Second Part

To my beloved Friends and Fellow Believers in Christ

Jesus our Savior

Most Beloved:

When, in former times, C. Vermander, one of our fellow believers, wanted to describe the Trojan war, he followed the Greek poet Homer, called the Blind, putting Homer's Greek verses on this matter into Dutch rhyme. He stopped when he had finished half, that is, the first twelve books of the Iliad,* writing these words

"When following the blind in Ilium's siege,

I wearied when but half the way I'd reached."

He became weary when he had traveled half the way, and certainly he had good reasons for it; for who does not know that by following a blind man, especially on unknown and dangerous roads, one may easily be led into error, indeed, into severe misfortunes? And what peaceful and loving person will delight in contemplating severe wars, and terrible storms and assaults, made upon a hard pressed and much distressed city, as Troy (called Ilium) was in Homer's time? So it was proper, and no less profitable for his soul, that he turned back, for, as the proverb says, "It is better to turn back in the middle of the way, than to stray still further."

But we, much beloved, having come half the way, indeed, through fifteen bloody centuries, became only the more eager to go on, so insatiable was our desire, from what we had already seen and heard. [n520-1] Indeed, what is still more, though we ourselves suffered much heat and cold, hardship and illness, indeed, deadly sicknesses,** on the way, our desire was not quenched, but much rather spurred on and stirred up, to reach the end. For truly, those whom we met here were no Greek warriors, enlisted under the hero Agamemnon, or under his general Hector. Nor were the storms and assaults which we saw made upon a city built with hands, much less upon the city of Ilium in Phrygia. Nor did the conquerors burn pitch barrels as a token of victory. Nor did the heroes who had acquitted themselves well, and faithfully risked their lives, do it to obtain fading oak leaves, or laurel wreaths, as marks of honor. Or, if they had died, their graves were not adorned with tombs, pyramids, or obelisks, which must eventually perish with the world.

Here things were quite different, beloved friends; indeed, quite different. For heroes met us who served the King of kings and Lord of lords, Jesus Christ, who, though as a slain lamb, is truly the Prince of the kings of the earth.*

The place which they stormed was the city filled with all good things, or the new and heavenly Jerusalem, whose foundations are every kind of precious stone, the gates of pearls, the streets of gold, like transparent glass. They took her by force, to possess her forever; but the idolatrous city of Babel, displeasing to God, they destroyed with spiritual weapons, as far as it lay in their power.

The honor which they obtained for their victory is an everlasting honor; their joy a perpetual joy; the triumphal crowns which were given them are eternal and heavenly crowns. Here no earthly tombs, pyramids, or obelisks need be mentioned to honor their dead bodies, since their souls were honored with God, and obtained rest under the altar** of God, the place of all the blessed martyrs.

In our thoughts we have wandered through the places where all this happened, and with the eyes of faith have looked on these things.

It is true, the sorrow which we met with, according to the flesh, was almost past bearing, seeing so many wretched, and no less God fearing, persons lay down their lives for the truth they confessed: these in the burning fire, those in the drowning water, others under the keen sword, some in the strangling rope, indeed, in the most destructive teeth of wild beasts, not to mention countless other means by which they miserably perished.

But, on the other hand, the joy which we have seen with our spiritual eyes, and heard with the ears of the heart, cannot be told, indeed, can be described by no language. [n520-3] For some embraced death, singing and praising God, and what is still more, who can take this in? One who was himself given over to death by fire laid his hand upon the heads of his half burnt fellow brothers, encouraging them, and strengthening them in the faith. Another, who had tasted the pain of the fire, and had been drawn out of it, threw herself upon one of the dreadfully charred bodies, in order to finish the conflict once begun, and also to obtain the crown of martyrdom.*

This we relate over and above what we have noticed in the first book, although the persons are spoken of there as well. We could bring forward many such and similar examples, were they not well enough known, indeed, as clear as the sun.

We therefore proceed to the second Book, and will begin with the beginning of the sixteenth century, where we, as before, will treat first of Holy Baptism, and so on, and then of the Holy Martyrs who suffered in those times.

However, our labor will be greatly lessened here (like one who, panting and sweating, has climbed a steep mountain, and then descends at his leisure, taking his ease), since, as far as the martyrs are concerned, the previous accounts and printed copies will serve our purpose. In them we do not propose to make any essential change, for we do not wish to diminish the good work of our dear fellow brothers who, in this matter, have acted in a holy manner before the Lord, except where it may be necessary because of some account which we have added to it. [n520-5]

At the same time we hope to enrich these accounts with various pious witnesses of Jesus, from faithful memoirs and written records never before made public; also their examinations, death sentences, letters, and other things connected with this matter, which we have obtained for this purpose from the hands of magistrates, criminal authorities, criminal clerks and other sources, at no small trouble and expense.

This, then, shall be the order of the following work, which we hope may be acceptable to God, edifying to our neighbor and conducive to the profit and salvation of our own soul through Jesus Christ, our only and eternal Savior, praised and blessed forever. Amen.

Yours, most affectionately in the Lord,

THIELEM J. VAN BRAGHT.