Twenty Persons at London, in England

The persecution, killing and murdering of the Christians had not yet ceased in many places, and so certain friends, because of the severe tribulation and the small opportunity for making a living, went from Flanders to England; among their number were also one Hendrick Terwoort and Jan Pieterss. While they were living in their simplicity, in London, earning bread for wife and children, it happened in the year 1575, on Easter Day, that the assembly met in a suburb, to hear the Word of God. When they had engaged together in prayer to God, the constable (for they had been spied out) came in, fiercely and insolently, and called them devils, asking them who was their preacher. He wrote down their names, and made the women promise to remain there together until further orders. So these friends remained there until the constable returned. He called off their names, and drove them before him as sheep are led to the slaughter, and took them to prison, there being twenty-five persons, of whom two escaped without any violence. They were confined two days in the South Fort in the Mersey, and were then released on bail, but soon afterward summoned to appear in Saint Paul's Church, where the bishop and other eminent teachers and persons were assembled. There four questions were put to them, which were as follows:

1. Whether Christ, our Savior, had not taken His flesh from the body of Mary?

2. Whether it is lawful for a Christian to swear an oath?

3. Whether Christians ought to have their children baptized?

4. Whether it is lawful for a Christian to administer the (criminal) office of the magistracy?

These friends could not answer yes to these questions, but denied every one of them, because they had not read them in the holy Scriptures, with which our belief must agree. But they confessed that they had read of a magistracy which God has appointed in every country, for the protection of the good and the punishment of the evil. When these friends, through the fear of God, could not follow the learned men in these questions of theirs, the bishop, and the others also, denounced them in a very brutal and furious manner, saying that the law should be applied to these people; and if not, they would lay hands on them themselves. And because one of the prisoners spoke a little more than the rest, they said: "This is their captain; you shall no longer scatter your evil seed in our country," and they shut him up by himself. And the bishop showed them a large letter, saying very sternly: that the court had given orders that all strangers would have to subscribe to the above-mentioned four questions, and that whoever would do this might remain in the country free and unmolested, but that all who were found obstinate in this should be put to a terrible death. Let everyone consider this, subscribe, and deliver himself from danger.

These cruel and unchristian threats terrified some, so that through the weakness of the flesh five of them fell away from the truth, and refused to lose their bodies for the name of Christ. Having caught these in their net, they did not joyfully lay these found sheep (as they regarded them) upon their shoulders, according to Christ's teaching; but on the contrary they exposed these five, for a disgrace, in Saint Paul's churchyard, with a fagot tied on their shoulders, as a token that they were worthy of burning. There they stood until the bishop had finished his sermon, and gave a letter into their hands, saying: that these people were seduced, but that this was the truth which was taught there; and that they should give bail that they would unite with the Dutch (Duytsche) church, and so become their brothers. The other friends, who steadfastly held to the truth, were brought before the bishop twice afterward, and by severe threats with the decree it was sought to force them to subscribe, or they would have to die a terrible death. When the bishop could by no means whatever cause these friends to fall away, he delivered them over to the mayor, and they were put into severe imprisonment with criminals, where these fourteen women and a lad were confined for some time with great tribulation and sorrow, being frequently threatened with a cruel death. But the matter finally took a different turn, so that they released these women, and drove them, as innocent lambs (whom it was easy to compel), with halberds and armed men (as though they had to guard a city), to the ship. But the young lad they tied to a cart, and scourged him out [of the city] with a whip, which made him say: "This is for the name of Christ." When they were on board the ship, to sail for Gravesend, a letter was given to the skipper, which stated that these people were not worthy to come among Christians. The other five brothers were brought forth again, and urged with great severity to subscribe, or else to be burnt in Smithfield. At that Jan Pieterss answered with a valiant heart that this was a small matter. The bishop sternly asked: "What does he say?" When he had understood Jan Pieterss correctly, he presumptuously said that such heretics must be shunned, and that he now expelled them from his church, as bad members. At that Hendrick Terwoort said:

"How can you expel us from your church, when we have never yet been one with you?" The bishop answered: "That this was all the same, and that in England there was no one who was not a member of God's church." So they put these friends of Christ into Newgate, confining them very securely, and tormented them with all kinds of temptations, with disputations, and [threats of] a cruel death.

