He, though possessing a living, effectual and holy faith, yet through want of opportunity or some other reason had also, like the preceding martyr, Cornelis Janss, not yet received baptism upon his faith, which grieved him not a little when he was in bonds; but he did not on this account cast away his hope in the grace of God, since this had not been omitted through contempt of this holy ordinance of Christ, but from want of opportunity, on account of the pressure of persecution.
The authorities of the abovementioned city also viewed it in this light, and sentenced him to the fire, according to the imperial decree, as though he had already been baptized upon faith, because he confessed being desirous of it. This severe punishment of death he valiantly and steadfastly endured, and was thus numbered by the pious, with the number of the faithful martyrs of Jesus Christ, though according to the judgment of the papists he died as a heretic, as appears from the following sentence which was publicly read to him in court, just before his death, by the rulers of darkness, in these words:
_Sentence of death of Clement Hendrickss, sail-maker._
Whereas Clement Hendrickss, sail-maker, citizen of this city, at present a prisoner here, unmindful of his soul’s salvation,[317] and the obedience which he owed to our mother, the holy church, and to His Imperial Majesty, as his natural lord and prince, has so apostatized from the holy church, that he, despising her ordinances, has for five years and longer been neither to confession nor to the holy sacrament, and has at three different times attended the assembly of the reprobated and accursed sect of the Mennonists, the last time about a year ago; and is so hardened in said sect, that even while a prisoner he has declared that he is sorry that he is not rebaptized, and has not received the breaking of bread; and has also repeatedly attended the meetings; to which abovementioned reprobated sect of Mennonists, he, the prisoner, still persistently clings, refusing to return to our mother, the holy church, notwithstanding he has repeatedly, by divers clerical persons as well as by the court of this city, been urged thereto and instructed; so that the prisoner, according to what has been mentioned, has committed crime against divine and human majesty, as disturbing by his sect the common peace and welfare; therefore, my lords of the court, having heard the demand of my lord the Bailiff, and seen the confession of the prisoner, and having had regard to his great stubbornness and obstinacy, and duly considered everything, have condemned said prisoner, and by these presents do condemn him to be executed with fire, according to the decrees of His Majesty; and declare all his property confiscated for the benefit of His Majesty aforesaid, without prejudice to the privilege of this city in all other matters. Done in court, in presence, etc.
[317] How often shall it be said in these Amsterdam sentences, of the true believers, that they were unmindful of their soul’s salvation, whereas this was their sole object?
_Of the torturing of the abovementioned Clement Hendrickss, and when this took place._
The aforesaid person was tortured, according to the previous sentence of the judges, on the fourth of March, A. D. 1569, as appears from the records of the confession.
Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences, preserved in the archives of the city of Amsterdam.