Fox's Book of Martyrs
Chapter XI
Wendelinuta, a
pious Protestant widow, was apprehended on account of her religion, when
several monks, unsuccessfully, endeavored to persuade her to recant. As they
could not prevail, a Roman Catholic lady of her acquaintance desired to be
admitted to the dungeon in which she was confined, and
promised to exert herself strenuously towards inducing the prisoner to abjure
the reformed religion. When she was admitted to the dungeon, she did her utmost
to perform the task she had undertaken; but finding her endeavors ineffectual,
she said, "Dear Wendelinuta, if you will not
embrace our faith, at least keep the things which you profess secret within
your own bosom, and strive to prolong your life." To which the widow
replied, "Madam, you know not what you say; for with the heart we believe to righteousness,
but with the tongue confession is made unto salvation." As she positively
refused to recant, her goods were confiscated, and she was condemned to be
burnt. At the place of execution a monk held a cross
to her, and bade her kiss and worship God. To which
she answered, "I worship no wooden god, but the eternal God who is in
heaven." She was then executed, but through the before-mentioned Roman
Catholic lady, the favor was granted that she should be strangeled
before fire was put to the fagots.
Two
Protestant clergymen were burnt at Colen; a tradesman of Antwerp, named
Nicholas, was tied up in a sack, thrown into the river, and drowned; and
Pistorius, a learned student, was carried to the market of a Dutch village in a
fool's coat, and committed to the flames.
Sixteen
Protestants, having receive sentence to be beheaded, a Protestant minister was
ordered to attend the execution. This gentleman performed the function of his
office with great propriety, exhorted them to repentance, and gave them comfort
in the mercies of their Redeemer. As soon as the sixteen were beheaded, the
magistrate cried out to the executioner, "There is another stroke
remaining yet; you must behead the minister; he can never die at a better time
than with such excellent precepts in his mouth, and such laudable examples
before him." He was accordingly beheaded, though even many of the Roman
Catholics themselves reprobated this piece of treacherous and unnecessary
cruelty.
George
Scherter, a minister of Salzburg, was apprehended and committed to prison for
instructing his flock in the knowledge of the Gospel. While he was in
confinement he wrote a confession of his faith; soon after which he was
condemned, first to be beheaded, and afterward to be burnt to ashes. On his way
to the place of execution he said to the spectators, "That you may know I
die a true Christian, I will give you a sign." This was indeed verified in
a most singular manner; for after his head was cut off, the body lying a short
space of time with the belly to the ground, it suddenly turned upon the back,
when the right foot crossed over t he left, as did
also the right arm over the left: and in this manner it remained until it was
committed to the flames.
In Louviana, a learned man, named Percinal,
was murdered in prison; and Justus Insparg was
beheaded, for having Luther's sermons in his possession.
Giles
Tilleman, a cutler of Brussels, was a man of great humanity and piety. Among
others he was apprehended as a Protestant, and many endeavors were made by the
monks to persuade him to recant. He had once, by accident, a fair opportunity
of escaping from prison and being asked why he did not avail himself of it, he
replied, "I would not do the keepers so much injury, as they must have
answered for my absence, had I gone away." When he was sentenced to be
burnt, he fervently thanked God for granting him an opportunity, by martyrdom,
to glorify His name. Perceiving, at the place of execution, a great quanity of fagots, he desired the principal part of them
might be given to the poor, saying, "A small quantity will suffice to
consume me." The executioner offered to strangle him before the fire was lighted, but he would not consent, telling him that he
defied the flames; and, indeed, he gave up the ghost with such composure amidst
them, that he hardly seemed sensible of their effects.
In
the year 1543 and 1544, the persecution was carried on
throughout all Flanders in a most violent and cruel manner. Some were condemned
to perpetual imprisonment, others to perpetual banishment; but most were put to
death either by hanging, drowning, immuring, burning, the rack, or burying
alive.
John
de Boscane, a zealous Protestant, was apprehended on account of his faith, in
the city of Antwerp. On his trial, he steadfastly professed himself to be of
the reformed religion, which occasioned his immediate condemnation. The
magistrate, however, was afraid to put him to death publicly, as he was popular
through his great generosity, and almost universally beloved for his
inoffensive life, and exemplary piety. A private execution being determined on,
an order was given to drown him in prison. The executioner, accordinly,
put him in a large tub; but Boscane struggling, and
getting his head above the water, the executioner stabbed him with a dagger in
several places, until he expired.
John
de Buisons, another Protestant, was, about the same time, secretly apprehended,
and privately executed at Antwerp. The numbers of Protestants being great in
that city, and the prisoner much respected, the magistrates feared an
insurrection, and for that reason ordered him to be beheaded in prison.
A.D.
