# Four Friends Offered Up In Maestricht;—Arent Van Essen; Ursel His Wife; Neeltgen, An Old Woman; And Trijntgen, Her Daughter, In The Year 1570. · Page 2 of 2 [Previous page: FOUR FRIENDS OFFERED UP IN MAESTRICHT;—ARENT VAN ESSEN; URSEL HIS WIFE; NEELTGEN, AN OLD WOMAN; AND TRIJNTGEN, HER DAUGHTER, IN THE YEAR 1570.](/en/stories/mm-four-friends-offered-up-in-maestricht-arent-van-essen-ursel-his-wife-neeltgen-an-old-woman-and-trijntgen-her-daughter-in/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: ANNEKEN OGIERS, DAUGHTER OF JAN OGIERS, AND WIFE OF ADRIAEN BOOGAERT, DROWNED FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT HAARLEM, A. D. 1570.](/en/stories/mm-anneken-ogiers-daughter-of-jan-ogiers-and-wife-of-adriaen-boogaert-drowned-for-the-testimony-of-jesus-christ-at-haarlem/) On the 9th of January, in the year 1570, Arent and Ursel his wife were notified in the name of the lords, that each was to be put to a stake and burned, in which message they greatly rejoiced, because they were to be counted worthy to die for the name of Christ; and were full of joy that day and night, thanking and praising God, and thus waited for the day of their redemption. In the morning a town beadle came to Ursel, and enjoined her in the name of his lords, that she should not speak in the street on her way to execution; this the beadle said in the presence of the lords. Ursel said to the lords: “And may I not sing a little, 806 and say something now and then?” But this they would not permit her, and said among themselves: “We hear now what her intentions are.” They further said to the executioner: “Do as you are commanded, and stop her mouth.” The executioner had a piece of wood, which he put in Ursel’s mouth, and tied up her mouth with a cloth. And as they had been taken back from the prisoners’ gate, where they were tortured, to the Dinghuys, whence they were to go to execution, and where also Neeltgen and Trijntgen were still imprisoned, Trijntgen, when Ursel was led away from the Dinghuys, had come to a window above, and when she saw Ursel being led forth to death, she cried aloud over all the people, saying to Ursel: “Dear sister, contend manfully, for the crown of life is prepared for you.” Thus Ursel, with her mouth gagged, went to the Vrijthof (the place where she was to be offered up), the people complaining greatly, because her mouth had been gagged so that she could not speak one word. When Ursel arrived at the scaffold which had been erected, she ascended it quietly as a lamb, and went directly into the hut, and the executioner immediately set fire to the same; and thus she was burned to ashes, and became a burnt offering unto the Lord. Very shortly after, Arent, Ursel’s husband, was also notified to prepare himself for death, which he willingly received, and prepared himself accordingly. Before he was led forth to death, they also stopped and tied up his mouth, which presented a pitiful sight. They had erected a scaffold in another place than where Ursel had been put to death, namely, in the Friday or cattle market, near the Poel. What the lords sought by putting them to death separately was not really known; but common report had it, that the lords did it in order that Arent and Ursel might not derive any comfort from each other. When Arent was thus led, with his mouth gagged, to this place, a joyful and undismayed mind could be perceived. Having ascended the scaffold, he fell upon his knees, and fervently offered up his prayer. He then arose and went into the hut, where he divested himself of part of his clothing; but as this took up some time, the Bailiff, who was present on horseback, called out to the executioner:. “Go on with your work;” which the latter immediately did, and lighted the fire, and thus this martyr was likewise burned to ashes, as a witness of Jesus Christ. Above we said, that the old woman Neeltgen, and Trijntgen her daughter, remained still imprisoned in the Dinghuys. On the 23d of January of the same year, these two also received notice from the lords, that they should have to die as the others; which notice they so joyfully received, that time seemed very long to them before that day arrived. For they sought rest above in heaven with their dear heavenly Father, who, though he suffers his own to be tempted here, yet does never depart with his mercy from them, but delivers them out of all their distress. Hence, they were rejoiced in the Lord above measure, thanked and praised him the whole night, and thus waited longingly for the day of their redemption. In the morning, when they were to be led to execution, the executioner put a piece of wood into the mouth of each, and tied it up with a cloth; and thus they joyfully went (escorted) to the Vrijthof. On the way Trijntgen put her hands up to the cloth with which her mouth was tied, and began to draw it away and to say something, and to call out why they died. But this they would in no wise tolerate; hence the executioner went up to her and laid his hand upon her mouth, and ordered her to go into the hut; for most of this was done on the scaffold. And thus Trijntgen and her dear mother were led into the hut, and both burned to ashes, having commended their souls into the hands of God; which took place on the 24th of January, A. D. 1569. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_806) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: FOUR FRIENDS OFFERED UP IN MAESTRICHT;—ARENT VAN ESSEN; URSEL HIS WIFE; NEELTGEN, AN OLD WOMAN; AND TRIJNTGEN, HER DAUGHTER, IN THE YEAR 1570.](/en/stories/mm-four-friends-offered-up-in-maestricht-arent-van-essen-ursel-his-wife-neeltgen-an-old-woman-and-trijntgen-her-daughter-in/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: ANNEKEN OGIERS, DAUGHTER OF JAN OGIERS, AND WIFE OF ADRIAEN BOOGAERT, DROWNED FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT HAARLEM, A. D. 1570.](/en/stories/mm-anneken-ogiers-daughter-of-jan-ogiers-and-wife-of-adriaen-boogaert-drowned-for-the-testimony-of-jesus-christ-at-haarlem/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-four-friends-offered-up-in-maestricht-arent-van-essen-ursel-his-wife-neeltgen-an-old-woman-and-trijntgen-her-daughter-in/part-2/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Four+Friends+Offered+Up+In+Maestricht%3B%E2%80%94Arent+Van+Essen%3B+Ursel+His+Wife%3B+Neeltgen%2C+An+Old+Woman%3B+And+Trijntgen%2C+Her+Daughter%2C+In+The+Year+1570.+%C2%B7+Page+2+of+2&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AFour+Friends+Offered+Up+In+Maestricht%3B%E2%80%94Arent+Van+Essen%3B+Ursel+His+Wife%3B+Neeltgen%2C+An+Old+Woman%3B+And+Trijntgen%2C+Her+Daughter%2C+In+The+Year+1570.+%C2%B7+Page+2+of+2%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-four-friends-offered-up-in-maestricht-arent-van-essen-ursel-his-wife-neeltgen-an-old-woman-and-trijntgen-her-daughter-in%2Fpart-2%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-four-friends-offered-up-in-maestricht-arent-van-essen-ursel-his-wife-neeltgen-an-old-woman-and-trijntgen-her-daughter-in--b00009-o000000%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1570%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.)