# Pierijntgen Loosveldt, Or Neckers, A. D. 1572.

1572 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: PIERIJNTGEN LOOSVELDT, OR NECKERS, A. D. 1572.

Source heading; not independently verified

At the close of the year 1572, there was apprehended
at Meenen, in Flanders, for the truth and
the word of God, a spinster, about forty-three years
old, named Pierijntgen Loosveldt, or Neckers. While
kindly ministering to a sick person, she was walking
out at a certain time, when she met the chief Bailiff,
Joncker Jan de Carmago, who apprehended her, and
asked where she resided. She pleasantly replied
that she did not live very far off, and gave him the
fairest words, in order to be released. But it was all
of no avail; she had to go to prison, and on the
second day, when she had not had much time for
consideration, she was summoned before the lords,
and examined concerning her faith, which she freely
confessed.

In the first place she was accused that she had attended
improper assemblies, contrary to the Emperor’s
decree. But Pierijntgen held that she had
used diligence to follow Christ, and to shun the evil,
and to go out from them, and join the good, knowing
that Christ says: “Where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there am I in the
midst of them.” Matt. 18:20. And these assemblies
she could not forsake, though it should cost
her her life.

In the second place she was asked whether she
had not had herself rebaptized. She confessed that
she had suffered herself to be baptized according to
the command of Christ, which they considered Anabaptism,
not at all regarding the instance of the
disciples who, though they had received John’s baptism,
did nevertheless, after they had heard the
preaching of Paul, suffered themselves also to be
baptized in the name of Jesus. And that one must
first believe on Jesus Christ, and be baptized upon
such faith, according to the teaching of the Scriptures,
which also say, that baptism is a burial of sin
and the answer of a good conscience.

When they asked her, who was present when she
was baptized, she did not confess it, however hard
she was threatened.

In the third place they asked her, whether she
did not regard the priests as the vicars of Christ,
who had power to forgive sin; and that whatever
they bound or loosed had to remain bound or
loosed. But she could not confess that they are
such vicars of Christ who are not minded as he is;
for he is the true Shepherd, who laid down his life
for his sheep, while the priests do the very opposite.
He is the true Mediator between God and men
(1 Tim. 2:5), and his Father’s vicar. He is the
open, clear Fountain (Zech. 13:1), who calls to
him all those who are burdened and laden with sin.
He is the true pool with five entrances, of which
John tells (John 5:2), and all who truly repent shall
receive the forgiveness of their sins. Luke 24:47.
No one was found worthy to open the book with
seven seals, but the Lamb Jesus Christ. Rev. 5:1.
He is the right door; it is of no avail whether any
one will open or shut, the ungodly must remain
without. John 10:9; Rev. 22:15.

In the fourth place she was asked, whether she
did not confess that the body of Christ was in the
sacrament or wafer, when the priest had pronounced
the words over it, and consecrated it in the mass.
But she could regard the mass, with all that pertained
to it, for nothing more than a plant, planted
by men, which God should root up. Matt. 15:13.
But she confessed that Christ had left us the Supper
to be observed in remembrance of him, according
to Paul’s doctrine, and thereby to shew the Lord’s
death. 1 Cor. 11:25,26.

In the fifth place she was also asked whether she
did not confess that infant baptism was necessary for
salvation, and for the washing away of the original
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sin which has adhered to us from Adam. But her
confession was, that one could receive but one baptism,
and that only they are worthy of it who forsake
sin, or repent, and believe in the name of Jesus
Christ; and that it was also not a washing away of
sin, but the answer of a good conscience, and that
the blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin. Ephesians
4:5; Acts 2:38; 1 Pet. 3:21; 1 John 1:7.

In the sixth place she was asked whether she did
not believe that Christ had assumed his flesh from
Mary. But she confessed that he was from above,
and had come down from the Father; that the Word
had become flesh, even as John says: “That which
was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have
looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the
Word of life.” And as he himself says, that he is the
bread which came down from heaven. That he was
also the only reconciler, redeemer and advocate.
To investigate further, was not necessary to her salvation.
John 8:23; 1:14; 1 John 1:1; John 6:31;
Rom. 5:10; 1 John 2:1.

