# Elizabeth And Hadewijk; Of Whom The Former Was Drowned At Leeuwarden, And The Latter Escaped Death, In The Year Of Our Lord, 1549.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: ELIZABETH AND HADEWIJK; OF WHOM THE FORMER WAS DROWNED AT LEEUWARDEN, AND THE LATTER ESCAPED DEATH, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 1549.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

This Elizabeth was of a noble family, and had in
her youth been put by her parents into the convent
of Tieng, near Lier near East Friesia, there to learn
various arts, and also the Latin language. There
she accidentally, or rather through the direction of
God, came into possession of a Latin testament, by
the constant reading of which and meditating upon
it she obtained so much knowledge of the will of
God, that she became distressed on account of her
state of life, and seeing no chance to alter her life
according to the rule of said word in the convent,
much less under the parental roof, she resolved,
after much conflict and reflection, secretly to escape
from the convent, trusting to the fatherly providence
of Almighty God for help and guidance. To this
end, she made an agreement with a milk-maid of
the convent, that she should change clothes with
her, and thus assist her to escape from the convent
early in the morning, in the guise of a milk-maid;
which having been accomplished, she first came to
Lier, and without her knowing it, to a certain
house, in which there lived Anabaptists, who, upon
learning her circumstances and condition, took her
in, and instructed her still more fully in the way of
God, and, after some time, fearing that search
might be made for Elizabeth, brought her to Leeuwarden,
and there left her with a pious sister of the
Anabaptistic church, named Hadewijk, with whom
she was afterward apprehended.

This Hadewijk was married to a certain drummer
of the company quartered at Leeuwarden, who,
having neither to go marching, nor to mount guard,
etc., worked in a certain shop to gain a livelihood
for his wife and children. There was working there
together with him a very pious Anabaptist brother260
who at that time was put in bonds and condemned
to death for the sake of his religion. Said company
having been ordered to the place of execution, when
this pious brother was to be offered up, to form a
circle around him, to prevent an uproar, the aforesaid
drummer objected to serve in his capacity as
drummer at that time and under such circumstances
which he also indicated to his wife Hadewijk, who
opposed him in this matter, and advised him to proceed
in the discharge of his duty. This then he resolved
526to do; but as he was first also to get himself
partially intoxicated, in order to feel less of compassion
for the innocently doomed man, but this intoxication,
instead of depriving him of his sense of
compassion, only increased it, and he became so
bold that he told the spectators of the piety and virtues
of this martyr so well known to him, why he
was so maltreated, how wickedly the authorities,
instigated by the clergy, acted in this matter, and
that it were better to apprehend and treat after this
manner, wicked men, whoremongers, adulterers,
unrighteous, and such like, of whom there were
plenty in the city, yea, even among the clergy.
Some laughed, others laid it to heart; some said:
“The drummer is drunk;” others: “He is crazy,”
etc. But when he had become sober and was himself
again, he reflected on what he had done, and
what in all probability he now had to expect, and
resolved to leave the city of Leeuwarden, his company,
and the Roman church. He entreated his wife
to go with him, but she could not approve of it,
and after his departure, never knew whither he had
gone. But, coming to reflection some time after, she
inquired after the Anabaptists, found opportunity to
attend the exhortations, embraced the faith, and
was not only baptized upon her faith, but also suffered
herself to be apprehended together with Elizabeth.
Being confined in a separate room from Elizabeth,
it was announced to her that on the following
day she should be examined and have to defend
herself in a considerable number of articles, which
caused her exceeding great distress and anxiety of
heart, especially since she could neither read nor
write, and was more pious and willing than experienced.
Hence, she earnestly importuned God, that
the exceeding good and man-loving Father would
be pleased to look with compassion upon her, his
poor handmaiden, whose inability and unfitness he
knew best, and not to try her above her ability, but
to deliver and save her by his divine hand, whereupon
a voice came to her while she was thus engaged
in prayer, exclaiming: “Hadewijk!” Looking
up and around her, and seeing no one, she
continued in her fervent prayer. A second time she
heard the voice, but again seeing no one, she persevered
in her supplications until the same voice said
to her the third time: “Hadewijk, I tell thee, come
out!” Seeing the door open, she put on her hood,
and went out of the prison, but did not know where
to conceal herself. She went provisionally into the
church, where she soon heard those who came there
relate that the gates the city had been closed because
a certain Anabaptist woman had escaped
from prison, no one knowing how, there being great
reason to suspect sorcery in the matter, for which
reason very diligent search was being made for her
everywhere. Just as she left the church she heard
the drummer in the street exclaim that whoever
could point out her person, should receive one hundred
guilders, but whoever concealed her should
forfeit one hundred and fifty guilders, which increased
her fear more and more. Trusting herself
by no means into her own house, and yet compelled
to seek shelter somewhere, she went to the house of
her former master and mistress, whom she, before
she was married, had served very faithfully for
some time, and who therefore thought much of her.
These she entreated whether they would not please
give her shelter in this distress, but they refused to
do it; whereupon she went away as in despair, and
came before the priest’s house, where lived a certain
half-witted fellow, well-known to her, whom she, as
he was standing at the door, addressed, asking him
to conceal her; which he did, taking her up into the
garret, and providing her with food and drink; but
in the night he came to her, and made indecent advances
to her. Here the embarrassment was greater
than ever; she had to deal with one who was strong
of body and passions, with whom reasoning had
little influence; if she made an outcry her life was in
danger; she therefore lifted up her soul, and betook
herself to her Redeemer, and called upon him for
help in this great distress, and also entreated this
fellow to desist from so evil a deed, because it would
be adultery and she had a husband; and adulterers
and adulteresses had to burn forever in hell; whereupon
he left her in peace and went away, saying:
“The jade is too wise in the scriptures; I have no
chance with her. The next day he went to the
Zuypmarkt, to Hadewijk’s brother-in-law, who daily
brought buttermilk there for sale, and told him that
he had, unknown to any one, concealed his sister-in-law
in the priest’s house, and advised him to come
with his boat to the back stairs of the priest’s house,
there to take her into the boat, and carry her out
of the city through the flood-gate, which he did,
and thus this lamb Hadewijk, through the miraculous
hand of God, escaped the claws of the ravening
wolves, fled to Emden, and lived the remainder of
her life in the meeting-house of the Anabaptists,
where she fell asleep in the Lord.

Remmeltje Wubbers, from whom I have this account,
heard it not only frequently from her parents
and others, but also from the woman who attended
Hadewijk in her last sickness, to whom Hadewijk
related it with her own lips.





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