Thus pronounced, and committed to the executioner for execution, this sixteenth day of August, A. D. 1550, in the presence of the Bailiff, all the burgomasters, and all the judges, with the exception of Jan Dunen.
Ryer Dircks was examined by torture the ninth of July, A. D. 1550.
Extracted from the book of criminal sentences, in the keeping of the secretary of the city of Amsterdam.
In or about the year 1551, a smith was apprehended for the divine truth, at Komen, in Flanders. He freely confessed his faith, and as he would not depart from it, he was sentenced to death in two ways, namely, if he recanted, he was to be executed with the sword; otherwise to be burned alive. To this end, two-fold preparations were made; but seeing the multitude, and fearing trouble, the authorities kept the brother in prison. Hence, some climbed to the top of the prison and broke through the roof, to see what was being done with the doomed man. At last, one knocked at the door of the prison, desiring to know whether the brother was alive or dead. Having been admitted, he immediately returned with blood on his hand, which he showed to the people, saying: “He is dead! He is dead!” The dead man was then brought out on a ladder, with his head lying between his legs, and the ladder placed upon the wall of the churchyard, where the priest made a long speech (a sermon probably), saying among other things, that he had renounced his heretical belief, and re-accepted the Roman church and her saving faith; and “holding now a good resolution,” said he, “he was instantly executed, lest he might fall back into his old error.” But it was firmly believed that the priest slandered the dead man, and this the more so, since after relating the sentence, he said that he obstinately adhered to his previous confession. Thus God constrains the wicked, in the telling of their lies, themselves, unawares, to reveal the truth of the matter.