# Confession Of Claes De Praet Who For The Testimony Of Jesus Christ, And His Word Was Imprisoned And Burnt At Ghent, And Laid Down His Life As A Burnt Offering Unto The Lord A. D. 1556. · Page 1 of 8 [Previous page: JAN DE KUDSE, A. D. 1556.](/en/stories/mm-jan-de-kudse-a-d-1556/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: CONFESSION OF CLAES DE PRAET WHO FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AND HIS WORD WAS IMPRISONED AND BURNT AT GHENT, AND LAID DOWN HIS LIFE AS A BURNT OFFERING UNTO THE LORD A. D. 1556.](/en/stories/mm-confession-of-claes-de-praet-who-for-the-testimony-of-jesus-christ-and-his-word-was-imprisoned-and-burnt-at-ghent-and-la/part-2/) Grace and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, be with you all, my most beloved brethren and sisters in the Lord. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ; according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Let every one among you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith he is called so that satan may not torment you in your trial; and diligently exhort one another in love; for I would willingly write you an exhortation, but the time is not convenient for it, because I am closely watched by the jailer, who stands in great fear of the dean. Nevertheless, I am greatly inclined to write you something about my examination, and the malice and forged lies of the priests, by which they think to condemn me, but God be praised, who helps me gain the victory. I write you this, if haply some that are yet young may be edified thereby. At first after I was imprisoned, until the sixth day I was in great sorrow; my heart was weighed down and heavy, and my flesh feared greatly. I said to myself: “Now I must undergo this and many other conflicts;” I thought of wife and children; and satan went round me to devour me, with many strange temptations which it would take too long to relate. On the sixth day, in the forenoon, the jailer came and called me out of the place where I was confined, saying: “Claes, come down, and follow me;” and he led the way. My heart kindled within me with joy to the Lord my God; so that all my trouble and anxiety was driven from me, as dust is swept from the street. Then thought I: “O gracious God! now I find that thou art faithful to thy promise. Heb. 10:23. Lord, direct now my speech, as thou hast promised.” Heb. 10:23; Luke 21:14. He then led me into a room, where sat the Chief Judge with two other Judges, the Bailiff, and a man with a long beard, who had a large book before him, in which to write. They regarded me very intently, when I entered the room, and I did them great reverence, and bade all of them peace. Rom. 13:7. The jailer placed a chair for me, and said: “Claes, sit down here; it is so ordered.” I sat down with good cheer, the heart lifted up to the Lord my God, forgetful of myself and the things that are in this world. Then they said: “Cover your head.” I said: “It is not proper now.” The bailiff asked me: “What is your name!” I replied: “Claes de Praet.” Then said he: “Write this, and born in this city.” The clerk then asked me: “Were you born here?” I replied: “I know nothing to the contrary.” Bailiff. “Where have you been so long, Claes? The last time you were away from home so long?” Claes. “In Emderland.” Bailiff. “What did you do there?” Claes. “I tried to learn whether I could not buy or sell, or do something, by which to earn my bread.” Bailiff. “Yes, and to see the brethren, I well perceive.” Claes. “Yes, Sir Bailiff.” Bailiff. “Yes, Claes, have you received any other baptism than the one you received in your infancy, when you were Christened?” Claes. “I don’t remember so far back.” Bailiff. “Have you received a baptism which you remember?” Claes. “Yes, Sir bailiff.” Bailiff. “How long ago?” Claes. “About four years.” Then they were all greatly astonished. The bailiff asked me once more: “How long did you say?” Then the other judge said: “About four years.” Then the bailiff looked at me very sharply, and asked who they were, that had intercourse with me, and which of my brethren were also baptized. I replied: “It is not our way to ask each other: Where are you from? or where do you live? or what is your name? or what do you do?” Bailiff. “You don’t want to know it?” Claes. “No, Sir Bailiff.” Bailiff. “You do it, so as not to bring any one into trouble?” Claes. “Yes, Sir bailiff; for we well know that our blood is much sought, and the Lord has permitted us to be as wise as serpents.” Pr. 1:11; Matt. 10:16. Then the bailiff snarled at me, and they talked much Latin with each other. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_533) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: JAN DE KUDSE, A. D. 1556.](/en/stories/mm-jan-de-kudse-a-d-1556/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: CONFESSION OF CLAES DE PRAET WHO FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AND HIS WORD WAS IMPRISONED AND BURNT AT GHENT, AND LAID DOWN HIS LIFE AS A BURNT OFFERING UNTO THE LORD A. D. 1556.](/en/stories/mm-confession-of-claes-de-praet-who-for-the-testimony-of-jesus-christ-and-his-word-was-imprisoned-and-burnt-at-ghent-and-la/part-2/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-confession-of-claes-de-praet-who-for-the-testimony-of-jesus-christ-and-his-word-was-imprisoned-and-burnt-at-ghent-and-la/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Confession+Of+Claes+De+Praet+Who+For+The+Testimony+Of+Jesus+Christ%2C+And+His+Word+Was+Imprisoned+And+Burnt+At+Ghent%2C+And+Laid+Down+His+Life+As+A+Burnt+Offering+Unto+The+Lord+A.+D.+1556.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+8&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AConfession+Of+Claes+De+Praet+Who+For+The+Testimony+Of+Jesus+Christ%2C+And+His+Word+Was+Imprisoned+And+Burnt+At+Ghent%2C+And+Laid+Down+His+Life+As+A+Burnt+Offering+Unto+The+Lord+A.+D.+1556.+%C2%B7+Page+1+of+8%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-confession-of-claes-de-praet-who-for-the-testimony-of-jesus-christ-and-his-word-was-imprisoned-and-burnt-at-ghent-and-la%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-confession-of-claes-de-praet-who-for-the-testimony-of-jesus-christ-and-his-word-was-imprisoned-and-burnt-at-ghent-and-la%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1556%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)