The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians / who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of Jesus, their savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660

by Thieleman J. van Braght

The day when Claudine was to be offered up, the miller’s wife, desirous of seeing her being executed, asked Piersom whether he did not wish to go along and behold the scene, which he declined, requesting her kindly to pay strict attention to everything, in order to give him an account of it afterwards. When she returned home she related to Piersom how valiantly and undauntedly Claudine went to death, what she said, and how she conducted herself; everything, however, with the idea, that Claudine had not acted rationally. Thereupon Piersom, having warmed up, took heart and discovered himself to the miller and his wife, saying that he was of the same belief, and that the one put to death was his beloved and very rational wife, and upon what foundations of truth they founded their doctrine and life. This so deeply affected the miller and his wife, that they also resolved to amend their life. They were baptized upon their faith, and shortly after sealed the truth with their blood.

PIETER PIETERS BECKJEN, BURNT ALIVE AT AMSTERDAM, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, ON THE 26TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, A. D. 1569.

The dreadful murdering, burning and killing of the innocent and upright followers of Jesus Christ were not sufficient at this time to deter from the true confession and practice of the Christian faith a certain pious brother and faithful witness of the Lord, named Pieter Peters Beckjen, by trade a boatman on the Amstel, and so zealous, that at divers times he gathered the little flock of the oppressed pious who lived about Amsterdam, into his boat, in order to edify one another with the word of God, and to strengthen one another in the accepted faith.

And when it came to pass that his dear wife bore him a child, he, from Christian carefulness, took said infant with him to a place where it might be secure from the superstition of the papists, and from being baptized.

In short, he manifested his zeal in every respect, notwithstanding the cruelty of the rulers of darkness, and this with a sincere and good intention, till finally he was, on that account, denounced to the magistrates of the city of Amsterdam, apprehended, dreadfully tortured, and, at last, when he would not apostatize, sentenced to death, and burnt alive, as appears from the sentence, which, for confirmation of said matter, was faithfully and correctly sent to us from the hands of the Secretary there. In it can be seen, on the one hand, the steadfast confession of this martyr, and on the other hand, how awfully the rulers of darkness misinterpreted the same, and construed it to an evil, shameful and terrible end.

SENTENCE OF DEATH OF PIETER PIETERS BECKJEN.

Whereas Pieter Pieters, alias Beckjen, boatman, prisoner, unmindful of his soul and salvation, and of the obedience which he owed to the Lord God, and to His Imperial Majesty, forsaking our mother, the holy church, and this from the time that he attained to understanding, even until now, has refused to go to the holy, worthy sacrament, despising and disregarding the same, and has in twenty years been to confession only once, contrary to the ordinance of our mother, the holy church, and, moreover, has attended the reprobated and prohibited assemblies, or conventicles, of the Mennonists, etc., and has himself, in his own boat, twice held conventicles of the aforesaid Mennonists, in which abominable and reprobated sect he so obstinately persists, that still recently before his apprehension, his wife lying in childbed, he took said child and conveyed it away, not willing to tolerate or permit that said child should be baptized according to the ceremonies of the ancient Roman Catholic and Apostolical church; in which he is still captive, persisting therein, and not willing to return to our mother, the holy church, notwithstanding he has at divers times, by various ecclesiastical persons, and also by the aldermen of this city, been admonished and urged to return and to leave this accursed sect,—all of which are crimes against the divine and the secular majesty, as said before, which disturb the peace and the common weal, and which ought therefore, for an example to others, not to go unpunished; therefore, my lords of the court, having seen the demand of my lord the bailiff, also his information, the confession of the prisoner, together with the poor defense of said prisoner, and having duly considered all, have condemned the aforesaid prisoner, as they by these presents do condemn him, to be executed with fire, according to the decrees of His Majesty; and declare his entire property confiscated for the benefit of His Majesty aforesaid, without prejudice to the privileges and all other interests of this city.

Done in court this 26th of February, A. D. 1569, in the presence of all the judges, by the advice of all the burgomasters.

How said person was condemned to the rack, and when this happened.

He was condemned to the torture, the 17th of January, A. D. 1569, and examined and threatened with torture on the same day, and in the same place, as appears from the records of the confession.