Of The Destruction Of Some Tyrants Of This Last Persecution.

It also happened at Dixmuyden, in Flanders, in the year 1553, when the pious Wouter Capelle, who is mentioned in this book, was burnt for the truth, that there was a simple, harmless fellow, who was arrested by the lords of Dixmuyden. He begged in the streets, and was thus fed by good-hearted people. And since the aforementioned Wouter Capelle, (by trade a say-weaver) was very liberal in supplying the poor with food, communicating to them from the labor of his hands, it occurred, two or three days before Wouter was apprehended, that this simple fellow, late in the evening, came to Wouter’s house. Wouter asked him whether he wanted something to eat. He said: “Yes.” Hence Wouter brought him a piece twice until he did not wish any more. Now when it came to pass, that Wouter Capelle was sentenced to be burnt, this simple fellow cried: “You thieves and murderers, you shed innocent blood; this man has done no evil but has very kindly fed me.” And this he cried constantly, and as Wouter was brought forth to be burned, he also stepped near and wanted to run into the fire with the condemned man, so that they had to carry him away by force. And when he was dead, the burnt body having been brought outside 1038 of the city to the gallows-field, this simple fellow daily resorted thither, heeding neither snow nor rain, and stroked with his hands the burnt body, and said: “O poor fellow, you have surely done no evil, and yet they have shed your blood; and you have fed me so kindly.” Finally, when the body had been almost devoured by the birds, this man on a certain occasion took off the whole skeleton, laid it upon his shoulders, and ran in to the gate with it. Hence many people followed him, to see whither he should take it, but he went with it to the lord burgomaster of the city, and when the latter had opened his door, he threw the whole skeleton down into the hall, and said (also other lords being gathered there): “You thieves and murderers, if you have eaten the flesh of this man, eat the bones too.” And as the lords of Dixmuyden had erected an iron stake in the place where the aforesaid Wouter Capelle had been executed, for a token and lasting memorial, that such a heretic (as they regarded him) had been burned there; it came to pass that the burgomaster of said city, into whose house the skeleton had been thrown, became sick unto death, and his sickness so affected him, that in his delirium he cried out: That he had seen the angel of God fly over the stake with the soul of the burnt Wouter Capelle. And this he constantly cried, till the lords caused the iron stake to be removed; then he ceased his cry; but died most miserably shortly afterwards. In consequence of this, it seems, those of Dixmuyden were so frightened that afterwards they shed no more innocent blood.

Concerning this avenging hand of God, which he very signally exercised upon blood-thirsty tyrants and persecutors of his people, you may also read in an epistle of Menno Simon’s, S. G. folio 133,348 which the latter wrote in his time to Martin Mikron, and which partly related to the aforementioned Menno himself. It reads as follows:

“It is now about eighteen or nineteen years since that a very eminent and distinguished man, who was highly esteemed by the world, but whose name and country I will not mention, wickedly advised, how they should extirpate me and the pious. He had scarcely finished his words and wicked thought, when the avenging hand of the Most High touched him. He dropped at the table, and thus in a moment ended his impenitent, blood-thirsty, wicked, ungodly life in a most dreadful manner, O terrible judgment?” This happened about the year 1539.

“About the same time it happened to another man, who thought that he would so set his trap for me, that I could not escape, that he, in like manner, at the same meal he was eating, while speaking the words, was suddenly pierced by an arrow from the Lord’s quiver, being smitten with a severe disease, and thus had to give an account before the almighty, avenging God, and was buried within eight days from the time he had spoken these words.

“Still another, who was to become an officer to the Emperor in a certain place, fancied that he should exterminate this people, if there was any virtue in the imperial authority. He came to the place where he was to be located and serve in his capacity; and four or five days thereafter, the bell was tolled and the requiem sung over him.