Mattheus Bernaerts, Called Mattheus van Lincken, Adriaen Rogiers, in the Year 1572

In the year 1572, on the 4th of December, there were burned at Ghent in Flanders, in the Friday Market, for the testimony of Jesus, with balls in their mouths, a God-fearing, pious brother named Mattheus Bernaerts, called Mattheus van Lincken, born at Meenen in Flanders, forty years old, in his time a minister of the church of God in the Word of the holy Gospel, and also in the deaconship, to provide for poor, needy members of Christ in temporal necessities; and a young maiden named Dingentgen of Honschoten. These two, together with Maerten van der Straten, born at Kortrijck in Flanders, and Adriaen Rogiers, born at Bommel in Guelderland (who are mentioned separately in this book), four in all, were burned together in the same fire, with balls in their mouths, for the true and unquestionable truth, and they testified to and confirmed the true faith with their death and blood in great steadfastness. They thus fought a good fight against the princes and rulers of darkness, the devil and his followers, finished their course, kept the faith, and are now expecting to receive, through grace, the crown of eternal glory from the hand of the Lord.