Of a Certain Decree Published in All West Friesland Against Menno Simons, in the Year 1543

In Chronijk van den Ondergang, page 1104, columns 2 and 3, we find these words:

About this time the servants of antichrist had a dreadful decree proclaimed throughout all West Friesland, in which all malefactors and murderers were promised pardon for their crimes, the favor of the Emperor, freedom of the country, and one hundred Carl guilders, if they would deliver Menno Simons into the hands of the tormentors and executioners. [n664-1]

This decree, when properly considered, shows the extreme wickedness and tyranny of the West Friesian Regents of those times against those who held, or at least favored, the true faith. All malefactors and murderers, who certainly, according to the laws of the country, were subject to very severe punishment, indeed, to death, because of their crimes and murders, were here counted better than a pious Christian who injured no one; indeed, their crimes were pardoned them, and over and above this, a large sum of money, for that time, was promised them, merely to deliver into the hands of the criminal judges a single person who held the true doctrine. How much, we may suppose, would they have promised them, had they been able to exterminate all orthodox believers, and, consequently, the entire church of God? We certainly have just cause to believe that this came down very severely upon the heads of the true witnesses of Jesus in general; that is, on those who lived in these regions. Concerning this we shall also show, in the proper place, how very unmercifully the authorities there, at the instigation of some so-called spiritual persons, dealt with the innocent and defenseless sheep of the flock of Christ.