PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Bloody Theatre, or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians
Braght, Thieleman J. van (Thieleman Janszoon) · 1,152,781 words · 1675 reading sections
A Testament From Joost De Tollenaer, To His Daughter.
And if you, my child, thus betake your heart with all humility to the Lord, and unceasingly cleave to him with prayer and supplication, he will delight in you, and abundantly give you the fear of God, and the knowledge of wisdom. For the fear of God is a tree of life, and his branches flourish forever, and his fruits a…
815 wordsSECTION 1562A Testament From Joost De Tollenaer, To His Daughter.
Behold, my dear child Betgen, I have set before you many excellent and precious treasures, and all for your admonition. I pray you, take them to heart, and often read them over; so that you may thereby be instructed in the fear of God. And do not let this my letter (which I have written with much pains in my prison, wi…
752 wordsSECTION 1563A Testament From Joost De Tollenaer, To His Daughter.
Therefore, my child, though the world upbraid you with it to-day or to-morrow, you need not be ashamed, for I do not suffer for any crime, as a thief, or murderer, or as one that seeks other people’s property; but it is for the confession of my faith in Christ Jesus, namely, that he is the true Son of God. Hence Peter …
681 wordsSECTION 1564A Testament From Joost De Tollenaer, To His Daughter.
Behold, my dear child Betgen, if you fear the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength and ability, your name shall be written in the book of life, and you shall be marked in your forehead with the name of the living God. You shall also receive a white, shining stone, and upon it a n…
707 wordsSECTION 1565A Testament From Joost De Tollenaer, To His Daughter.
Hence we are to wish evil to no one, though in the law of Moses the contrary is written: “Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.” But Christ takes this away; for that was in the law of revenge, but now we are under grace. Hence we must also show grace, and not punish, as Christ says: “Ye have heard that it…
771 wordsSECTION 1566A Testament From Joost De Tollenaer, To His Daughter.
Therefore assist the poor, so that the Lord may richly bless you. If you lay this to heart, and do according to it, your light shall arise as the bright morning star at the beautiful dawn; hence always do well, and if you love God, keep his commandments. Herewith I will conclude my letter. I have presented to you that …
331 wordsSECTION 1567Leonhard Boltzinger, A. D. 1591.
That the way which leads to eternal life is strait and narrow, is shown by the holy Scriptures, and moreover, also many devout children of God have actually found this to be so; among whom was also a simple, godfearing woman, by the name of Maeyken Pickelen, who would no longer live according to the commandments and or…
452 wordsSECTION 1568George Wanger, A. D. 1591.
In this same year 1591, on the fifth day of the month of August, George Wanger, a tailor, was executed for the faith, at Lorenzi, in the Pusterthal, in the earldom of Tyrol, after he had been confined for more than a year; for he was apprehended the evening before St. James’ day, in the year 1590. At Lorenzi he was bro…
760 wordsSECTION 1569Bartholomeus Panten, Michiel The Widower, And Kalleken N., A. D. 1592.
There were also many people present, some of whom wept. He also requested that his hands be released a little, that he might lift them up to God, to thank and praise him, and to ask him, that he would give him strength to resist the false prophets and evil spirits. Finally he commended his spirit into the hands of God,…
734 wordsSECTION 1570Bartholomeus Panten, Michiel The Widower, And Kalleken N., A. D. 1592.
Thus, my dear brother, I see no other way to attain to eternal life than to bear the cross which God has laid upon us, as Christ says: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake …
691 wordsSECTION 1571Bartholomeus Panten.
Hence, my dear brother, be kind and affectionate with one another, and forgive one another, even as God has forgiven you through Christ. Paul also says: “Warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow th…
790 wordsSECTION 1572Bartholomeus Panten.
Hence, dear friends, if we want to be of his servants, we must serve the Lord according to his divine will and demands. That is, we must suffer and bear here, and not resist; else we should live to ourselves, and not to the Lord, and so doing we should not follow the footsteps of Christ, for we must bless, and not curs…
624 wordsSECTION 1573Bartholomeus Panten.
