# A Letter From Hendrick Verstralen To His Wife, Written In The Year 1571, In Prison At Rijpermonde, Where He Laid Down His Life For The Name Of The Lord. 1571 · Historical source Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: A LETTER FROM HENDRICK VERSTRALEN TO HIS WIFE, WRITTEN IN THE YEAR 1571, IN PRISON AT RIJPERMONDE, WHERE HE LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE NAME OF THE LORD. Source heading; not independently verified The abundant great grace of God, that comes to us from the Father, through Christ his only Son; and the immeasurable riches of the Holy Ghost, whereby we are now kept unto eternal life, among this wicked and perverse generation, this only and eternal God of all grace keep you, my dearest wife and sister in the Lord, my flesh, my bone, the dearest among all creatures on earth. For this I have confessed more than once before the lords, if the whole world were mine, I would give it, if I could keep my wife and children with a good conscience; but for the Lord’s sake I must now contrary to nature forsake everything—the spirit must overcome the flesh. O my Janneken, my lamb, how hard it is for me to part from you and the children; O how deep you are buried in my heart; which is now a great conflict for me; may the Lord help me to gain the victory, so that the crown of life may be prepared for me, with all the elect saints of God; who have forsaken everything for the Lord’s sake. O my dear wife, my lamb, my love, I thank you from the depths of my soul, for your consoling letter, which you sent me; and may the Lord grant his eternal life to all those that by counsel or deed lent their aid in the matter. The letter removed a greater weight from my heart, than all the riches on the face of the earth are worth. O what a good thing it is, to remember the prisoners; how welcome came this Habakkuk to me, who fed me poor prisoner in my soul, here in the lion’s den; for a little morsel that comes from without strengthens me ten times more than what I have with me. Hist. of the Drag. 33, etc. O my dear wife and sister in the Lord, I pray you for the Lord’s sake, who am now bound for his sake, adhere to the truth, as the church at Antwerp and Ghent stands. Keep with them that truly fear God, and the God of all comfort will be with you, yea, God and his holy church shall feed you, and my young lambs, of this I have no doubt. If you continue in the fear of the Lord, and cast all your care upon him, though you are now poor; my sister and beloved wife, you will have much wealth, if you fear God and eschew sin, as I trust you will. Tob. 4:21. I further pray you; my dearest wife, take care as long as you live, of my young lambs, my Susanneken, my Abrahamken, and my Isaaken, that they may be brought up in the fear of God. O with what scalding tears do I pray to my God, to let them grow up in his fear, or to take them to him in their youth. O my dearest love on earth, Janneken Verstralen, kiss all my children once for me, and tell my Susanken, that it is her father’s wish, that she be obedient to her mother in the fear of God; and learn to be diligent to help her dear mother, to earn bread for her little brothers, and you my Janneken, my love, remember me your imprisoned husband, and bound for the eternal truth, and for the sake of the testimony of Jesus, in your prayers. This I pray you and all godfearing brethren and sisters, to help us pray to God, that we may gain the victory of a good fight, that God will now teach my fingers to war and my arm to bend the bow of steel, so that by faith I may break through a troop, and leap by my God over a wall (Ps. 18:34,29); so that we may say with Paul: The fight is fought, the course is finished, the crown of life is laid up for us. 2 Tim. 4:8. Maeyken and I are determined to use such force in order to take the kingdom of God, that flesh and blood shall remain on the posts and stakes. We are not permitted to stay together; however we have been together three times, yet through strategy; the first time, when the disputer came from Ghent. Then all the lords came too, and I began to say to them with what calamity they should be punished who now imbrued their hands in the blood of the innocent. Then they cast down their eyes; but a flatterer began to speak, saying, that I had most gravely accused all the lords. In short, I felt that he was the one who was to dispute with me; hence I finally feigned as though I could not defend myself, and spoke pleasantly to the lords, and requested that they should let Maeyken hear it; “for I see, said I, that you are anxious to help me, and in this wise you will have the trouble only once; if you help one you help them both.” They therefore consented to it; then we began to defend ourselves, 837 and it lasted until long in the afternoon. After dinner we met again, but Maeyken was not allowed