# Willem The Cabinet-Maker, Beheaded In Cleves; Windel Rauens Also Put To Death There, A. D. 1551.

1551 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: WILLEM THE CABINET-MAKER, BEHEADED IN CLEVES; WINDEL RAUENS ALSO PUT TO DEATH THERE, A. D. 1551.

Source heading; not independently verified

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Willem, the cabinet-maker, resided in Weesz, a
village belonging to the country of Cleves; he was
a very peaceable and pious man, who on account of
the Christian faith had to leave his native country,
and when he would not conform to the world,
he was brought prisoner from Weesz to Cleves, and
having there been imprisoned for about a year,
finally beheaded. He wrote several letters from
prison.

When Willem the cabinet-maker was to be condemned
by the judges at Cleves, Claes Meselaer,
one of them, would not sit in the court to condemn
him, but pretended sickness and went to bed. The
Burgomaster, therefore, with the six judges, came
to his bedside, to obtain his assent to the sentence.
He said he did not want to condemn so pious a
man. Thereupon the Burgomaster said; “By this
you will incur the great displeasure of our gracious
Prince and lord.” Claes replied “I will rather incur
the displeasure of Duke William, than of the
Most High.” “Then I will take it upon myself,”
said the Burgomaster, who was afterward visited by
the avenging hand of the Lord, so that he was tormented
by lice, and lost his speech for a time, and thus
died in great misery. But Claes Meselaer resigned
his office of judge, and died a brother in the church.
Besides him, another brother, named Windel
Rauens, was put to death at Cleves; who like the
aforesaid, exchanged his life for death, after he had
commended his soul into the hands of God.





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Page: http://history.truechristian.church/stories/mm-willem-the-cabinet-maker-beheaded-in-cleves-windel-rauens-also-put-to-death-there-a-d-1551/

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