The following are some controversies which we prisoners had with the Jesuits. I have written them briefly, according to the best of my recollection; for to write them word for word would be impossible. If we could have been together, I could have written a little more fully, for quite a number of days have passed, sinc…
813 wordsSECTION 1574Bartholomeus Panten.
And the Dean of St. John’s, and the pastor of the same church, when we talked with them, made a long speech from John 3, where Christ declares: Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. I said that he had spoken that to the adult; but he would claim, that it was spoken of every one, of children as w…
1,003 wordsSECTION 1575Bartholomeus Panten.
Again, I also inform you, that we spoke some concerning the Lord’s Supper and the breaking of the bread, with the Dean of St. John’s and their pastor, and their view was, that Christ’s flesh and blood were in their sacrament. Thereupon Michiel said: “If this was so, then they would be eating flesh on Fridays; which the…
432 wordsSECTION 1576Bartholomeus Panten.
A TESTAMENT FROM BARTHOLOMEUS PANTEN TO HIS LITTLE DAUGHTER, WHO AFTER HER FATHER’S DEATH WAS PUT INTO A CONVENT BY THE PRIESTS; THE LORD GRANT THAT SHE MAY YET BE BROUGHT INTO THE RIGHT WAY. My dear child, hear the instruction of your father, and forget it not, if God permits you to grow up, and you attain to your un…
705 wordsSECTION 1577Bartholomeus Panten.
It must withal be understood, that confession is not enough, but that sorrow of heart must also be evinced by good works; that the old man with his evil works, must first be put off, and that it must be done out of pure faith, as Philip said to the eunuch: “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” Acts 8:3…
704 wordsSECTION 1578Bartholomeus Panten.
Therefore, my dear child, look not at the great multitude, but remember the time of Noah, how few there were saved when the world perished by the flood. And that from the five cities of Sodom and Gomorrah there were left but three persons. Hence, my dear child, separate also from the spiritual Sodom, that you be not a…
655 wordsSECTION 1579Michiel Hazel, A. D. 1592.
This was written by me your father, Bartholomeus Panten, on the same day that I was tortured for the name of the Lord; some of it before the torturing, and some after it. Let all of you that read this, or hear it read, bear in mind, and not be surprised, though this has taken place, for the apostle Peter says: Beloved,…
280 wordsSECTION 1580Thomas Han, A. D. 1592.
In the year 1592, on the twelfth day of May, also Thomas Han, of Nicktsburg, was imprisoned for the faith, at Freiburg, in Bavaria; he was also very severely tortured and racked, and in order that he should tell what they wanted, and renounce his faith, they had him suspended by ropes from eight until eleven o’clock. B…
744 wordsSECTION 1581Mattheus Mair, A. D. 1592.
[Illustration: MATTHEUS MAIR DROWNED.] The same year 1592, on Mary Magdalene’s day, Mattheus Mair was apprehended at Wier, in the district of Baden. This was brought about by a priest, who upon coming out of the church, and noticing the brother, sent his servant maid after him, to see whether he should leave the villa…
843 wordsSECTION 1582Aeltgen Baten, And Maeyken Wouters, A. D. 1595.
And hereby, honorable, most learned, wise, discreet, dear, particular, we commend you to God. Gravenhage, on the 4th of March, 1593. Signed: Your very good friend, MAURICE DE NASSAU. The superscription was: _To the honorable, wise and discreet, our dear, particular Burgomasters, Judges and Rulers of Middelborgh_, a…
1,077 wordsSECTION 1583Aeltgen Baten, And Maeyken Wouters, A. D. 1595.
Afterwards they wanted to sentence them by the secular law, which it was said, was done by four judicial persons, or judges, namely, that these two persons should be drowned (for the word of God), by being cast alive, bound, from the Meuse bridge. On that same Saturday there came to them to Luyck two men from their loc…
719 wordsSECTION 1584Aeltgen Baten, And Maeyken Wouters, A. D. 1595.