to come to me. We then began to have some very sharp words; hence they changed their tactics, and began to speak pleasantly, saying, whether I dared not do like Paul, and, contrary to my views, circumcise Timothy, and shave my head; yea, secretly he said, whether I dared not with Judith cut off Holofernes’ head, though it were not the truth, that I should do all that I should promise; whether it were not the same God, and whether one might now not lie as well as then, for the sake of some good end; for it is written, he said: “If it be possible, live peaceably with all men.” Rom. 12:18. I requested time for consideration, whether I could do it with truth and a good conscience. We then parted, and they said they desired nothing else. They returned another time, and asked to what conclusion I had come; and I constantly sought to be with Maeyken; but it could not well be. I then said: “Let us come together; I hope always to do what is possible.” Then Maeyken came to me, and I presented the matter to her as they had done to me, whereupon she said: “How should this be? should the dog return to his own vomit?” 2 Peter 2:22. I then told them, that they should let me speak with Maeyken alone, and they permitted it. I then told Maeyken, that no man living should persuade me of this, that the priests’ matters are right, “they know it well,” said I, “but they seek to be rid of us; but we will live and die together.” Thus we said that we should consider the matter, with which they were satisfied. At another time they took Maeyken alone, but had me come too. When I came, and was there, I perceived that they showed us great friendship and promised much to set us into the street as free as we had ever been, for which they would pledge their souls; so that I finally became frightened, fearing that I might be led astray by their fair speeches. They also had more hope of winning me, than Maeyken; hence I fell upon my knees, and entreated them, not to trouble themselves any more with us; for I have besought my God with many tears day and night, that he would keep me in his truth; and hence I would live or die with the Lord. Then Maeyken leaped up for joy, for she had thought that I had given it up, since I had come in with a sad countenance. “Now I am glad,” she said, “for I thought, that I should have to die alone.” But when I perceived that Maeyken had such thoughts concerning me, I fell upon my knees, and said: “I am very sorry for this.” Thus we shook hands, and kissed each other, and rejoiced greatly together, but our adversaries were greatly grieved. I would have written these things more neatly, but I cannot make these writing materials do good service. Furthermore, my dearest wife, my lamb, my love, I inform you, that I am little burdened in my conscience, the Lord be forever praised for it; but all my sadness is caused by the bitterness of our parting. But, my dear lamb, this I would like to ask of you, because you have such a good nature that you could well live without a husband, that you henceforth stay only with my children; for often great sorrow arises from marrying again. And wherein I ever grieved you through my weakness, I ask your forgiveness, for the sake of the Lord’s deep wounds and innocent death. Greet much all the godfearing, and the babes that are nourished at the breasts of Zion in my name with the peace of the Lord. Serres, you broken bone-head, and J. van G. help to care for my poor widow and little orphans, knowing, that therein you will not serve man, but God. I much greet H. C. M. and A. and L. and C. O how gladly I would write neatly, had I good materials. Adieu, my flesh and blood; kiss Susanneken for me. O adieu for me, adieu, adieu, my dear wife. Pray our dear Lord for me for a blessed end. --- Page: http://history.truechristian.church/stories/mm-a-letter-from-hendrick-verstralen-to-his-wife-written-in-the-year-1571-in-prison-at-rijpermonde-where-he-laid-down-his-l/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+A+Letter+From+Hendrick+Verstralen+To+His+Wife%2C+Written+In+The+Year+1571%2C+In+Prison+At+Rijpermonde%2C+Where+He+Laid+Down+His+Life+For+The+Name+Of+The+Lord.&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AA+Letter+From+Hendrick+Verstralen+To+His+Wife%2C+Written+In+The+Year+1571%2C+In+Prison+At+Rijpermonde%2C+Where+He+Laid+Down+His+Life+For+The+Name+Of+The+Lord.%0A%0APage%3A+http%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fstories%2Fmm-a-letter-from-hendrick-verstralen-to-his-wife-written-in-the-year-1571-in-prison-at-rijpermonde-where-he-laid-down-his-l%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-a-letter-from-hendrick-verstralen-to-his-wife-written-in-the-year-1571-in-prison-at-rijpermonde-where-he-laid-down-his-l%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1571%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.)