# Six Pious Brethren, Namely, Lievijn Jans, Meynert Hermans, Pieter Thymans, Reyer Egberts, Hendrick Anthoniss, Claes Gerbrants, All Burnt Alive For The Testimony Of Jesus Christ, At Amsterdam, On The 6th Day Of August, A. D. 1552. · Page 1 of 2

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“The blood of the martyrs,” said one of the
ancients, “is the seed of the church; the rose grows
in and among the thorns; so also the rose of the
blooming church of Christ.” This appeared in these
sore and sorrowful times, when scarcely anything was
heard of but slaying, burning, murdering and shedding
of the blood of the innocent and defenseless
lambs of Christ; so that in that very time far more
persons were stirred up to follow them and embrace
their faith, than had been slain before. Whole bands
so to speak, marched to the spiritual conflict, yea,
to the places where nothing but certain death was
to be expected. Each was ready to become an offering
for God (if he accounted him worthy for it.)
Neither fire nor sword was feared for the testimony
of the Lord: for they looked to his comforting and
most glorious promises which he has given to the
steadfast.

This appeared in the year 1552, in the month of
August, in the case of six pious Christians, who,
having fled from Babel, betook themselves to the
vision of peace, to the spiritual Jerusalem of the true
church of God, notwithstanding many assaults and
storms were made upon them insomuch that it cost
them their lives through the cruel and terrible death
by fire.

The circumstances of the case were as follows:
Three of them had already through baptism been
accepted as members of the church, and the other
three were ready for it. In the meantime they were
all apprehended, and brought to Amsterdam, where
they all made a good confession of that most holy
faith, which dwelt in their souls, though the last
mentioned three greatly deplored the one fact,
namely, that they were not baptized to which they,
if it had been possible, would have yet attended before
their death.

In short, sentence of death was passed upon them
all, namely that they should be executed as heretics
with fire, that is, in common language, burnt alive;
which cruel death they all steadfastly endured, as
appears from the following sentence, which we received
from the book of criminal sentences of the
city of Amsterdam, just as it was read in the court
immediately before their death, and which we shall
therefore here adduce as an indubitable attest of the
aforementioned matter.

Sentence of death of the aforementioned six persons,
Lievijn Jans, Meynert Hermans, Pieter
Thymans, Reyer Egberts, Hendrick
Anthoniss, Claes Gerbrants.

Whereas Lievijn, son of Jans of Ghent, otherwise
called Liefken de Keyser, weaver by trade; Meynert
Hermans of Balch, wood-sawyer; Pieter Thymans
of Sutphen, formerly cooper, now book-binder
by trade; Reyer Egberts, citizen of this city, Hendrick
Anthoniss, of Leyden, both of them weavers;
and Claes Gerbrants, native of Wormer, have resorted
to the conventicles and gatherings of the Anabaptistical
sect, and gone to hear the doctrines of
the heads or teachers of said sect, namely, said Claes
Gerbrants the doctrines of Menno Simons, ten years
ago, and said Lievijn of Ghent, and all the others,
the doctrines of Gillis, of Aix-la-Chapelle; and forasmuch
as they, adhering to the doctrines, errors and
heresies promulgated by the aforesaid false teachers,
have separated from the faith, obedience and unity
of the holy Christian Church, and hold pernicious
views with regard to the sacraments of the holy
church, insomuch that the aforesaid Lievijn, Meynert
and Pieter, have been rebaptized by said Gillis,
of Aix-la-Chapelle, thus renouncing the baptism
which they received in their infancy, and the aforesaid
Reyer Egberts, Hendrick Anthoniss, and Claes
Gerbrants, likewise renouncing their aforesaid baptism
have confessed themselves to be ready for re
516baptism,
if they can attain to it, all of which is contrary
to the holy Christian faith, the ordinances of
the holy church, and the written laws and decrees
of his Imperial Majesty, our gracious lord; and as
they moreover, obstinately persist in their unbelief,
heresy and errors; therefore, my lords the Judges,
having heard the demand made by my lord the
Bailiff, concerning the aforesaid delinquents, together
with their confessions, and having duly regarded
the circumstances of the aforesaid case, condemn
said delinquents to be executed with fire by
the executioner, and furthermore declare their property
confiscated for the benefit of his Imperial
Majesty, as count of Holland and our gracious
lord, without derogation or prejudice to the privileges
of this city. Done and pronounced in the
court, on the 6th day of August, A. D. 1552, in the
presence of all the Judges, dempto Andries Boelen,
by the advice of the Burgomaster.

Concerning the Torturing of Hendrick Anthoniss
and Reyer Egberts, and when it Occurred.



## Original source

[Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_516)

[Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855)

[Previous page: SEVERAL LETTERS WRITTEN IN PRISON, BY ADRIAN CORNELISS, INCLUDING A PRAYER, AN ADMONITION, AND A CONFESSION OF ADRIAN CORNELISS, GLAZIER, WHO WAS IMPRISONED AT LEYDEN, AND ALSO PUT TO DEATH THERE FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 1552.](/en/stories/mm-several-letters-written-in-prison-by-adrian-corneliss-including-a-prayer-an-admonition-and-a-confession-of-adrian-cornel/part-11/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: SIX PIOUS BRETHREN, NAMELY, LIEVIJN JANS, MEYNERT HERMANS, PIETER THYMANS, REYER EGBERTS, HENDRICK ANTHONISS, CLAES GERBRANTS, ALL BURNT ALIVE FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT AMSTERDAM, ON THE 6TH DAY OF AUGUST, A. D. 1552.](/en/stories/mm-six-pious-brethren-namely-lievijn-jans-meynert-hermans-pieter-thymans-reyer-egberts-hendrick-anthoniss-claes-gerbrants-a/part-2/)

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