Hence, my dear father and mother, grieve me no more about paying the costs; for you have burdened me greatly, day and night, because I sent word to you so many times, that you should not ransom me, and you did not write me an answer. Hence, my dear father and mother, speak with our friends, so that I may receive a com…
671 wordsSECTION 1585Anneken Van Den Hove, 1597.
I had this letter written, when I was in prison for the testimony of the truth, in the town of Luyck, A. D. 1595. I, a feeble member of the Christian church, bearing now in my body the marks of my Lord. Adieu, now, all of you. At Brussels, under the reign of the archduke Albert, there was apprehended for her faith and…
679 wordsSECTION 1586Further Observation Touching The Cause Of Death Of Anneken Van Den Hove.
O God, be merciful also unto us that are still living, that continuing faithful unto the end, we may with her, and all the saints receive thy blessed inheritance. It was for a long time believed (which originated in the assertions of some adherents of the Reformed Church), that the aforementioned Anneken van den Hove …
355 wordsSECTION 1587Of The Destruction Of Some Tyrants Of This Last Persecution.
We will abridge this century with which formerly also our old _Offerboeck_ was concluded; showing 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 ty…
683 wordsSECTION 1588Of The Destruction Of Some Tyrants Of This Last Persecution.
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 nu…
745 wordsSECTION 1589Of The Destruction Of Some Tyrants Of This Last Persecution.
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 r…
758 wordsSECTION 1590Of The Destruction Of Some Tyrants Of This Last Persecution.
“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 del…
840 wordsSECTION 1591Of The Destruction Of Some Tyrants Of This Last Persecution.
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 c…
748 wordsSECTION 1592Conclusion Of The Sixteenth Century.
We will take leave of this sixteenth century with a certain conclusion appended to the Martyrs Mirror of the year 1631; wherein we will say nothing, as far as respects the sense of the same, but what our dear fellow believers have said in that work. We have here presented to you, kind reader, many beautiful examples (…
688 wordsSECTION 1593Conclusion Of The Sixteenth Century.
Hence those who would defend persecuting and killing for matters of faith, and represent and urge it as right, accomplish no good by their fury, but instead of good wheat they gather much impure chaff, and fill the sheepfold with dissembling, hypocritical goats. And if any one thinks, that it does not behoove a king or…
849 wordsSECTION 1594Conclusion Of The Sixteenth Century.
Herein also not too much praise can be bestowed upon the Lords States of the United Netherlands, who, however vehemently they have sometimes been incited to it, do also not consent to such blind zeal in the way of constraint of conscience and investigation of faith. And since we are commanded to pray God for the magist…
327 wordsSECTION 1595Summary Of The Martyrs In The Seventeenth Century.
[After the preceding, sixteenth century closed with the burying alive of Anneken van den Hove, in the year 1597, the following, seventeenth century commenced, not without threats, and the shedding of the blood of the pious witnesses of the Lord. The first year of this century begins with a decree (though not unto deat…
668 wordsSECTION 1596Summary Of The Martyrs In The Seventeenth Century.
Mention is made, A. D. 1650, of a decree published by those of Schaffhausen against those called Anabaptists. A certain mandate proclaimed against the Anabaptists, three years later, namely, 1653. Ully Wagman and another brother, both imprisoned; Ully dies A. D. 1654, while the other brother remained in prison long a…
498 wordsSECTION 1597The Decree.[349]
[349] Let no one take offense at the words of this decree; for we desired to give them unchanged. The burgomasters and the council make known: Whereas it has come to our certain knowledge that not only many in the city and in the jurisdiction of the same presume to exercise and practice, contrary to the treaty sworn …
490 wordsSECTION 1598Further Observation.
