# Of The Destruction Of Some Tyrants Of This Last Persecution.

16th century (source section) · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: OF THE DESTRUCTION OF SOME TYRANTS OF THIS LAST PERSECUTION.

Century of containing source section; exact event date not assigned

We will abridge this century with which formerly
also our old Offerboeck was concluded; showing
1037
the destruction of some tyrants, who were no
small cause of this last and severest persecution
of all.

Even as the old man whom King Antiochus had
sent out to Jerusalem, notwithstanding he set up
many abominations, and tyrannized against the law
of God, could nevertheless not suppress the people
of God and his law, but had to behold their increase
[even] under the persecution, and besides see that
the country was full of wars and commotions and
resisted the king; even so it also came to pass with
the aged Ferdinand Alvares de Toledo (also called
Duke of Alva), whom King Philip II had sent
from Spain into these Netherlands; however much
he endeavored to make every one accept the abomination
of idolatry, above God and his word, and
however dreadfully he raged, utterly to exterminate
the true lovers of the divine truth, and ardent followers
of the holy gospel, yet he could not, to the
satisfaction of his furious and blood-thirsty disposition,
accomplish his presumptuous undertaking.

For under his severe and bloody persecution, the
church of the godfearing, the pure bride of Christ,
still constantly bloomed as a beautiful rose among
pricking thorns, and was fruitful, to the praise of
the Most High.

But he himself, who sought to rule over all
Netherland lords, and to oppress others, met with
resistance from some of those whom he sought to
exterminate, who, however, were not of the defenseless
sheep of Christ, so that, after he had for about
seven years indulged his desire for bloodshed, slaying
and murdering for the faith (when the country
was full of war on his account), he had to depart in
disgrace, and with him one John Vergas, who was
a member of his council of blood; which many regarded
as a punishment of God for his wickedness.
But a still severer fate awaited Jacob Hessel, one of
the chief members of his deadly court, and Jan de
Vis, Bailiff of Ingelmunster; who, some time afterwards,
were taken out of prison, without previous
announcement, or sentence having been pronounced
conducted without the city of Ghent, and hanged
to a tree. And even as they had sentenced many
others to death unexpectedly, so they also had to
yield up their lives unexpectedly, and thus there
was meted to them with the same measure with
which they had measured to others. From this we
can easily perceive God’s just punishment upon
those who persecute and kill Christ and his members.
Likewise in the case of the high Bailiff of
Halewijn, named George de la Rave, who also participated
in the tyranny over the children of God,
by persecuting, dispersing and apprehending them,
and otherwise. In the year 1571 he assisted in apprehending,
among others, one Adriaen Jans Hoedmaecker
(who was burnt at Rijssel on account of
his faith), and in the year following, on the same
spot where Adriaen had been apprehended, he met
together with some intoxicated persons, with whom
he and his servants fell into an altercation and fight
in which he was wounded to such an extent, that
he had to lie in bed with the wound for a long time
and finally died a painful death in great distress of
mind. Hence he had several confessors come to
him, who could nevertheless not rid him of the
gnawing worm of a torturing conscience; but he
had to end his life as a tyrant in misery.

But especially can it be seen, how hard it is to
kick against the goads, in the case of one Pieter
Titelman, the Dean of Ronse, who was probably
the chiefest inquisitor in Flanders. He was about
this time in Kortrijck, smitten with a severe disease
by God, lice growing out of his wicked body
so abundantly, that he could not be kept clean
therefrom, notwithstanding he was supplied with
clean linen, and otherwise cleansed two or three
times a day. No remedy could be procured and he
died a most distressing and miserable death.

Concerning this Dean of Ronse it is also written,
that having gone forth on a certain occasion with a
small number of men, to apprehend these witnesses
of God, and thus to deliver them into the hands of
the torturers and slayers, he came; at evening, into
an inn, where he met a bailiff, who had gone out
with a great number of beadles, to apprehend vagrants
and wicked men. The bailiff asked Ronse
with surprise, how he dared trust his body with so
few servants, to apprehend other people; for if I
were to do so, said he, I would soon lose my life.
Thereupon Ronse replied, that he had no fear in
this respect, since he had gone out to catch only
good men, from whom he had no danger to apprehend.
Upon this the Bailiff, particularly reflecting
upon Ronse’s words, answered: “If you arrest the
good people, and I the bad, who then shall remain
free?” Hereby this Dean of Ronse certainly bore
testimony of himself, that he had laid his hands
on the just, who had not resisted him. So it
can also be perceived from this bailiff’s remark, that
he himself well knew that the magistracy’s power
ought to be used only for the punishment of the
evil, and the protection of the good; and that therefore
this Ronse and his adherents shamefully abused
their authority on these people.

