PIETER VAN OOSTHOVE, A. D. 1564.

Pieter Floriss, called of Oosthove, a native of Nipkerke in Flanders, was apprehended for the divine truth, at Armentiers, A. D. 1564, and, through many solicitations and sufferings, was prevailed upon to apostatize from his faith, induced by the promise that he should not die, and be released. But when again in his prison, and coming to himself, he reflected how greatly he had suffered himself to be deceived, for though he should escape temporal death for a little while, he should therefor have to taste eternal death. This produced in him such an agonizing sorrow, that he, like Peter, betook himself with earnest supplication to Almighty God, and besought him with scalding tears for forgiveness for the great offense he had committed, and for a more steadfast mind than he had shown before. His prayer was not left unheard, for when he was brought before the authorities again, he utterly renounced his apostasy, and thenceforth boldly confessed his faith, and steadfastly adhered to it, so that he was finally sentenced to death, to which he went with glad constancy, and was thus strangled, and burnt.