Now when the children of light, who confessed the doctrine of the Waldenses, in the midst of the darkness of popery,[199] began to lift up their hands more and more, in the Flemish countries, and to combat with the power of the word of God the errors of the Roman church, and to reject principally papal authority, the mass, transubstantiation, pilgrimages, the invocation of saints, purgatory, infant baptism, the swearing of oaths, revenge towards enemies, etc., as we stated concerning the belief of the Waldenses, in the account for the eleventh century; the prince and king of darkness, through the instrumentality of his satellites, laid his hands on them, and ultimately brought the matter so far that very many who would in no wise, neither for life nor for death, apostatize, were condemned to be burnt alive, which was also done with them; and thus they endured the trial of their faith with great steadfastness, in the fire, at Donau, in Flanders, in the year 1421. Wherefore the captain of the faith, Jesus Christ, shall hereafter eternally crown them, as pious champions, with the unfading crown of honor, according to his promise: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” Revelation 2:10.
Of the sacrifice of these friends, mention is also made in the second book of the History of the Persecutions, p. 577, col. 4, where it says: “At Donau, in Flanders, A. D. 1421, a great number was discovered, who professed the doctrine of the Waldenses, many of whom, remaining steadfast, were burnt alive.” Also, Vignier, Hist. Eccl., in the year 1421, ex Monstrelets.
Note.—Whether those of Dort, in Holland, were also guilty at this time, of the blood of the saints, we have not been able to ascertain; nevertheless, the Lord severely chastised them in this year, 1421, so that, through heavy floods, the city became an island, and was deprived of seventy-two villages that lay round about, and were all swallowed up in the water.
Hence, the following inscription is found carved on the outside of the Speuy Gate of said city, over the arch, in blue stone:
“All land and water which here you see, were
Seventy-two parishes, chronicles state,
Swallowed by water’s resistless power;
Thousand four hundred seventy-one by date.”
This event is so generally known, and has been described by so many authors, that I deem it unnecessary to add anything by way of confirmation. A sad thing for the place of our birth.
Note.—A. D. 1423.—At this time, writes P. J. Twisck, Henry Gruenfelder was burnt for the truth, in the city of Regensburg, in Germany; and shortly after, in the same city, Henry Rathgeber. Chron., p. 787, col. 1, compared with Georg. Pac., cap. 11.