It also happened at Dixmuyden, in Flanders, in
the year 1553, when the pious Wouter Capelle, who
is mentioned in this book, was burnt for the truth,
that there was a simple, harmless fellow, who was
arrested by the lords of Dixmuyden. He begged
in the streets, and was thus fed by good-hearted people.
And since the aforementioned Wouter Capelle,
(by trade a say-weaver) was very liberal in supplying
the poor with food, communicating to them
from the labor of his hands, it occurred, two or
three days before Wouter was apprehended, that
this simple fellow, late in the evening, came to
Wouter’s house. Wouter asked him whether he
wanted something to eat. He said: “Yes.” Hence
Wouter brought him a piece twice until he did
not wish any more. Now when it came to pass,
that Wouter Capelle was sentenced to be burnt, this
simple fellow cried: “You thieves and murderers,
you shed innocent blood; this man has done no evil
but has very kindly fed me.” And this he cried
constantly, and as Wouter was brought forth to be
burned, he also stepped near and wanted to run
into the fire with the condemned man, so that they
had to carry him away by force. And when he was
dead, the burnt body having been brought outside
1038
of the city to the gallows-field, this simple fellow
daily resorted thither, heeding neither snow nor
rain, and stroked with his hands the burnt body,
and said: “O poor fellow, you have surely done no
evil, and yet they have shed your blood; and you
have fed me so kindly.” Finally, when the body
had been almost devoured by the birds, this man
on a certain occasion took off the whole skeleton,
laid it upon his shoulders, and ran in to the gate
with it. Hence many people followed him, to see
whither he should take it, but he went with it to
the lord burgomaster of the city, and when the latter
had opened his door, he threw the whole skeleton
down into the hall, and said (also other lords
being gathered there): “You thieves and murderers,
if you have eaten the flesh of this man, eat the
bones too.” And as the lords of Dixmuyden had
erected an iron stake in the place where the aforesaid
Wouter Capelle had been executed, for a token
and lasting memorial, that such a heretic (as they regarded
him) had been burned there; it came to pass
that the burgomaster of said city, into whose house
the skeleton had been thrown, became sick unto
death, and his sickness so affected him, that in his
delirium he cried out: That he had seen the angel
of God fly over the stake with the soul of the burnt
Wouter Capelle. And this he constantly cried, till
the lords caused the iron stake to be removed; then
he ceased his cry; but died most miserably shortly
afterwards. In consequence of this, it seems, those
of Dixmuyden were so frightened that afterwards
they shed no more innocent blood.

Concerning this avenging hand of God, which he
very signally exercised upon blood-thirsty tyrants
and persecutors of his people, you may also read in
an epistle of Menno Simon’s, S. G. folio 133,348
which the latter wrote in his time to Martin Mikron,
and which partly related to the aforementioned
Menno himself. It reads as follows:

“It is now about eighteen or nineteen years since
that a very eminent and distinguished man, who
was highly esteemed by the world, but whose name
and country I will not mention, wickedly advised,
how they should extirpate me and the pious. He
had scarcely finished his words and wicked thought,
when the avenging hand of the Most High touched
him. He dropped at the table, and thus in a moment
ended his impenitent, blood-thirsty, wicked,
ungodly life in a most dreadful manner, O terrible
judgment?” This happened about the year 1539.

“About the same time it happened to another
man, who thought that he would so set his trap for
me, that I could not escape, that he, in like manner,
at the same meal he was eating, while speaking
the words, was suddenly pierced by an arrow from
the Lord’s quiver, being smitten with a severe disease,
and thus had to give an account before the
almighty, avenging God, and was buried within
eight days from the time he had spoken these
words.

“Still another, who was to become an officer to
the Emperor in a certain place, fancied that he
should exterminate this people, if there was any virtue
in the imperial authority. He came to the place
where he was to be located and serve in his capacity;
and four or five days thereafter, the bell was
tolled and the requiem sung over him.

Behold, thus God the Lord annihilates the designs
of the ungodly who assail his holy mountain,
and brings to naught all those that hate his truth
and are inimical thereto.