In the seventh place she was also asked whether
she did not confess that three persons constituted
one true God. Thereupon she confessed that there
were three names in one Divine Being, namely, Father,
Son and Holy Ghost. But the Father who
sent the Son she could not regard as a person; for
the heaven is his throne, and the earth is his footstool;
Christ also calls him a Spirit, and a spirit, he
says, has neither flesh nor bones. The Holy Ghost,
who manifested himself upon Christ in the form of a
dove, and upon the apostles in the form of tongues
of fire, and sat upon each of them, him she could
also not understand to be a person. But the Son,
who became man for us, was visible, palpable and
passive, walked much among the Jews, did many
signs, suffered hunger and thirst, wept, etc., him
she could indeed confess to be a person. 1 John
4:9; Is. 66:1; John 4:24; Luke 24:39; Matt. 3:16;
Acts 2:3; Matt. 17:12; 11:5; 21:19; John 19:28;
Luke 19:41.

In the eighth place they asked her, whether one
might not swear, or take an oath, before the authorities,
to defend justice and establish the truth, but
she esteemed Christ’s commandment more than that
of men; for he teaches: “I say unto you, Swear not
at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by
Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither
shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou
canst not make one hair white or black. But let
your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for
whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.”
Matt. 5:34–37.

In the ninth place it was told her that good works
did avail, also for them that had died. But she asserted
that neither soul-masses, obsequies, pilgrimages,
the burning of tapers, nor anything else could
help or benefit the dead; for the Scripture says:
“If the tree fall toward the south, or toward the
north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it
shall be.” Eccl. 11:3. Christ also tells of ten virgins,
of whom the five who had wisely kept their
lamps burning, and provided their vessels with oil,
went in with him; but the others, who had neglected
their time, had to remain without. Even as the angel
said, that hereafter time shall be no longer.
Rev. 10:6.

In the tenth place she was asked whether the
saints had not ascended up to heaven. But she confessed
that no one has ascended up to heaven, but
Christ our Protector and Savior, not even Mary his
mother; but that they all rest in the hand of God,
waiting for the judgment of the last day. John 3:13;
Acts 1:10; Wis. 3:1. As the Scripture says, that
the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the
graves shall hear the voice of God, and they that
have done good shall enter in unto life eternal, but
the ungodly into eternal damnation. John 5:28,29.
The resurrection is for both the just and the unjust,
as Paul says: We must all appear before the judgment
seat of the Lord, to be rewarded according to
our works. Acts 24:15; 2 Cor. 5:10. We also read
of the souls of the righteous that are under the altar,
and wait till the number of their brethren shall be
fulfilled. Rev. 6:9,11.

After she had thus been most rigidly examined,
they sought through the learned of this world to instruct
her for the purpose of causing her to recant;
but when neither entreaties or threats could move
her, but she declared herself willing rather to die,
than to apostatize, she had to go upon the rack
stripped of everything but an apron. There she
was severely racked, with a stick in her mouth, so
that her teeth broke in pieces; but she would not
recant, nor betray any of her fellow-members. And
when she requested that the torture be discontinued,
the burgomaster said, that she should recant and
confess. But God kept her lips, and helped her so
that she was released from the torture; for she would
rather with old Eleazar die this temporal death, than
by denying Christ forfeit his eternal kingdom. Divers
times they threatened her with death, but this
could not intimidate her. Sometimes she feared
that, because she was very sad, she might not be
able to refrain from weeping when she should be led
to death; hence she turned to God in prayer, who
did not leave her prayer unheard, for when she received
the intelligence, that she should have to die,
her heart was especially filled with joy and good
cheer. On the morning when she was to die, the
Bailiff asked her, whether she had not yet considered
the matter. But she said: “He that would obtain
the precious prize that is set before us, must
run without ceasing.” 1 Cor. 9:24. She was then
brought into court, and sentenced to death. In her
sentence the foregoing ten articles were read to her
charge, and that she therefore, and because of her
obstinacy, should be burned as a heretic. This did
not make her despondent, but she thanked the
Lord, and wished them grace from God, that they
might turn from idolatry to the true worship of
God. 1 Thess. 1:9.

When she came out and went forth to death, she
said to the people: “Go, buy Testaments, and read
therein, that you may find why I am sentenced to
death, and have to die.” Thereupon the executioner,
greatly incensed, and threatening to strike
her, told her to be silent, and without saying much
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more she went into the hut, where the executioner
hastened his work, and commending her spirit into
the hands of God, she was burned, on the eve of
Epiphany 1573, and prepared herself to go forth
with the wise virgins, to meet the bridegroom.

The burgomaster, or president of the court, at
Meenen, named Jan de Drijver, who had pronounced
the sentence on Pierijntgen, was afterwards
severely punished of God; his flesh decayed, so that
in consequence of it one ear dropped from his head,
and he died a most miserable death.





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