Whether this decree by those of Groningen and Sneeck caused any serious oppression, then or about that time, by way of banishment or the like, to those baptized according to Christ’s ordinance, we have not been able to learn; but that they afterwards in those places proceeded much more severely than the decree justifie…
573 wordsSECTION 1599Marcus Eder And Hans Poltzinger, A. D. 1605.
On the 24th of April, A. D. 1605, two brethren, named Marcus Eder, a cart-wright, and Hans Poltzinger, a tailor, were apprehended for their faith and for the sake of the divine truth, at Nimbach in Bavaria, where they were traveling through and were betrayed. Early in the morning on the 26th of April both were taken pr…
659 wordsSECTION 1600Hans Landis, A. D. 1614.
That the bloody constraint or dominion over the consciences of men still obtains, is a sad thing, and especially is it to be deplored, that those who boast of being, more than others, followers of the defenseless Lamb, have not more the nature of the lamb, but much rather that of wolves in them. It certainly cannot sta…
769 wordsSECTION 1601Further Observations Touching The Person And The Death Of Hans Landis.
But on the other hand, this pious martyr and witness of God, and all the righteous that are still under the altar and wait for the fulfillment of the number of their brethren who shall also make their robes white in the blood of the Lamb, shall receive a glorious reward, and shall then together, in shining raiment, wit…
719 wordsSECTION 1602Further Observations Touching The Person And The Death Of Hans Landis.
Thereupon there began they to afflict these innocent and defenseless people, not only with heavy fines, but also with arrest and imprisonment. This sad beginning would, to all appearance, have culminated in greater mischief to the aforesaid people, had not their High Mightinesses, the Lords States General of the Unite…
359 wordsSECTION 1603Further Observation, A. D. 1619.
When the aforesaid mandate had been drawn up, and properly delivered by order of their High Mightinesses, the hope was indulged in that it would be obeyed, and thereby the peace desired accomplished, but through the intervention of envious and malevolent persons this hope was frustrated; for it was sought, notwithstand…
406 wordsSECTION 1604Edict.
After this second mandate there followed in the aforesaid city and its jurisdiction the hoped for peace, at least so that we have learned of no note-worthy disturbance or obstruction of religion. Meantime the mischief broke out again in other places, especially at Deventer, though also from those professing the Calvin…
671 wordsSECTION 1605Edict.
_Of the only God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost._ We believe from the heart, and confess herewith according to the testimony of the word of God, that there is one, only, eternal, almighty, merciful and just God (Deut. 6:4; Matt. 19:17; Ps. 90:2; Isaiah 40:28; Rom. 16:26; Gen. 17:1; Ps. 103:8; Philippians 2:4; Dan. 9:7),…
650 wordsSECTION 1606Edict.
However, the manner, how and wherein Father, Son and holy Ghost are three and also one, we do not think that God has so fully revealed to us in his word; that also all the knowledge of it is not necessary to salvation, since it is a high or deep mystery, which here in this life can be known but in part, as if seen thro…
903 wordsSECTION 1607Edict.
The final cause of the sending, advent, incarnation, and suffering and death of the only begotten Son of God in this world, was to save sinners (1 Tim. 1:15; Matt. 18:11), or to reconcile the sinful world to God the Father, John 3:17; 1 John 2:2; 2 Cor. 5:19. Hence he is also the only foundation (1 Cor. 3:11), the only…
770 wordsSECTION 1608Edict.
Thereupon it followed that the magistrates issued a command, that all the Baptists (who contemptuously were called Anabaptists) should have to go to church with them and attend their worship, if they wished to retain their liberty. But when they could not do this with a good conscience, and hence refused to comply wit…
686 wordsSECTION 1609Edict.
The fifth time, again in the aforementioned castles, to which end a letter of safe-conduct was given them. Here they were asked, what they had resolved as regards conforming to the common worship, etc., which they had been enjoined to consider; whereupon a letter from the high Bailiff, by the order of the high authorit…
703 wordsSECTION 1610Hans Meyli, Sr., And His Son’S Wife, About The Year 1638.[351]
In consequence of this she weakened, and gave the desired information, whereupon she was released, and the property of the poor saints seized, amounting in money and notes to about two thousand rix-dollars. But when her spirit, as it seems, could not rest, and she bewailed this with great sorrow, she was, a considerab…
637 wordsSECTION 1611Catharina Mulerin, A. D. 1639.