“In the year 1554, it also occurred that three of
our brethren were at Wisbuy in Gotland, for the
purpose of earning a livelihood there. A preacher
of that city, whose name was Laurentius, who was
led by the spirit of his Father [the devil], cried after
them on the street, and reviled them as much as he
could, saying that they should not practice their
religion there, though it should cost him all that
was inside of his coat, namely, body and soul. A
few days afterwards he came to converse with one of
these brethren, another preacher also being present,
who was somewhat more reasonable in disposition.
He reviled, and carried on dreadfully; but the great
Lord smote him in the presence of them both, so
that he was suddenly deprived of his speech, and
within twenty-one hours (alas!) was numbered with
the dead. O terrible punishment and judgment of
God!

“A case almost similar occurred the same year at
Wismar, where they had accepted a crier, named
Doctor Smeedesteed, who said that he would rather
have a hat full of our blood, than a hat full of our
gold. He persuaded the magistrates (who gladly
have and want to hear such pillow makers) to proclaim
just before cold winter, to the poor children,
to clear the place before St. Martin’s day; or they
should be put where they should not like to be.
Smeedesteed was very joyous that he had accomplished
the fulfillment of his heart’s desire; but to
his sore judgment; for that very day the almighty,
great Lord laid the hand of his wrath upon him,
and within six or seven days took him away by an
awful and severe sickness. Yet the hardened, blind
and stupid world did not perceive it.

“A. D. 1555, it occurred again in that city, that
there was a preacher, named Vincentius (who still
lives there), who never grew tired of his ungodly
reviling and severe reproaching. On the day they
call the Lord’s Ascension day, he read from the
Scriptures (Mark 16:16): ‘He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved,’ and said he should reproach
and revile us, as long as his mouth was
open. Instantly the strong power of God closed it,
and bound his tongue, and he fell down in the pulpit,
and was carried out by some of those present,
as one punished of God, and taken into his
house a dumb man. Behold, thus he can punish
those who would touch and injure the apple of his
eye.

“If I were to relate all the incidents which in my
time befell the enemies of the saints, it would require
a separate volume.” Thus far from Menno
Simons.

It is appropriate to add here, what happened to
the said godfearing Menno Simons himself. A traitor
sold him for a certain amount of money, binding
himself to deliver him into the hands of the tyrants,
1039
or he would lose his own head in stead; in
which, however, to his own injury he did not succeed,
though he put forth his utmost diligence to
accomplish it. He repaired to their meeting, and
diligently spied out a place where they assembled;
but Menno in a miraculous manner escaped his
hands.

It occurred also, that the traitor and the officer,
who had gone out to seek and apprehend Menno,
unexpectedly met him in a small boat on a canal.
The traitor kept silence, till Menno had passed on a
piece, and then jumped on shore, to escape with less
peril. Then the traitor said: “See there, the bird
has escaped us.” The officer called him a villain,
and upbraided him for not speaking in time. The
traitor replied: “I could not speak, for my tongue
was held.” This was taken so amiss by the lords,
that they severely punished the traitor, for a rigorous
and instructive example to all bloodthirsty
traitors.

Thus there can, by these and similar examples
mentioned in divers places in this book, as also in
both Testaments, in murderous Cain, Pharaoh, Jezebel,
Antiochus, Herod, and many similar ones, be
manifestly seen and perceived the avenging hand of
the almighty God, and how grievously they offend
against the God of heaven and earth, who here
afflict, persecute and kill his people; and what intolerable
punishment they have to expect at the
coming of Christ from heaven; of which this temporal
punishment is but a beginning and foretaste,
seeing the Son of God, in the day when he will
arise to avenge Zion, will regard all that has been
inflicted upon his own, as though the apple of his
own eye had been touched. Then shall all persecutors
be sorry with too late repentance, and groan
for anguish of spirit, who here condemned and
killed the just, who did not resist them. Wis. 5:3;
James 5:6.

Hence the wise woman Judith says in her song
of praise: “Woe to the nations that rise up against
my kindred! for the Lord Almighty shall judge
them, and visit them in the day of judgment; for he
shall put fire and worms in their flesh, that they
shall burn, and feel it for ever.” Judith 16:17.

