Lauwerens Van De Walle, Antonis Schoonvelt, Kalleken Strings, And Maeyken Kocx, A. D. 1561.

In the year 1561 several brethren and sisters, after suffering much persecution, took up residence near Ypres in Flanders, at a place called ten Hoogensiecken. Having left money, property, friends and kindred, to follow Christ, and live there in quietness, engaging in tape-weaving, in order to gain a living by their trade, they were spied out while they sat and worked together, and the inquisitor came to apprehend them. He was accompanied by a large force well provided with sticks, swords and ropes, and they arrived just at the time when Antonis, who had made them a visit, and had taken leave, stood at the door, ready to go.

As they thus arrived with great noise, Stijntgen Potvliets (who was pregnant) ran out of the house first, and was apprehended. Karel N. also ran out at the door, and master Klaas (who was a great persecutor, and fellow helper of the inquisitor) pursued him, struck at him with a bare sword, and though Karel was wounded by it, yet he escaped. Maeyken Kocx (who was also pregnant) was attacked by the inquisitor, who held a naked sword in his hand, and as she cried aloud to him to spare her child, and he acted in a very bloodthirsty manner, he, like a madman, wounded himself.

Lauwerens van de Walle, Antonis Schoonvelt, and Kalleken Strings were also apprehended, but Hendrick N. made his escape.

While they were being bound, they comforted one another much with the word of God, and when they were brought out of the house, they cheerfully spoke to the neighbors, saying: “Can anyone complain of us? It is for the name of Christ that this is inflicted upon us; we need not be ashamed of it.” Matt. 10:22; 1 Pet. 4:16.

On their way to town, Kalleken commenced to sing a hymn. Then said master Klaas: “The apostles did not sing, as you do; nor do I want to dance; why then do you sing?” Antonis said: “Sister, do not fear these; just sing as much as you want to;” and Lauwerens helped her sing. When they came into the city, there was a great concourse of people, and they made known the word of God by singing and speaking. Among other things, Lauwerens said: “That we are apprehended, is not on account of evil doing, but because we live according to the word of God.”

Kalleken Strings said: “Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life (Matthew 7:14); repair to it, do good and forsake evil, and fear not the rulers of this world, but buy Testaments, read therein the counsel of God, and follow it.” They were then confined in the court of the prison, where they remained for several months and days, patient and of good cheer, waiting until they should offer up their sacrifice, and being visited and comforted in the mean time by many brethren and sisters. They were also sometimes examined in regard to their faith, which they freely confessed, and from which no pain or suffering could induce them to depart.

Finally, having suffered many tortures, on the rack as well as elsewhere, Lauwerens van de Walle, Antonis Schoonvelt, and Kalleken Strings, as they adhered valiantly and steadfastly to the truth, were delivered by the inquisitor into the hands of the secular authorities, to be dealt with according to the import of the royal decree. In delivering them, the inquisitor also, in the hearing of the ignorant people, 628 read severe charges (as he thought) against them, as, among other things, that they confessed the Pope of Rome to be the antichrist. 1 John 2:18. That they held the Roman church to be the whore of Babylon. Rev. 17:5. That they pronounced the sacrament to be an abominable idol, etc.

Thereupon Lauwerens commenced to say that he had not said or confessed this without a fuller explanation. He was instantly and savagely told to keep silence, but he said: “Thieves and murderers are allowed to have some one who speaks for them; but you have brought it about that neither a procurator nor an advocate may speak for us; hence we must speak for ourselves.”

Kalleken Strings also, who sat there with her head resting on her hand, exhausted from excessive torture, let her voice be heard boldly.

On the testimony of the inquisitor, Lauwerens van de Walle and Antonis Schoonvelt were both sentenced by the authorities, to be publicly strangled and burnt at the stake, and to this end a scaffold with two stakes, as also wood and straw, was prepared in the market place.

They were brought out with their arms tied together, and coming to the place where they were to be offered up, they fell down upon their knees, and prayed to God. When they had arisen, the executioner asked their forgiveness for what he was about to do, and they kindly forgave him, according to the teaching of Christ. Matt. 6:14.

Lauwerens said with a loud voice to the authorities, that of a truth he would gladly forgive them and all who were guilty in the matter. He also boldly said, like the third of the Maccabean brethren: “These limbs God from heaven gave; therefore I will willingly surrender them for his law’s sake.” 2 Macc. 7:11. As they went into the hut, both cried farewell to all the brethren and sisters scattered in many countries, cities and villages, and with this commending their spirits into the hands of God, they departed this world.

In the month of October of the same year, also Kalleken Strings, a very fine and well-bred maiden, was delivered to the secular authorities. She was modest, fearless and steadfast, so that neither many fair promises of riches and money, or temporal prosperity, nor pain or severe torments (though she was tortured to such an extent, that she was taken from the rack for dead), could in any wise draw her from her faith; yea, even her mother, when she visited her in prison for this end, could not move her, nor accomplish her purpose, but hearing and seeing her daughter’s steadfastness and kind treatment of her, she said: “My daughter is better than I am.”

Afterwards she was also sentenced to be strangled and burnt; whereupon she said: “You have now sentenced me to the fire, according to the Emperor’s decree; fear the judgment of God, which he shall hold, to condemn you to eternal fire.”

When it was thought that Kalleken was about to be executed, a great multitude of people flocked together from far and near, to see it. Seeing this, and fearing a disturbance, the authorities did not have her brought forth; only the executioner came out of the city hall, and said to the people, that she was dead already. Thus, the people went away, thinking that she had been privately beheaded.

But early the next day, and unexpectedly, no scaffold having been erected, but other preparations made, she was brought into the market place, and when she had offered up her prayer to God, and commended her spirit into his hands, sentence was executed on her, and thus she departed this world, going with a burning lamp to meet her bridegroom. Matt. 25:1.

In the meantime, Stijntgen Potvliets, not continuing steadfast, was set at liberty; but Maeyken Kocx, who remained immovable, was retained and kept until she was delivered of her child, and was out of childbed, whereupon (though her heart clung dearly to her husband and children, yet loving God above all, and, out of love to him, adhering to the truth known and accepted, esteeming this precious treasure of greater value than her own life) she was sentenced to be publicly strangled and burned at the stake, which was also executed. Commending her spirit into the hands of God, she joyfully departed this world, well knowing that she should inherit eternal joy, and be permitted to enter in with the five wise virgins, when the cry shall be made at midnight: “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.”