[Illustration: CATHARINA MULERIN APPREHENDED.] The north wind of persecution rose now more and more in the Knonow district, which also appeared in the case of an old sister, named Catharina Mulerin; who having also been apprehended and taken to Zurich, had to suffer much there in prison, for the faith and testimony of…
667 wordsSECTION 1612Elizabeth Hilzin, A. D. 1639.
This filled the woman with such terror that, seeing their design, she, on a certain very cold night, broke away with her two infants, and went a long unbeaten way, over hill and dale, and thus escaped the enemies’ hands, forsaking all that she had, which the authorities rented to strangers, realizing thereby a thousand…
381 wordsSECTION 1613Hans Van Uticken, A. D. 1639.
Like a sweeping tempest which strikes everything, and carries away whatever is loose, so it also went at this time in the matter of persecution. All that were called Anabaptists were taken along, wherever they could get hold of them. The district of Uticken-wage had to suffer much in consequence of this. Among those th…
488 wordsSECTION 1614Jacob Egli, A. D. 1639.
Burckhardt Aman was a godfearing brother, who lived on the lake of Zurich. He was from there taken to Zurich, and imprisoned in Othenbach. But when his imprisonment had lasted about a year and a half, he, through a certain accident, unexpectedly was released, unknown to the authorities, keeping the faith in a good cons…
492 wordsSECTION 1615Jacob Rusterhel From Horgerberg, In The Year 1639.
The fire which the persecutors had kindled continued to burn, and their mad fury did not cease, until they had also apprehended a zealous and godfearing minister of the church, named Ulli Schedme, surnamed Schneider, by descent from Hirtzenstal, in the seignioralty Wadischwyl. In his imprisonment all manner of vexatio…
646 wordsSECTION 1616Ulrich Schneider, With His Two Sons, In The Year 1639.
On the 23d of September of the same year, 1639, there was brought bound to Zurich a godfearing brother, aged in years, named Stephen Zehender, a member of the church at Knonow, but by descent from Byrmensdorf. He was there imprisoned for sixteen weeks, in iron bonds, in the convent prison, a very damp and unwholesome p…
539 wordsSECTION 1617Hans Jacob Hess, With His Wife, A. D. 1639.
Two days and one month after the apprehension of the last mentioned witness of Jesus Christ, namely, on the 25th of October, 1639, there also died in the dungeon Othenbach, very miserably, however with a steadfast and joyful mind, Henry Gutwol, of Lehnmer, from the Knonow Bailiwick, after he had suffered much want, pov…
704 wordsSECTION 1618Hans Jacob Hess, With His Wife, A. D. 1639.
In regard to the first accusation laid to their charge in the aforesaid manifesto, by the lords of Zurich, namely, that they had separated themselves from the obedience which they owed to the Christian church; they make this reply: “Herein, right in the beginning; great wrong and injustice is done us; for we desire in…
682 wordsSECTION 1619Hans Jacob Hess, With His Wife, A. D. 1639.
In like manner, Cellarius writes to the aforementioned Hubmor, as follows: “Since you desire that I shall declare to you my judgment concerning baptism and the Lord’s Supper, I will heartily and briefly comply with your request: “In the first place it is an abomination in the eyes of God, that little children are bapt…
688 wordsSECTION 1620Hans Jacob Hess, With His Wife, A. D. 1639.
In another book, also printed at Wittenberg, in the year 1522, there are found among other articles (which one Sorbona had extracted as heretical from Luther’s books) also these: “That he (namely, Luther) had taught concerning the words of Christ (Matt. 5:39): ‘Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him…
573 wordsSource & rights
Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.