# Sentence And Death Of Reytse Aysess.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: SENTENCE AND DEATH OF REYTSE AYSESS.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

After Reytse Aysess had confessed his faith with
all boldness before the lords and princes, and had
taken leave from his good friends, he was finally
brought before the lords and sentenced to death.
His sentence reads as follows:

Whereas it has appeared to the Court of Friesland,
that Reytse Aysess, at present a prisoner,
has, by the sentence of the high, worshipful Lord
Bishop of Leeuwaerden, been condemned as an obstinate
heretic in his opinions and errors concerning
the holy Church, and as such been committed into
the will and hand of the secular justice, to be dealt
with according to law, according to the full power
of the sentence existing with respect to this; therefore,
the aforesaid Court, having duly regarded and
considered all that ought to be considered in this
matter, in the name and in behalf of the King of
Spain, etc., Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy,
Brabant, etc., Count of Holland, Zealand,
and Lord of Friesland, have condemned, and by
these presents do condemn the aforesaid prisoner,
to be executed with water, and brought from life to
death; declaring, furthermore, all his property to be
forfeited and confiscated for the benefit of his Majesty.
Done the 23d of April, A. D. 1574.

Upon this, Reytse was very bold and joyful,
praising and thanking the Lord, that he had become
worthy to suffer for his name; and in the evening,
at nine o’clock, he was brought into the castellan’s
house by the beadles.

There were some monks there, who tormented
and tempted him much, but they were not able to
resist the spirit that was in him; he remained bold
and fearless, and spoke with a person which bears
this testimony concerning it, and sent greetings to
all his good friends, especially to his parents, wife,
and nearest kindred, informing them that he was of
good cheer and in greater joy than he had ever been
in his life. Thereupon, about twelve o’clock in the
night, the castellan, the beadles, the executioner,
the monks, and others, assembled and conducted
him to the torture tower, whither, he gladly went,
singing:

“I call upon thee O heavenly Father,

Be pleased to strengthen my faith,” etc.

When he came into the torture tower, he fell
down upon his face, and called upon the Lord in
fervent prayer, after which he rose, and offered up
his sacrifice with all boldness, and was drowned
there. He rests now under the altar, waiting for the
number of his fellow-brethren to be fulfilled.

How signally the faithful God is filled with compassion
over his people, how he comforts and
strengthens them by his Spirit, how he goes with
them into water and fire, yea, he remains with them
in the bitterness of death, never forsaking them;
and how he also regards every injury inflicted upon
his own, as though the apple of his own eye were
touched; this can clearly be seen and perceived, in
both the Old and New Testaments, in the avenging
hand of God, with which he many times smote
bloodthirsty persecutors. Ex. 14:8; 2 Macc. 9:28;
Acts 12:23.

The same can also be seen in many tyrants and
persecutors of these latter days, as, among other,
instances, may be seen in the case of a certain nobleman,
named Andries Grijpen, who, searching
for some thieves, laid his hands on this aforesaid,
godfearing Reytse Aysess. And though their consciences
(that is, his own as well as his wife’s conscience),
greatly troubled and accused them with
regard to this deed, so that they said they much
deplored that these people were so exceedingly oppressed;
these people who, he said, harmed no
one, nor desired any one’s property, but were well
satisfied with what they had. That these were thus
harassed, was a grievous cross to his heart; and
though he felt thus in his conscience, he nevertheless,
through the instigation of his secretary, and
because he, like Pilate, would remain the Emperor’s
friend, and not lose his office, set at naught this
conviction of his heart, and bound and ironed the
aforesaid Reytse Aysess, and sent him thus to
Leeuwaerden to prison. But the righteous God,
who is not mocked, very soon after this deed,
sorely smote the said lord with his avenging hand,
so that the freebooters, coming from Holland, fell
upon his house and completely demolished it, and
subjected him to much affliction and ignominy, taking
him with them to Holland, and setting a ransom
of six thousand guilders upon him, in addition
to which he had to give a hundred guilders each
week as personal expenses, until the ransom had
been fully paid. In consequence of this he and his
family fell into extreme poverty, so that other people,
filled with compassion, aided and fed him in
this his great need. Besides this he was afflicted
with gravel and consumption, of which he ultimately
miserably died. Some others of his kindred
also were taken out of this world in a miserable
manner. Moreover, in these afflictions his conscience
greatly accused him of this deed, so that he
penitently prayed to God, desiring that through his
temporal afflictions and suffering, he might, by the
grace of God, escape and turn away the eternal torment
of hell, which he seemed to experience in himself.
Hence this ought to serve as an example to all
tyrants and persecutors, carefully to beware of such
deeds.

955





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