At the same time a lad of fifteen years was put to death, suffering it with great steadfastness, at Leeuwaerden; whose faith is compared to that of the aforementioned two young girls put to death at Bamberg. See _Ondergang, page 1130, col. 1_.
It appears that at this time the bitterness of the Romish clergy increased and broke forth more and more, against those who sought to follow the evangelical doctrine of Jesus Christ; so that they prevailed upon the Emperor, through decrees, to revive the inquisition over the consciences of the inhabitants of the Netherlands, which for a time had seemingly abated, and to introduce it with greater rigor than before; which was accordingly done in the manner prescribed, which caused great dissatisfaction and sorrow to the common people of said countries. In regard to this, a certain author writes thus:
“Though many severe decrees had been published before at different times, for the oppression of the evangelical believers, whereby many thousands were miserably put to death for the faith, in the Netherlands; yet the hatred and ill-will of the people increased to an unwonted degree, in the year 1550, in consequence of the decree in regard to the inquisition, issued by Emperor Charles V., at Brussels, on the 29th of April; for thereby it was declared, that it was the intention, from that time forth publicly to introduce the spiritual inquisition, but to have the cruel and bloody mandates nevertheless rigorously executed by the secular power.” _Chron. van den Ondergang, page 1129, col. 1_, compared with _Eman. de Met., lib. 1_. _Pieter Bor., lib. 1. Oorspronch der Nederlantsche Beroerten, old edition, fol. 5, 6._
_Further Observation._--Though the writer says in the sequel, that some magistrates would not publish this decree concerning the inquisition, and that some, by humble petitions to the Emperor, obtained a mitigation; yet it had come so far, that actual means were secretly employed to carry out this purpose, through the inquisitors; in consequence of which, the minds of the people became the more agitated and disaffected, so that many emigrated from the cities of Brabant, particularly from West Flanders. _See the authors cited._
REYER DIRCKS, A BOATMAN, BURNT AFTER DREADFUL TORTURE, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT AMSTERDAM, IN HOLLAND, IN THE YEAR 1550.
At this time, also Reyer Dircks, a pious hero and valiant soldier, of Jesus Christ, though of small repute in the eyes of the world, who gained his livelihood with a little boat on the river Amstel, enlisted under the bloody banner of his Savior, and united with the cross-bearing church, contemptuously called Anabaptists. Having been with them about three years, he virtually experienced that the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and that the violent take it by force; inasmuch as he could not enter the spacious halls of the blessed palace of God without pressing through the strait gate, so that his flesh, yea the whole body, remained on the posts, and this in the fire, as food for the birds and wild beasts.
He was imprisoned at Amsterdam, in Holland, and, though he was most miserably tortured, he nevertheless refused to depart from his faith, and the promise which he had made to God in baptism. He was then condemned to death as a heretic, and very cruelly executed with flaming fire.
The foregoing may be clearly seen from the following sentence, which was read on the day of his death, in the court at Amsterdam, by the ecclesiastical rulers.
_Sentence of Death of Ryer Dircks._
Whereas Ryer Dircks, boatman, citizen of this city, did, about three years ago, embrace the doctrines, errors, sects, and heresies of the Anabaptists, and is holding pernicious views with regard to the sacraments of the holy church, contrary to the holy Christian faith, the ordinances of the holy church, and the written laws and decrees of his Imperial Majesty, our gracious lord, and, moreover, persists in his errors and heresies, notwithstanding the instruction given him in the true faith; therefore, my lords of the court, having heard the demand made by my Lord the Bailiff, in the name of his Imperial Majesty, concerning the aforementioned Ryer Dircks, as also his confession, and having duly considered the circumstances of the case, condemn said Ryer Dircks, pursuant to the aforesaid decrees, to be executed with fire by the executioner; and, furthermore, declare his property confiscated for the benefit of his Imperial Majesty, as Count of Holland, without derogation and prejudice to the privileges of this city.