John Styaerts, and Peter, in the Year 1538

About this year there were, in Flanders, two cousins, one named Styaerts, the other Peter. These two young men, in the bloom of life and seeking God, lived with their parents in a village called Mereedor, in Flanders. And as they were very zealous for God, and searched the holy Scriptures, they soon saw that those who believe and are regenerated — according to the doctrine of Christ, as a sign of having buried their former sins, and risen with Christ, and walking in newness of life — had to receive Christian baptism, in the water; and since they desired this, they traveled to Germany, to seek others of their fellow believers. But as they could not find such as suited their wishes, they soon returned to their parents in Flanders, where they earnestly sought the Lord their God, so that they had a good report, doing much good to the poor, and saying with Zaccheus that if they had defrauded anyone, they would restore it fourfold. Luke 19, verse 8. When the blinded papists, who most bitterly hated the light of truth, saw this, they took these two young lambs out of their parents' houses at Mereedor, and brought them beyond Ghent, into a village called Vinderhout, where they imprisoned them most severely in a dungeon. Jeremiah 38, verse 6. Once, when their sister came to bring them some fine shirts, they told her that they could not keep them from the worms, which were in their food, eating it, and in their clothes and the shirts on their bodies. They said further: "Here is a Bible, whose contents, as well as the cause of our bonds, will yet come to light after our death." The John Styaerts named above was once released from prison because of sickness, and, as is thought, could easily have gained his freedom; but he voluntarily returned to prison, gladly desiring to die with his dear brother for the name of Jesus. So after a certain time they were led to the slaughter. Peter, who came forth first to die, lifted his eyes up to heaven and boldly called out to John Styaerts: "Fight valiantly, my dear brother; for I see the heavens open above us." Acts 7, verse 56. They were put to death together with the sword at Vinderhout. So these young branches in the court of the Lord (Jeremiah 17, verse 8; Psalm 1, verse 3) were also devoured by the awful beast that rose up out of the sea (Revelation 13, verse 1); but they had no power over their immortal souls, which escaped from them to God, where they shall live forever in unspeakable joy. When their parents came from Mereedor to Vinderhout and asked for their children, the villagers told them that they had already been executed with the sword. And so they were deprived of their children by these tyrants.