"Dit Boeck wort genaemt: Het Offer des Heeren, Om het inhout van sommige opgeofferde Kinderen Gods, de welcke voort gebrocht hebben, wt den goeden schat haers herten, Belijdinghen, Sentbrieuen ende Testamenten, de welcke sy met den monde beleden, ende met den bloede bezeghelt hebben, &c. &c. Tot Harlinghen. By my Peter Sebastiaenzoon, Int jaer ons Heeren MDXCIX."
It is a thick 12mo. of 229 folios, and contains the martyrdoms of thirty-three persons (the first of which is Stephen), which were subsequently embodied in the larger martyrologies. Each narrative is followed by a versified version of it. A small book of hymns is added, some of them composed by the martyrs; and the letters and confession of one Joos de Tollenaer, who was put to death at Ghent in 1589.
In 1615, a large collection of these narratives appeared at Haarlem in a thick 4to. volume. The compilers were Hans de Ries, Jaques Outerman, and Joost Govertsoon, all eminent Mennonite ministers. Two editions followed from the press of Zacharias Cornelis at Hoorn in 1617 and 1626, both in 4to., but under different editorship. The last edition was offensive to the Haarlem editors, who therefore published a fourth at Haarlem in 1631. As its title is brief, I will give it from the copy in my library:
"Martelaers Spiegel der Werelose Christenen t' zedert A. D. 1524. Joan, xv. 20. Matt. x. 28. Esai, li. 7. Joan xvi. 2. 1 Pet. iv. 19. [All quoted at length.] Gedrukt tot Haarlem Bij Hans Passchiers van Wesbusch. In't Jaer onses Heeren, 1631."
This edition is in small folio. The title-page is from a copperplate, and is adorned with eight small engravings, representing scenes of suffering and persecution from scripture. The narratives of martyrs extends from 1524 to 1624. It is this work which forms the basis of Van Braght's. He added to it the whole of his first part, and also some additional narratives in the second. To the best of his ability he verified the whole.
These works are frequently referred to by Ottius in his Annales Anabaptistici under the titles "Martyrologium Harlemense" and "Martyrologium Hornanum."
From a paper in the Archivs für Kunde österreichischer Geschichtsquellen, I learn that a MS. exists in the City library of Hamburgh, with the following title:
"Chronickel oder Denkbüechel darinnen mit kurtzen Begriffen, Was sich vom 1524 Jar, Bis auff gegenwärtige Zeit, in der gemain zuegetragen, vnd wie viel trewer Zeugen Jesu Christij die warheit Gottes so riterlich mit irem bluet bezeugt. 1637."
The work appears chiefly confined to a history of the Moravian Anabaptists: but from passages given by the writer, Herr Gregor Wolny, it is evident that it contains many of the narratives given by Van Braght. The earlier portion of the MS. was written previous to 1592, when its writer or compiler died. Three continuators carried on the narrations to 1654. The last date in it is June 7, 1654; when Daniel Zwicker, in his own handwriting, records his settlement as pastor over a Baptist church. Mention is made of this MS. by Ottius, and by Fischer in his Tauben-kobel, p. 33., &c. For any additional particulars respecting it, I should feel greatly obliged.
It does not appear to be known to your correspondent that a translation of the second part of Van Braght's work has been commenced in this country, of which the first volume was issued by the Hanserd Knollys Society last year. A translation of the entire work appeared in 1837, in Pennsylvania, U. S., for the use of the Mennonite churches, emigrants from Holland and Germany to whom the language of their native land had become a strange tongue.