At Ghent in Flanders there were apprehended, for the faith, three brethren, namely, Dirk Lamberts, Christian van Wetteren, and Antonijn de Wale, who contended valiantly and heroically for their faith and the truth, from which they would not depart for any temptation, pain or suffering, so that they were finally sentenced to death. First Dirk Lamberts, and shortly afterwards the other two, had to follow Christ by entering through death into life; therefore they shall be clothed in fine linen with all the elect of God, and receive palms into their hands, and the crown of life upon their heads.
The same year a brother named Joos Jans was apprehended at Somerdijck, for living according to the truth, and was immediately taken to Zierickzee, where he suffered much examination and hardship, but suffered himself nevertheless in no wise to be moved or turned away from the word of God and the love of Christ, so that he was finally sentenced to death and beheaded, thus valiantly testifying with his blood to the truth.
NOTE.--The repeatedly mentioned decree of Emperor Charles V., enacted in the year 1550, and confirmed by Philip II., King of Spain, A. D. 1556 (for which year we have circumstantially shown the same), as also, A. D. 1560, was at this time, namely, A. D. 1564, renewed and established the third time, for the annihilation and destruction of the innocent and defenseless Christian believers, as may be seen in the large _book of decrees_ of Ghent, and cited by William I., Prince of Orange, in his defense against his adversaries, edition 1569, page 165, etc.
Thereupon followed no small persecution, as may be seen from the history of the following martyrs.