Extracted from the book of records of the city of Dordrecht, commenced the last day of October, 1554, and concluded the 16th of June, 1573.
This was the end of this valiant heroine of Jesus, who, though she was secretly murdered in a tower, like Joris Wippe and others, will hereafter, in the great day of the Lord, be brought openly to light; then it shall be seen what difference there will be between those who did this, and her who suffered it, since every one shall receive in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Cor. 5:10.
This Puttox Tower, where this martyrdom took place, stood close by the gate of the Grootehooft of the city of Dordrecht; but it afterwards fell by reason of great age, or as a signal warning of God on account of this murder. In its place stands now a house, in the gable of which these words are carved in hard stone:
“Through the falling of Puttox-Tower
I was built, and stand to this hour.”
As to the persons who in said year administered criminal (or capital) justice, and, consequently, executed this work, they were, according to John Beverwijck’s history of the government of the city of Dordrecht, the following: Adrian van Blyenbergh Adriaenss, Bailiff; and nine Judges as follows: Jacob Adriaenss; Philips van Beverwijck Ogierss; Maerten Schrevel Dirckss; Jacob Oem Sir Jacobss; Pieter Muys Jacobss; Schrevel Sir Ockerss; Wouter Barthouts; Cornelis van Beveren Sir Claess; Wouter van Drenkwaert Sir Wilmss.
But whether all these judges, together with the bailiff, concurred in the aforesaid sentence; or whether Wouter Barthouts, who was present at her death, was the chief instigator of this work, is not expressed; however, it seems that the majority did not have much pleasure in it, since Wouter Barthouts alone, as it seems, with the executioner and the servants of justice, was present at the death of this woman.
RENEWAL OF THE PREVIOUS BLOODY DECREES OF EMPEROR CHARLES V., AGAINST THE BAPTISTS OR SO-CALLED ANABAPTISTS, BY PHILIP II., KING OF SPAIN, A. D. 1556.
Up to this time, Emperor Charles V. was alone, or at least chiefly responsible for the shedding of the blood of the saints in the Netherlands, as also for the most cruel tyrannies which, through the instrumentality of the Inquisition, and through what followed afterwards, were inflicted upon them, by fire, water, sword, and otherwise; but in this year, his son, Philip II., King of Spain, following in his father’s footsteps (instead of lightening the constraint of conscience) caused all the previous bloody and cruel decrees which his father had issued against the so-called heretics, to be renewed and confirmed, especially the most cruel decree published on the 25th of September, 1550, the contents of which we have reserved until the present time, but will now, as renewed A. D. 1556, adduce here, however not with all its particulars, but only so far as it was directed (principally) against the Anabaptists and their doctrine.
In the book in which the prince of Orange, William I., defends himself against the false charges, which his adversaries sought unjustly to bring against him, printed 1569, mention of this is made (p. 165, letter L. VI.), in the following words.