Touching the Persons that were Then in the Court of Justice, and Consequently

Jan van Drenckwaert Boudewijnss, aged between twenty-nine and thirty years, who was then bailiff of Dortrecht.

Arent van der Mijle Sir Corneliss, burgomaster of the community, who had gone out of office about the close of the year 1570, but had now, on the 6th of March, been re-elected.

Together with (according to the law of that city) nine judges: Cornelis Sir Hendricks; Adriaen van Mosyenbroeck Sir Govertss; Adriaen Koninck Dirckss; Arent Hendricks; Gijsbrecht Janss, treasurer; Michiel van Beveren Sir Pieterss; Mr. Jan van Muylwijck Sir Franss; Pieter Kool Sir Huygenss; Damas Sir Wouterss, replaced by Jan Adriaenss.

These we have taken from the register of the lords of justice of the city of Dortrecht, who reigned in the year 1572, according to the account of the aforesaid Johan van Beverwijck, in the book referred to, where he treats of the government of the city, for the year 1572.

But whether they all agreed together in this sentence, or only some of them, by a majority of votes among them, is not stated, nor do we consider it of much importance to know, since it is enough for our improvement and edification to have learned the unwavering faith and steadfast death of the martyrs named above, who died under their reign.

Concerning the death of these friends two hymns were composed at that time, and in the first of them the following words, among others, were sung about the cause and the time of their imprisonment:

Terstond daer na zijn Brieven gekomen,

Te Dordrecht aen den nieuwen Schout,

Die seer jonk is van jaren, etc.

Right after, letters came

To the new Bailiff at Dortrecht,

Who is very young of years, and so on. In the other, this is sung concerning their death:

Adriaenken Jans is eerst omgebrocht,

't Welck Schout Jan Drenkwaert heeft versocht.

First Adriaenken Jans was put to death

Who requested the bailiff Drenkwaert.

And afterwards:

Jan Wouterss sprak, met goed bescheyd,

Dit is den dag der saligheyd.

Swygt, sprak den Underschout.

Waerom soude ik (seyde hy) 't spreeken laten,

Myn woorden zijn niet quaed, noch stout.

Adriaenken look haer oogen voorwaer,

Om haren Bruydegom te behagen klaer;

Die rust nu in den Heer,

En is de pyn van den brand ontgaen,

Alleen door sijn genade meer.

Jan Woutersz heeft hem aen den pael gerecht,

Doen lachte hy [van vreugd] als een vroom knecht,

En beval soo God

Synen geest in Syne handen,* [n1051-1]

Die was sijn Toevlucht, Borgt, en Slot.

Oorlof heeft hy geroepen aldaer,

Aen Broeders en Susters in 't openbaer,

Met woorden soet,

U wil ik den Heer bevelen,

Die voor ons heeft gestort sijn bloed.

Dees twee schaepkens zijn door, voort tempeest,

Wat heeft al [haer] lijden nu geweest?

Sy hebben de Kroon

Der Martelaren verworven,

Die hebben sy nu voor haer loon.

Jan Wouterss clearly spoke

This is the day of salvation.

Be silent, said the underbailiff.

Why should I, he said, keep from speaking?

My words are neither bad nor bold.

Adriaenken too looked forward,

To please her Bridegroom.

She rests now in the Lord,

And has passed the fire's pain,

Through His bountiful grace alone.

Jan Wouterss placed himself at the stake,

Then laughed for joy, as a pious servant,

And thus commended his spirit

Into the hands of the Lord,

Who was his Refuge, Fortress and Castle.

Farewell, he sweetly called

To the brothers and sisters openly

I will commend you to the Lord,

Who shed for us His blood.

These two lambs have now passed through,

Away tempest!

What were now all their sufferings?

They obtained the martyr's crown,

Which now they hold as their reward.

The same hymn also tells how their mouths were gagged, how they prayed to God, and how they prepared themselves for death at the place of execution, and so on; but we consider what has gone before sufficient as a memorial of their sacrifice.

NOTE. Since all the letters, testaments and confessions of Jan Wouterss van Kuyck, twelve in number, have come into our hands, as also a letter of Adriaenken Jans of Molenaersgraef, with the answer of her husband, J. A. of Dort, all of which, upon reading them, we have found to be full of sound and edifying teachings, we have thought it well to add them here for edification and lasting remembrance, so that everyone may see the active and living faith on which the friends named above laid down their lives.