# Francijntgen, Grietgen, And Maeyken Doornaerts, A. D. 1556, 1556 · Historical source Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: FRANCIJNTGEN, GRIETGEN, AND MAEYKEN DOORNAERTS, A. D. 1556, Source heading; not independently verified At Belle, in Flanders, three women were apprehended for the testimony of the truth, namely, an old woman named Francijntgen, a young maiden named Grietgen, and niece to the former, and another young maiden, named Maeyken Doornaerts, all of whom suffered much tribulation and torment. The old woman, when they wanted to torture her naked, said to the lords: “Remember that you were born of women; therefore, do not put me to shame;” by which she obtained leave to keep on her shift on the rack. Great pains were taken to draw the young maiden Grietgen from her faith, since she was still very young; but it was all in vain, for she would much rather expect eternal joy for this temporal pain or suffering, than purchase this brief and transient pleasure with everlasting suffering. The other young maiden, Maeyken Doornaerts, also had to lie naked on the rack, and when they could by no pain or suffering cause her to apostatize from her faith, they began to accost her with asking her, whether she was not ashamed to lie there so nude. She replied: “I did not place myself here naked; but you, who inflict this misery and disgrace upon me who am innocent, shall hereafter have to suffer eternal shame and pain for it.” And though she was tortured to such a degree, that her blood flowed down by the rack, she nevertheless, through the grace of God, who always strengthens 533 his own, remained steadfast in the faith. Thereupon all three were sentenced to death, and burnt. Standing at the stake, Maeyken Doornaerts said: “This is the hour for which I have greatly longed, that it might put an end to all my tribulation.” Thus these three heroines valiantly fought their way through, suffering all this, because they were baptized upon their faith (according to the teaching of Christ), and thenceforth sought, in all simplicity, to serve and please the living God more than mortal men; for which they also expect the joyful crown of eternal and imperishable life. --- Page: http://history.truechristian.church/stories/mm-francijntgen-grietgen-and-maeyken-doornaerts-a-d-1556/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Francijntgen%2C+Grietgen%2C+And+Maeyken+Doornaerts%2C+A.+D.+1556%2C&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AFrancijntgen%2C+Grietgen%2C+And+Maeyken+Doornaerts%2C+A.+D.+1556%2C%0A%0APage%3A+http%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fstories%2Fmm-francijntgen-grietgen-and-maeyken-doornaerts-a-d-1556%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-francijntgen-grietgen-and-maeyken-doornaerts-a-d-1556%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1556%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.)