Govert, Gillis, Mariken, and Anneken, in the Year 1550

On the last day of January, 1550, four pious Christians named Govert, Gillis, Mariken and Anneken were offered up for the faith at Lier, in Brabant. Like sheep for the slaughter, they had been seized without violence. When they were brought before the council and questioned about their faith, they made a frank and sincere confession of it. The bailiff then said:

"You stand here to defend yourselves?"

Govert replied: "As for my faith, I have freely confessed it, and I will turn to no other. Though it cost my life, I will hold to it."

At once the imperial edict was read to them, and the bailiff asked them whether they understood its contents.

Govert said: "God has commanded us through Christ, as recorded in the sixteenth chapter of Mark, that all who believe and are baptized shall be saved, and that those who do not believe shall be damned; but the emperor, in his blind judgment, has commanded that whoever is baptized upon his faith shall be put to death without mercy. These two commands conflict with each other; one of the two we must forsake. But everyone ought to know that we must keep the command of God, for though Satan teaches that we are heretics, we do not act contrary to the Word of God."

When they were led to the tribunal, Govert said to the priests: "Take off your long robes, put on sackcloth, put ashes on your heads, and repent, like those of Nineveh."

In the court the bailiff asked him whether he wanted no favor.

He replied: "I will not ask for your favor, for what I cannot do without, the most high God will give me."

The bailiff also said to Anneken: "Do you not want a favor before sentence is passed on you?"

She answered: "I will ask favor of God, my refuge."

Mariken, an old woman of seventy-five years, was asked whether she would confess her sins to the priest.

She replied: "I am sorry that I ever confessed my sins to the mortal ears of the priests."

Seeing some of the brothers, Govert turned his face and joyfully comforted them, saying among other things: "I pray God that you may be imprisoned in this way for His glory, as I now am."

The bailiff said very fiercely: "Be quiet, for your preaching counts for nothing here."

"My lord bailiff," he said, "I speak only five or six words, which God has given me to speak; does this give you so much pain?" And when the people murmured at this, he said: "This has been witnessed from the time of righteous Abel, that the righteous have suffered reproach; so do not be astonished." The two servants who stood by him said: "You must not speak; the bailiff will not have it, so be quiet."

Immediately God closed his mouth, which grieved many. Gillis was not questioned, and he said nothing at all; but they were led back to prison, where they rejoiced together and sang: Saligh is den man, en get geheeten; and also the forty-first psalm. [n695-1] The bailiff then came into the prison and asked Govert whether he had considered the matter, to which he replied: "Unless you repent, the punishment of God shall come upon you." The bailiff looked out of the window and said: "Will God damn all this multitude of people?"

Govert replied: "I have spoken the Word of God to you; but I hope there are still people here who fear God?"

The bailiff then turned to Anneken and asked her what she had to say to it.

She replied: "Lord bailiff, twice I have been greatly honored in this city, namely, when I was married, and when my husband became emperor; but I never had a joy that did not perish, as I now have."

On his way to death, Govert gave an excellent admonition, rebuking the wicked abuse, and said: "Know this: we do not die for theft, murder or heresy, but because we seek an inheritance with God and live according to His Word."

The executioner ordered him to be silent, but he said: "Let God be with me for a little while; repent, for your life is short." [n695-2]

A brother then said: "God will strengthen you."

"Oh, yes," he said, "the power of His Spirit is not weakening in me."

The monk tried to speak to Mariken, but Govert said: "Go away, deceiver, to your own people, for we have no need of you."

As he entered the ring, Govert said to the guild brothers: "How do you stand here with sticks and staves? The Jews stood like this when they brought Christ to death. If we had been afraid of this, we would have fled in time."

They then knelt down together and prayed, and then they kissed each other. Anneken immediately began to sing: "In you, O Lord, do I put my trust." Psalm 71, verse 1. The servants told her to be quiet, but Govert said: "No, sister, sing on," and he helped her sing. Enraged at this, the bailiff called a servant to him and whispered something in his ear. The servant went to the executioner's assistant, who, on receiving the order, immediately put a gag on Govert; but Govert held his teeth so firmly closed that the gag did not hinder him much, and he said with a laugh: "I could easily sing with the gag on; but Paul says, 'Sing in your heart to God.'" Ephesians 5, verse 19.

The executioner, in order to put her to shame, made Anneken stand in her bare chemise. A servant asked Gillis whether he did not see some of his people. Gillis said: "Do you know of nothing else to torment us with?" "What does he say?" asked Govert. "He is asking about our fellow brothers," replied Gillis. Govert said: "Though I could count twenty, I would not name a single one. You think that by killing us you can suppress the Word of God; but of those who hear and see this, hundreds shall yet come forth." Standing at the stake, he said: "Amend your ways and repent, for after this there will be no more time for repentance." A servant who had a bottle of wine asked them whether they wished to drink. Govert said: "We have no desire for your insipid wine, for our Father shall give us new wine in His eternal kingdom." Matthew 26, verse 29. When it was thought that the old woman had been strangled at the stake, she began to sing a hymn in honor of her Bridegroom, and when Anneken heard it, she, out of ardent love, sang with her. When they all stood at their stakes, each with a strap around the neck, they smiled at and nodded to one another, affectionately greeting and comforting each other; and commending their souls into the hands of God, they fell asleep in the Lord and were burned.