But when these friends, as men in the faith, steadfastly endured all this, they very unmercifully cast them into a deep dungeon, infested with filthy and noxious vermin, which was a dreadful and unhealthy place to be confined, so that one of the friends, named Christiaen, died there in a short time. Once an English teacher [minister] came to them, and laying his hands upon them, and falling down upon his knees, cried aloud:

"Lord, convert their heart;" and naming the devil, said: "Depart from them, you wicked one." But as these men, through the grace of God, and for the love of Him, bore all this, finally a letter was shown them, containing eight articles: that all strangers must subscribe to them, and whether it were not right to put such vagabond heretics to death; together with the above-mentioned articles. At that, sentence was sent from the court upon Jan Pieterss and Hendrick Terwoort, that they should both be publicly burnt. This sentence was also assented to by the common people, who subscribed that such heretics should be put to death.

On the Sunday following, word was brought to them that they should be burnt in three days; and they were at the same time also asked whether they desired any postponement. Hendrick Terwoort answered: "If it has to be according to your intention, make haste in the matter, for we would rather die than live, that we may be delivered from this dreadful vermin." But it was delayed until Friday, when they were brought forth early in the morning, to be put to death in Smithfield.

On their way to death Jan Pieterss said: "We need not be ashamed of this way, since many prophets went the same way before us." And so they, as defenseless sheep of Christ, following the footsteps of their Master, went boldly to death for the name of Christ. An English teacher who was present said mockingly before all the people: "These people do not believe in God." At that Jan Pieterss replied: "We believe in one God, our heavenly Father almighty, and in Jesus Christ His Son." When they stood at the stakes, they were once more tormented [with the demand] to subscribe to the articles referred to, and on condition that they should subscribe to them they were promised pardon. At that Jan Pieterss spoke thus: "You have labored with all your might to bring us over to you; but now that you cannot accomplish your purpose, we are placed at the stake." At that one of their preachers excused them, saying: "That this came through the council alone, and that it was also the will of the queen, that they should be put to death." Jan Pieterss replied that those who were the teachers of the queen ought to instruct her differently; and that therefore our blood shall be required at your hands. So, on the 22nd of July of that year, 1575, both were burnt alive, and confessed the word of truth with their death. But the other two prisoners, Gerrit van Byler and Hans van Straten, after much misery and distress, were set free, unharmed in their faith.

It also deserves the consideration of every intelligent person how utterly incompatible with the Christian faith such unchristian and cruel proceedings and sentence as seen here are, since the Christians are described as sheep and lambs sent out among cruel, ravening wolves. Matthew 10, verse 16; Luke 10, verse 3. Who then can believe with a good conscience that these English preachers are the true sheep of Christ, seeing that they so plainly brought forth in this the fruit of wolves, since according to the teaching of Christ the tree shall be known by its fruit. And these preachers are to be censured so much the more still, since they regard it as a chief article of their faith that God Almighty, before the foundation of the world, elected a certain small number of men, which can in no way be decreased or increased, but who shall all infallibly be saved. And that God Almighty, on the other hand, rejected the great majority of men, who shall likewise infallibly be lost. And that the will or ability which God has given man can do no more toward bringing about acceptance of God's gracious conversion than dead men are able to rise from temporal death. If it stands like this with man's conversion, how utterly unfounded then is the course of these English preachers, who by such tyrannical means sought to force faith and conversion (according to their idea) upon these poor defenseless prisoners, by threatening them with a terrible death. It appears from this that they do not believe their chief article themselves.

This happened under the reign of Queen Elizabeth, in the eighteenth year of that reign.

Anyone who wishes may read this account also in an old printed hymn, which was composed at that time concerning the offering up of these friends.