Anabaptist Church History
Language: English

The original account

TOUCHING THE PERSONS THAT WERE THEN IN THE COURT OF JUSTICE, AND CONSEQUENTLY, SAT IN JUDGMENT IN REGARD TO THIS SENTENCE; THEY WERE THE FOLLOWING:

Second Part. · ENLARGED AND IMPROVED FROM VARIOUS CREDIBLE CHRONICLES, MEMOIRS, TESTIMONIES, ETC.

Original wording, with book contents, page navigation, and linked notes. Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

Jan van Drenckwaert Boudewijnss, aged between twenty-nine and thirty years, being then Bailiff of Dortrecht.

Arent van der Mijle Sir Corneliss, burgomaster of the community, who had gone out of office about the close of the year 1570, but had now, the 6th of March, been re-elected.

Together with (according to the law of said city) nine judges: Cornelis Sir Hendricks; Adriaen van Mosyenbroeck Sir Govertss; Adriaen Koninck Dirckss; Arent Hendricks; Gijsbrecht Janss, treasurer; Michiel van Beveren Sir Pieterss; Mr. Jan van Muylwijck Sir Franss; Pieter Kool Sir Huygenss; Damas Sir Wouterss, surrogated by Jan Adriaenss.

These we have extracted from the register of the lords of justice of the city of Dortrecht, who reigned in the year 1572, according to the account of the aforesaid Johan van Beverwijck, in the book referred to, where he treats of the government of the city, for the year 1572.

But whether they all together concurred in this sentence, or only some of them, by a majority of votes among them, is not expressed, nor do we consider it of much importance to know, since it is sufficient for our improvement and edification to have learned the unwavering faith and steadfast death of the aforesaid martyrs, who died under their reign.

Concerning the death of these friends two hymns were composed at that time, in the first of which the following words among others were sung, touching the cause and time of their imprisonment:

Terstond daer na zijn Brieven gekomen,
Te Dordrecht aen den nieuwen Schout,
Die seer jonk is van jaren, etc.
Right after, letters came:
To the new Bailiff at Dordrecht,
Who is very young of years, etc.

In the other this is sung concerning their death:

Adriaenken Jans is eerst omgebrocht,
’t Welck Schout Jan Drenkwaert heeft versocht.
First Adriaenken Jans was put to death
Who requested the bailiff Jan Drenkwaert.

And afterwards:

Jan Wouterss sprak, met goed bescheyd,
Dit is den dag der saligheyd.
Swygt, sprak den Onderschout.
Waerom soude ik (seyde hy) ’tspreeken laten,
Myn woorden zijn niet quaed, noch stout.
Adriaenken look haer oogen voorwaer,
Om haren Bruydegom te behagen klaer;
Die rust nu in den Heer,
En is de pyn van den brand ontgaen,
Alleen door sijn genade meer.
Jan Woutersz heeft hem aen den pael gerecht,
Doen lachre by [van vreugd’] als een vroom knecht,
En beval soo God
Synen geest in Syne handen,329
Die was sijn Toevlucht, Borgt, en Slot.
Oorlof heeft hy geroepen aldaer,
Aen Broeders en Susters in’t openbaer,
Met woorden soet,
U wil ik den Heer bevelen,
Die voor ons heeft gestort sijn bloed.
Dees twee schaepkens zijn door, voort tempeest,
Wat heeft al [haer] lijden mi geweest?
Sy hebben de Kroon
Der Martelaren verworven,
Die hebben sy nu voor haer loon.
Jan Wouterss clearly spake:
This is the day of salvation.
Be silent, said the underbailiff.
Why should I, he said, forbear to speak?
My words are neither bad nor bold.
Adriaenken too looked forward,
To please her Bridegroom.
She rests now in the Lord,
And has passed the fire’s pain,
Through his bountiful grace alone.
Jan Wouterss placed himself at the stake,
Then laughed for joy, as a pious servant,
And thus commended his spirit
Into the hands of the Lord,
Who was his Refuge, Fortress and Castle.
Farewell, he sweetly called
To the brethren and sisters openly:
I will commend you to the Lord,
Who shed for us his blood.
These two lambs have now passed through,
Away tempest!
What were now all their sufferings?
They obtained the martyr’s crown,
Which now they hold as their reward.

In the same hymn is also mentioned, how their mouths were gagged, how they prayed to God, how they prepared themselves for death at the place of execution, etc.; but we deem the foregoing sufficient for a memorial of their sacrifice.

Note.—As there have come into our hands all the letters, testaments and confessions, twelve in number, of Jan Wouterss van Kuyck, as also a letter of Adriaenken Jans of Molenaersgraef, with the answer of her husband, J. A. of Dort, all of which we have, upon perusing them, found to be full of sound and edifying teachings we have deemed it well to add the same here for edification and perpetual remembrance, so that every one may see the active and living faith upon which the aforementioned friends laid down their lives.