Anneken van den Hove, 1597

At Brussels, under the reign of the archduke Albert, a young woman named Anneken van den Hove (the servant maid of Nicolaes Rampaert's sister) was arrested for her faith and for following Christ, having been betrayed, as it was said, by the pastor of the Savel church at Brussels.

This Anneken was imprisoned two years and seven months. In that time she suffered much temptation from priests, monks, Jesuits and others, who in this way sought to make her fall away from the faith she had accepted. But however great the pains they took with her, in the way of examining, tormenting, fair promises, threats, long imprisonment, and otherwise, she nevertheless remained constantly steadfast in the faith in her Lord and Bridegroom. So at last, on the ninth of July, 1597, certain Jesuits came and asked her whether she would let herself be converted, for in that case she would be released and set at liberty. Then she replied: "No." They then offered to give her six months more time to consider; but she desired neither day nor time, and said that they might do what seemed good to them, for she longed to reach the place where she might offer up to the Lord a sacrifice acceptable to Him. When this answer had been brought to the judges, word was brought to her about two hours afterwards that if she wanted to die she should prepare herself, unless she wished to turn.

So the justice of the court, and also a few Jesuits, went out with her about eight o'clock, half a mile outside the city of Brussels, where a pit or grave had been made. In the meantime she fearlessly undressed herself, and was put alive into the pit; and when the lower limbs had first been covered with earth, the Jesuits who were present asked her whether she would not yet turn and recant. She said: "No;" but she was glad that the time of her departure was so nearly fulfilled. The Jesuits then set before her that she had to expect not only this burying alive of the body in the earth, but also the eternal pain of the fire in her soul, in hell. She answered that she had peace in her conscience, being well assured that she died saved, and that she had to expect the eternal, imperishable life, full of joy and gladness in heaven, with God and all His saints.

In the meantime they kept throwing earth, and (as has been reported to us) thick sods of heath ground, upon her body, up to her throat. But for all their asking, threatening, or promising to release her and take her out of the pit if she would recant, it was all in vain, and she would not listen to it.

So at last they threw much more earth and sods upon her face and her whole body, and stamped on it with their feet, so that she would die the sooner.

This was the end of this pious heroine of Jesus Christ, who gave her body to the earth so that her soul might obtain heaven. So she fought a good fight, finished her course, kept the faith, and valiantly confirmed the truth to death.

Since she so loved her dear leader, Christ Jesus, that she followed Him not only to the marriage at Cana, but also, so to speak, even to the gallows hill, the honor and name of a faithful martyress cannot be withheld from her, who suffered all this for His name's sake.

So afterwards also, when she goes forth as a wise virgin, indeed, as a dear friend of the Lord, to meet her heavenly Bridegroom, she will be joyfully welcomed and received in the heavenly halls of immortal glory, together with all steadfast servants of God.

O God, be merciful also to us who are still living, that continuing faithful to the end, we may with her, and all the saints, receive Your blessed inheritance.