# Richst Heynes, A. D. 1547. [Previous page: A LETTER OF CONSOLATION AND ADMONITION, WRITTEN IN PRISON BY DIRK PIETERS SMUEL, DECEASED, WHO WAS BURNT ALIVE AT AMSTERDAM, IN HOLLAND, FOR THE NAME AND TESTIMONY OF JESUS; TO ALL LOVERS OF THE EVANGELICAL TRUTH, A. D. 1546.](/en/stories/mm-a-letter-of-consolation-and-admonition-written-in-prison-by-dirk-pieters-smuel-deceased-who-was-burnt-alive-at-amsterdam/part-3/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: CLAES LECKS, A. D. 1548.](/en/stories/mm-claes-lecks-a-d-1548/) About the year 1547, there was a godfearing woman, whose name was Richst Heynes (so named after her husband, according to the custom of the country), and who lived in the Ilst, not far from Sneeck, in Friesland. She also bowed her shoulders under the easy yoke of the Lord Jesus, hearing and following his blessed voice, avoiding that of strangers opposed to him. The enemies of God perceiving this, very speedily sought to hinder and stop it; to which end, they sent forth tyrannical servants, who came as ravening wolves, and apprehended this defenseless sheep. Her husband perceiving it, escaped with great peril of life. She was very roughly handled, and cruelly bound, without the least mercy or compassion, though she was pregnant, and very near the time of her delivery, so that the midwife had already been with her. But notwithstanding all this, they took her with them, though her little children cried and wept piteously. They brought her to Leeuwaerden in prison, where after three weeks imprisonment, she gave birth to a son. The child, to the great astonishment of all who beheld it, very plainly showed on his arms the marks which his mother had received from the cruel fetters. They afterwards tortured her so cruelly, that she could not lay her hands upon her head. Thus she was maltreated with inhuman tortures, mainly for the reason that she would not betray her brethren, for these wolves were as yet by no means satisfied, but thirsted greatly after more innocent blood. The faithful God, however, who is a fortress in time of need, and a shield to all them that trust in him, guarded her lips, so that none were betrayed by her. Hence, as nothing could move her to separate from Christ, she was sentenced at said place, thrust into a bag, like an irrational brute, and cast into the water and drowned. All this she as an innocent lamb of Jesus Christ patiently and steadfastly endured for the name of the Lord, remaining faithful unto death; hence she is worthy ultimately to receive the crown of everlasting life from God, and to enjoy it forever and ever. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#FNanchor_249) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: A LETTER OF CONSOLATION AND ADMONITION, WRITTEN IN PRISON BY DIRK PIETERS SMUEL, DECEASED, WHO WAS BURNT ALIVE AT AMSTERDAM, IN HOLLAND, FOR THE NAME AND TESTIMONY OF JESUS; TO ALL LOVERS OF THE EVANGELICAL TRUTH, A. D. 1546.](/en/stories/mm-a-letter-of-consolation-and-admonition-written-in-prison-by-dirk-pieters-smuel-deceased-who-was-burnt-alive-at-amsterdam/part-3/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: CLAES LECKS, A. D. 1548.](/en/stories/mm-claes-lecks-a-d-1548/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-richst-heynes-a-d-1547/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Richst+Heynes%2C+A.+D.+1547.&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0ARichst+Heynes%2C+A.+D.+1547.%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-richst-heynes-a-d-1547%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-richst-heynes-a-d-1547%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1547%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.)