O how good were it for all tyrannical men, if they
would consider and lay to heart these and similar
passages of holy Scripture, and would fight no more
against the high God, for it will be required of them
at that day, before the judgment seat of Christ.
Since faith is a pure gift, which comes from God
alone, and hence can neither be given nor taken
away by any man, however highly esteemed he
may be. All princes and rulers ought also to commit
the matter of faith to the Creator of all things,
who alone is the discerner of the hearts and reins
of all men, and who knows and beholds the hidden
thoughts and intents of the heart, clear and uncovered
before his eyes; before whose high majesty
both the judge and the condemned must finally
appear together. He will judge the world in righteousness,
and offer faith to every one. Acts 17:31.
He shall then judge according to truth, as to who
believed and walked righteously or falsely. Hereunto
we would from the inmost of our soul, counsel
and entreat all lords and princes, as for their own
welfare. O that God Almighty would be pleased to
grant all princes and lords who have received the
sword of justice, the grace, that they would use
their sword and authority no further than only upon
the bodies and goods of men in civil matters, for
the punishment of evil-doers, and the protection
of the good; to which end the same has been given
them of God; and would let God Almighty be the
Lord and Judge over the faith, souls, and consciences
of men, which unquestionably belongs to him
(blessed be he) alone. And that they would moreover
consider, how very short and uncertain man’s
life is, and how soon these earthly kingdoms can
pass from one nation to another. And if the incoming
lords hold different views than the former
ones, city and country are instantly in great danger
of revolt, uproar and destruction, if they want to
force all their subjects to the religion which they
have accepted; or the common people must resort
to dissimulation and hypocrisy, to escape the punishment
threatened; for such lords seldom lack
preachers who for the sake of great prebends are
willing to preach according to the pleasure of the
lords.

And O that men would once consider, how many
thousands of persons have for many centuries been
deprived of life and property, on account of religious
differences, because the magistrates (through
the instigation of their preachers) would force them
to their religion; which nevertheless wrought no
improvement, but the conflict remained uninterrupted.
But how utterly blind and unreasonable
they proceed in this matter, it is easy to perceive;
since we certainly, most clearly and abundantly
find, that even the Lord’s apostles, which he had
sent and highly enlightened, could bring but a very
small proportion of men to one religion, and that in
their time, besides the innumerable multitude of unbelievers
and persecutors of the truth, were also
many false apostles and deceitful workers, who
preached Christ out of envy and strife, and not sincerely;
so that Christ was preached in many ways,
in season and out of season. 2 Cor. 11:13; Philippians
1:15,16. Who then shall believe that in this
last and evil time, in which iniquity prevails, whole
countries and kingdoms can be brought into the
obedience of the apostolical doctrine, through the
sword and constraint of the magistracy? The more
so, since Christ himself says, that at his coming it
shall be as it was in the days of Noah and Lot. Luke
17:26. Hence the Lord Jesus also seems to ask
doubtfully: Whether, when the Son of man cometh,
he shall find faith on the earth?

For the number of believers has from the beginning
of the world been very small among the children
of men; and not all men have faith, as Paul
says; and the whole world, according to the teaching
of the apostle, lieth in wickedness; and all that
is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the
Father, but of the world, and the world and the lust
thereof shall pass away; and Solomon seems to
compare this world and all her ungodliness to a
magnificently adorned woman, in the attire of a
1040
harlot, subtle, wild and stubborn, so that her feet
could not abide in her house; whereby she seduced
and deceived the foolish youth, so that he followed
her in wickedness.

Compare with it now this present evil world; how
one can see every city and country polluted with
pride, boasting, cursing and swearing, tippling
houses, tennis-courts, dancing halls, and shameful
brothels, or houses of ill-fame, where one can perceive,
with open eyes, what a countless multitude
of people, especially of the young, gorgeously arrayed
and adorned in honor of the world and the
devil, allow themselves to be lured and seduced
thither; whereas it is certainly known, and also
unanimously acknowledged, by all the one another
opposing sects, according to the express words of
God, that the end of such a life and walk, without
true fruits of repentance, is eternal death. Nevertheless,
we do not find that the preachers, to prevent
this wickedness, work with the authorities to
punish and root out in every respect, by rigorous
decrees and corporal penalties, this indubitable evil
and soul deception; but in the point of religion (in
which through the craftiness and subtlety of men,
there are so very many articles of contention and
doubtful and conflicting views) we see them labor
with all their might, to punish, exterminate, and
use constraint upon the faith and consciences of
others, though the latter cannot be accused of any
of the evils mentioned. Yet experience teaches, that
many of these preachers are themselves so uncertain
and wavering in their faith, that they would rather
change their faith many times, according to the desire
of the authorities, as the chameleon its color,
before they would on this account forsake their large
salary. Hence it is our hearts’ wish and earnest
prayer to all rulers, that they would be pleased not
to hearken to such treacherous preachers, who seek
the loss and destruction of other people; but that
they would use their authority for the punishment
of evil doers and the protection of the good; so that
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life under them,
in all godliness and honesty; and at the last day
may, together find comfort and grace before the
judgment-seat of Christ, when we all shall stand so
greatly in need of grace and comfort. To this end
may the Lord strengthen and keep us by his Spirit.
Amen.





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