Note.—We went to no little trouble to obtain at the archives of this city of Dortrecht, the old records of their examinations and death sentences, but were not able to procure them, as they are no longer extant; they were also, as it appears, never put on record in the ordinary’s book of criminal sentences, which we searched for this purpose. It is our opinion that these sentences were simply put on loose sheets of paper and thus read in court and then destroyed, so that no remembrance of it should remain, as it seemed that the city should soon change her government and religion, as actually took place about three months afterwards, through the arrival of William I., Prince of Orange.
Nevertheless, we are not without other legal testimony in regard to this matter.
Johan van Beverwijck, first physician and judge of the city of Dortrecht, writes concerning it, in the history attached to his description of Dortrecht, in the Dort edition, p. 348, for the year 1572, as follows:
“In the city proper there was imprisoned, accused as a heretic, a man of blameless life and conversation, as I learned from those with whom he resided, by the name of Jan van Kuyck Wouterss, a skillful writer upon glass and painter.
“The authorities; seeing the disposition of the people, were not in haste with his trial; yea, the Bailiff, Jan van Drenckwaert Boudewijnss, who was still young and beardless, had himself painted by him, in the attitude of Solomon, where he pronounces his first sentence.
“But the monks did nothing but vehemently preach against this slackness, and hesitated not to proclaim from the pulpit, that the Bailiff had apprehended him merely to have himself painted by him.
“Hence, this poor man, after many tortures, inflicted upon him in order to extort from him the names of his master and comrades; was burned on the 28th of March, A. D. 1572, on the New Fortification, together with Adriaenken Jans, a woman from Molenaersgraef.” Thus far, Johan van Beverwijck.
Hence the account of the death of these persons is certain and reliable, nor is it doubted by any one that we have ever heard here in this city; the well-disposed will therefore be satisfied therewith.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. 2 Cor. 4:17.