1568, three persons were apprehended in Antwerp, named Scoblant,
Hues, and Coomans. During their confinement they behaved with great fortitude
and cheerfulness, confessing that the hand of God appeared in what had befallen
them, and bowing down before the throne of his providence. In an epistle to
some worthy Protestants, they expressed themselves in the following words:
"Since it is the will of the Almighty that we should suffer for His name,
and be persecuted for the sake of His Gospel, we patiently submit, and are
joyful upon the occasion; though the flesh may febel
against the spirit, and hearken to the council of the old serpent, yet the
truths of the Gospel shall prevent such advice from being taken, and Christ
shall bruise the serpent's head. We are not comfortless in confinement, for we
have faith; we fear not affliction, for we have hope; and we forgive our
enemies, for we have charity. Be not under apprehensions for us, we are happy
in confinement through the promises of God, glory in our bonds, and exult in
being thought worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ. We desire not to be
released, but to be blessed with fortitude; we ask not liberty, but the power
of perseverance; and wish for no change in our condition, but that which places
a crown of martyrdom upon our heads."
Scoblant was
first brought to his trial; when, persisting in the profession of his faith, he
received sentence of death. On his return to prison, he earnestly requested the
jailer not to permit any friar to come near him; saying, "They can do me
no good, but may greatly disturb me. I hope my salvation is already sealed in
heaven, and that the blood of Christ, in which I firmly put my trust, hath
washed me from my iniquities. I am not going to throw off this mantle of clay,
to be clad in robes of eternal glory, by whose celestial brightness I shall be
freed from all errors. I hope I may be the last martyr to papal tyranny, and
the blood already spilt found sufficient to quench the thirst of popish
cruelty; that the Church of Christ may have rest here, as his servants will
hereafter." On the day of execution, he to0ok a pathetic leave of his
fellow prisoners. At the stake he fervently said the Lord's Prayer,
and sung the Fortieth Psalm; then commending his soul to God, he was
burnt alive.
Hues,
soon after died in prison; upon which occasion Coomans wrote thus to his
friends: "I am now deprived of my friends and companions; Scoblant is martyred, and Hues dead, by the visitation of
the Lord; yet I am not alone, I have with me the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and
of Jacob; He is my comfort, and shall be my reward. Pray unto God to strengthen
me to the end, as I expect every hour to be freed from this tenement of
clay."
On
his trial he freely confessed himself of the reformed religion, answered with a
manly fortitude to every charge against him, and proved the Scriptural part of
his answers from the Gospel. The judge told him the only alternatives were
recantation or death; and concluded by saying, "Will you die for the faith
you profess?" To which Coomans replied, "I am not only willing to
die, but to suffer the most excruciating torments for it; after which my soul
shall receive its confirmation from God Himself, in the midst of eternal
glory." Being condemned, he went cheerfully to the place of execution, and
died with the most manly fortitude, and Christian
resignation.
William
of Nassau fell a sacrifice to treachery, being assassinated in the fifty-first
year of his age, by Beltazar Gerard, a native of
Ranche Compte, in the province of Burgundy. This murderer, in hopes of a reward
here and hereafter, for killing an enemy to the king of Spain and an enemy to
the Catholic religion, undertook to destroy the prince of Orange. Having procured
firearms, he watched him as he passed through the great hall of his palace to dinner, and demanded a passport. The princess of Orange, observing
that the assassin spoke with a hollow and confused voice, asked who he was,
saying that she did not like his countenance. The prince answered that it was
one that demanded a passport, which he should presently have.
Nothing
further passed before dinner, but on the return of the prince and princness through the same hall, after dinner was over, the
assassin, standing concealed as much as possible by one of the pillars, fired
at the prince, the balls entering at the left side, and passing through the
right, wounding in their passage the stomach and vital parts. On receiving the
wounds, the prince only said, "Lord, have mercy upon my soul, and upon
these poor people," and then expired immediately.
The
lamentations throughout the United Provinces were general, on account of the
death of the prince of Orange; and the assassin, who was immediately taken,
received sentence to be put to death in the most exemplary manner, yet such was
his enthusiasm, or folly, that when his flesh was torn by red-hot pincers, he
coolly said, "If I was at liberty, I would commit such an action over
again."
The
prince of Orange's funeral was the grandest ever seen in the Low Countries, and
perhaps the sorrow for his death the most sincere, as
he left behind him the character he honestly deserved, viz., that of father of
his people.
To
conclude, multitudes were murdered in different parts of Flanders; in the city
of Valence, in particular, fifty-seven of the
principal inhabitants were butchered in one day, for refusing to embrace the
Romish superstition; and great numbers were suffered to languish in
confinement, until they perished through the inclemency of their dungeons.
Chapter 12 - Life and Story of William Tyndale