Charles with his bloody decrees, and all that help to confirm them, shall then have no more power. The blood-thirsty priests shall then no more hate the people of God; but we shall live with the Lord forever and ever, and go in and out as calves of the stall. Mal. 4:2. Then the great sorrow shall all be forgotten, since it shall be turned into great joy, which shall never end, for a thousand years shall seem to be but as one day because of the great joy. 2 Pet. 3:8.
Therefore, my most beloved, comfort yourself with these promises for he is faithful that promised; and wait for them with patience and long suffering: and I hope to wait for you under the altar. Hebrews 10:23; Rev. 6:9,11.
Herewith I will commend you to God, who brought Israel through the Red Sea, and through the wilderness, till they were in the promised land; may he bring you into his eternal kingdom. I would from the heart that I might take you with me, but you must bide the time with patience.
Herewith I write you adieu for this brief span of time, since I do not intend to write you any more after this; but I hope to speak orally with you in the throne of heaven.
Adieu, dear wife, a thousand times adieu; acquit yourself valiantly in the truth, and walk truly in the narrow way, until the Lord comes. I thank you very much from the heart for the exceedingly great love you have shown me; in time of need love is appreciated best.
Furthermore, I bid all the friends an earnest farewell, to name them individually according to the flesh, their number is too great. And bid my son, Heyndricks Janss, farewell; and tell him to become a good child; and to fear our dear Lord, for bold and ungodly children shall not enter into heaven, but go to hell, and that he learn and go to school, and not run and play with naughty children, but obey his mother and his grandfather and grandmother, and not learn to speak evil or lie, for the mouth that lieth slayeth the soul. Wis 1:11. Further, Lijsbeth Jans, the letters at Delft you may let her keep, and thus you will have no trouble with them, since she intends to let the readers read them first, as they write me. I send you with this letter, three pieces of money, of which each of you shall have one for a medal of remembrance, you one, my son one, and my daughter one; to my daughter, however, you may give the smallest one, if you please to do so. You may excuse the woman from paying for the bed and the cloak, and I thank him much. Now, my dear Jan’s child, acquit yourself valiantly. I herewith write you adieu, adieu, dear Jan’s child; be as resigned as you can; you would have had to resign yourself to it, if I had been lost at sea; once we must part. You may return home. Pray the Lord for me; I hope not to forget you. Greet the friends, wherever it is convenient. Adieu, my dear Jan’s child; you know why I suffer.
Written on the 4th of February, A. D. 1571, by me,
Jan Hendrickss.
SOME EXAMINATIONS OF JAN HENDRICKSS.
Since some brethren have requested me to write them something concerning what the lords have asked me touching my faith, when I was before them, I can therefore not refuse to write them a little in regard to the answer which I gave them according to the simple fisherman’s understanding which the Lord has given me; the Bailiff also did not ask me very much or very thoroughly, as you will yet hear. Further, when I had been in confinement forty weeks, on the fifth of June, A. D. 1570, if I remember rightly, I was taken down the first time to appear before the lords, and when I entered the sheriff’s hall, the judges with the Bailiff and also the burgomasters were assembled there. I uncovered my head and bade them good day, and they did the same to me. The Bailiff then told me to sit down upon a bench, which I did, whereupon he asked me how old I was. I said that I did not know it accurately; “but,” said I “you may write twenty-eight years;” and so it was written. “Where were you born?” “At Swartawael.” “How long have you resided in the Haven?” I said: “Five years, counting the time I have been confined here.” “Yes, that is all the same,” said the Bailiff.