Furthermore, my dear wife, know that I received what you sent me, for which I thank you sincerely, for it was to me a great consolation. Further, my dear wife, Maerten van der Straten and his dear wife, Beliken van der Straten, greet you much. Margriet van der Sluys, and Dingentgen of Honschoten, and that honorable youth Hansken of Oudenaerde greet you much, and finally we all jointly ask you, earnestly to pray to the Lord for us, that he will make us meet rather to die honorably with Eleazar, than to live with ignominy. Nothing more, but I commend you to the Lord, and to the rich, comforting word of his grace. And do the best for the children in every way; teach them to fear the Lord; though I am confident that you will do this; I can not forbear to write it; but whatever I do is done out of pure love and from a good heart.
Farewell; do the best in the beginning and in the end.
Written for your service, by me your dear husband and brother in the Lord.
Adrian Rogiers.
MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN, WITH BELIKEN HIS WIFE, A. D. 1572.
At this time yet another pious brother, named Maerten van der Straten born at Kortrijck in Flanders, with his wife, named Beliken van der Straten, fell into the hands of the enemies of the truth, so that after manifold temptations their faith was found much more precious, than perishable gold, which is tried by fire. Hence Maerten van der Straten, and two other brethren and a sister (who are separately mentioned in this book), on the 4th of December, A. D. 1572, in the city of Ghent, steadfastly delivered up their bodies as a sacrifice acceptable unto God, and were together burned in the Friday Market, with balls in their mouths; and Beliken van der Straten was subsequently, in 1573, in Lent, offered up in the same place for the truth; having thus fought a good fight, finished the course, kept the faith, and, notwithstanding the opposition of the tyrants taken the kingdom of God by force.
Concerning these two pious witnesses, a separate book has been printed, containing many excellent letters by Maerten van der Straten, and several hymns, which these persons composed and addressed to each other, and to others in prison. Of these letters we communicate to you several, as follows.
THE FIRST LETTER FROM MAERTEN VAN DER STRATEN TO HIS WIFE.
I Maerten van der Straten, your dear husband and brother in the Lord (both unworthily, however) wish you, my affectionately beloved wife, Beliken van der Straten, who are with me, according to Paul’s writing, in the mouth of the lion (2 Timothy 4:17), and wounded by Babylon’s watchmen (Canticles 5:7), much grace and mercy from God our heavenly Father; and may the love of his Son be multiplied to you, and may the power of the Holy Ghost richly dwell in you, that you may to the praise of the Lord bring forth good and meet fruits, and let your light shine before men, even as a city that is set on a high hill, that you may leave behind you a good name among the heathen, and a good memory in Israel; and the God of our fathers grant you grace, and prosper what you undertake, that Israel may rejoice over you, and that your name may be reckoned among all the saints, and that you may hereafter play the new song before the throne of the Lord, forever and ever. Rev. 14:2,3. This I wish you, my chosen love, with all the strength of my soul, and from a heart full of love.
Out of a fond heart permeated with love, an affectionate greeting to you, O my dearest love, whom I love with all my heart, in accordance with the word of God, that a man shall leave father and mother, and cleave to his wife. For you, O my dear lamb, are flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bones; and no man, says Paul, ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it. Eph. 5:29. Hence I have good reason to love you, as I also do, this the almighty Lord knows, who, according to the words of Jeremiah, tries men’s hearts and reins. Jer. 17:10.