
head to all this, so that they became discouraged. Then the monk said:
“Dear sister, recant, or you will go from this fire into the eternal,
upon this I will pledge my soul.” In the mean time the mother also was
brought upon the scaffold, and placed at the stake. Then Catharina
was seen to rejoice greatly, for she found that it was nothing but
lies, what they had told her concerning her mother. Then Catharina
was also brought upon the scaffold, and she ascended the steps very
rapidly, since she, as also the others, had greatly longed for the
hour of her redemption; and thus all four were placed to stakes, back
to back, so that they could neither see nor nod to one another. While
thus standing at the stakes, they smiled and nodded to several yet.
Then the Spaniards said: “There are some more of this people; if we
only had them too.” There were also on the scaffold the provost and
the quarter-master to assist the executioner; and the provost wanted
to lay the wood about three or four feet from them, in order to roast
them from a distance; but the quartermaster said, that the sentence was
to burn them like the first; hence they had hard words. The Spaniards
also cried, that they should be put to death slowly. However, the
wood at least was laid around them like around the former; but little
straw, with which they ignited the wood; in order that they should die
the more slowly; however it was soon over. Thus these four offered up
their sacrifice, and were burned to ashes, on the 16th of June, A. D.
1571; from whom many took a good example, who recognized them as the
true people, and endeavored to follow them, by the grace of God, in a
righteous and godfearing life, which these four evinced unto death, and
thus confirmed that which they had said and written in prison.
A LETTER FROM YDSE GAUKES, SKIPPER, WHICH HE WROTE IN PRISON, AT
DEVENTER, TO HIS BROTHER, AND TO THE FRIENDS, ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT.
Grace and peace from God our heavenly Father, this I wish to all my
dear brethren and sisters in the Lord, and especially to you, my
brother according to the flesh, and your beloved wife, and my sister
according to the Spirit. I wish you the true, penitent faith, that
works by love.
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.