“The blood of the martyrs,” said one of the ancients, “is the seed of the church; the rose grows in and among the thorns; so also the rose of the blooming church of Christ.” This appeared in these sore and sorrowful times, when scarcely anything was heard of but slaying, burning, murdering and shedding of the blood of the innocent and defenseless lambs of Christ; so that in that very time far more persons were stirred up to follow them and embrace their faith, than had been slain before. Whole bands so to speak, marched to the spiritual conflict, yea, to the places where nothing but certain death was to be expected. Each was ready to become an offering for God (if he accounted him worthy for it.) Neither fire nor sword was feared for the testimony of the Lord: for they looked to his comforting and most glorious promises which he has given to the steadfast.
This appeared in the year 1552, in the month of August, in the case of six pious Christians, who, having fled from Babel, betook themselves to the vision of peace, to the spiritual Jerusalem of the true church of God, notwithstanding many assaults and storms were made upon them insomuch that it cost them their lives through the cruel and terrible death by fire.
The circumstances of the case were as follows: Three of them had already through baptism been accepted as members of the church, and the other three were ready for it. In the meantime they were all apprehended, and brought to Amsterdam, where they all made a good confession of that most holy faith, which dwelt in their souls, though the last mentioned three greatly deplored the one fact, namely, that they were not baptized to which they, if it had been possible, would have yet attended before their death.
In short, sentence of death was passed upon them all, namely that they should be executed as heretics with fire, that is, in common language, burnt alive; which cruel death they all steadfastly endured, as appears from the following sentence, which we received from the book of criminal sentences of the city of Amsterdam, just as it was read in the court immediately before their death, and which we shall therefore here adduce as an indubitable attest of the aforementioned matter.
Sentence of death of the aforementioned six persons, Lievijn Jans, Meynert Hermans, Pieter Thymans, Reyer Egberts, Hendrick Anthoniss, Claes Gerbrants.
Whereas Lievijn, son of Jans of Ghent, otherwise called Liefken de Keyser, weaver by trade; Meynert Hermans of Balch, wood-sawyer; Pieter Thymans of Sutphen, formerly cooper, now book-binder by trade; Reyer Egberts, citizen of this city, Hendrick Anthoniss, of Leyden, both of them weavers; and Claes Gerbrants, native of Wormer, have resorted to the conventicles and gatherings of the Anabaptistical sect, and gone to hear the doctrines of the heads or teachers of said sect, namely, said Claes Gerbrants the doctrines of Menno Simons, ten years ago, and said Lievijn of Ghent, and all the others, the doctrines of Gillis, of Aix-la-Chapelle; and forasmuch as they, adhering to the doctrines, errors and heresies promulgated by the aforesaid false teachers, have separated from the faith, obedience and unity of the holy Christian Church, and hold pernicious views with regard to the sacraments of the holy church, insomuch that the aforesaid Lievijn, Meynert and Pieter, have been rebaptized by said Gillis, of Aix-la-Chapelle, thus renouncing the baptism which they received in their infancy, and the aforesaid Reyer Egberts, Hendrick Anthoniss, and Claes Gerbrants, likewise renouncing their aforesaid baptism have confessed themselves to be ready for re baptism, if they can attain to it, all of which is contrary to the holy Christian faith, the ordinances of the holy church, and the written laws and decrees of his Imperial Majesty, our gracious lord; and as they moreover, obstinately persist in their unbelief, heresy and errors; therefore, my lords the Judges, having heard the demand made by my lord the Bailiff, concerning the aforesaid delinquents, together with their confessions, and having duly regarded the circumstances of the aforesaid case, condemn said delinquents to be executed with fire by the executioner, and furthermore declare their property confiscated for the benefit of his Imperial Majesty, as count of Holland and our gracious lord, without derogation or prejudice to the privileges of this city. Done and pronounced in the court, on the 6th day of August, A. D. 1552, in the presence of all the Judges, dempto Andries Boelen, by the advice of the Burgomaster.
Concerning the Torturing of Hendrick Anthoniss and Reyer Egberts, and when it Occurred.
Of these, two were examined by torture, namely, Henrick Anthoniss, on the 28th of June, and Reyer Egberts on the last of June, 1552.
Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences, preserved at Amsterdam, in the keeping of the secretary of the city.
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