Several Letters Written in Prison

His prayer to God

O Lord of heaven and earth, who made all things out of nothing, who gave me members after the image of Your Son, I hope to offer them up now for Your holy name; for You are the Lord, before whom every knee must bow, both in heaven and on earth; hear my prayer, and let my incense be acceptable before You. Do not take Your grace from me, a polluted man of unclean lips; purify my mouth, so that Your name may be praised by it. Turn Your ear to me, and You will see how they fall on me; but it is better for me to fall into the hands of men than to sin in Your sight. For Your eyes are like a flame of fire, and Your Word like a sharp, two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and You discern the thoughts and intents of the heart, and nothing is hidden before Your eyes. Therefore I cry out with David, Your dear prophet, that it is better to fall into the hands of men than into Your wrath. Matthew 11, verse 25; Genesis 1, verse 27; Romans 12, verse 1; Philippians 2, verse 10; Isaiah 6, verse 5; Susanna, verse 23; Revelation 1, verse 14; Hebrews 4, verses 12 and 13.

O Lord, lead me into the land of Haran, in which I have not even enough inheritance to set my foot on, namely, the promised land, which I pray You will give me, out of grace and not for my own works or merits. Acts 7, verses 4 and 5. Deliver me with Lot from this generation. Preserve me, Lord, from the fierce teeth of the lions, which are many, indeed, from the ferocious evening wolves that leave nothing until the morning, whose feet hurry to shed innocent blood. Zephaniah 3, verse 3; Proverbs 1, verse 16. O Lord, preserve me with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, so that the fire of blasphemy which comes out of their mouth may not harm me. Daniel 3, verse 27. O Lord, let my prayer be heard with that of Tobit and Sarah; hear my prayer with that of Elijah, and receive me as a burnt offering, living, holy and acceptable to You, so that the prophets of Jezebel may be confounded, and seduce Your people no longer. Tobit 3, verses 1 and 11; First Kings 18, verse 36; First Kings 19, verse 4. Lord, preserve me with Joseph from the wicked woman, so that I may rather let myself be deprived of my garment, namely, my first body; for we read: "He who is joined to a harlot is one body with her." Genesis 39, verse 7; First Corinthians 6, verse 16. Preserve me, Lord; for I call heaven and earth to witness that I die innocently; for whoever seeks to save his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life for Your sake, Lord, and the Gospel's, shall preserve it. First Maccabees 2, verse 37; Matthew 16, verse 25. So I cry with old Eleazer: "I would rather die gloriously than live stained with abomination:" Second Maccabees 6, verse 19.

O Lord, behold, the burning wrath of a great multitude is kindled over us, and they will take away certain ones of us, and feed the idle with things offered to idols; but You, Lord, preserve me, You give Your servant bread in time of need, and water when he is thirsty, and in the day of tribulation You forgive sins. Second Esdras 16, verse 68; Sirach 2, verse 11. And You have said to Your dear prophet that though a mother forget the child to which she herself gave birth, yet You will not forget us; for it is Your Word, Lord. Isaiah 49, verse 15. You have spoken through Your dear apostle Paul: "Come out from this wicked generation, and do not touch the unclean thing. Then You will deliver us, and be our Father, and we will be Your sons and daughters." Second Corinthians 6, verses 17 and 18. We now also go out from the camp, and will help bear Your reproach. Hebrews 13, verse 13. Lord, teach us to pray according to Your will, that we may pray in spirit and in truth, and may truly call You Father; for a son must honor his father, and a servant his master. Malachi 1, verse 6. Grant us therefore to be partakers of the Word which declares: "These are they who have not loved their life, but have given it over to death; for those who are slain by men have a better hope to expect from God, namely, that they will be raised again; for You test Your chosen; You try them as gold in the furnace, and You receive them as an offering of burnt sacrifice." Psalm 66, verse 10. Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace. Holy Father, sanctify Your Son, that I may be found blameless at Your appearing. Keep me, holy Father, for Your holy name's sake. Amen. Luke 2, verse 29; John 17, verse 11.

An admonition of Adrian Corneliss, to the

friends

The rich grace and peace of God our heavenly Father, who has purified us by the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, has enlightened our hearts, and opened the eyes of our understanding through the hope of the Gospel, and warned us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, and keep ourselves unspotted from this world, before God the Father, who will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth, so that at the time of revelation we may have hope and consolation, and be counted among the number of the elect. May the Father and His blessed Son Jesus Christ fit you for this, now and forevermore. Amen. Titus 3, verse 5; Second Corinthians 4, verse 6; Ephesians 1, verse 18; Titus 2, verse 12; James 1, verse 27; First Timothy 2, verse 4.

We, fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building, fitly framed together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad through cruel edicts and severe persecution, greeting. Ephesians 2, verses 19 to 21; First Peter 2, verse 6; James 1, verse 1. So, my dear brothers and sisters, do not become weary because you now suffer for a season, and have to flee from one city to another; but remember, my dear friends, that it all works toward your happiness, and take as an example Tobit, with his wife and son, how he had to flee, and to be hidden naked; likewise, Matthias with his sons and those who loved him, when he said: "Whoever is pious and of good cheer, let him make his testament, and follow me." Matthew 10, verse 23; Romans 8, verse 28; Tobit 1, verse 19; First Maccabees 2, verse 27.

Take also Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for examples, who lived in tents, and others as well; for here we have no continuing city; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, in hunger, want and affliction, and the world was not worthy of them. Genesis 12. See, my dear friends, do not think that you are the only ones, or that you are forsaken by the Lord, when some tempest assails you; but remember that we must take the kingdom of God through much suffering. Sirach 2, verse 10; Acts 14, verse 22. If those mentioned above had been mindful of the country they came out from, truly, they might have had opportunity enough to return; but they declare plainly that they sought a country, a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God; therefore God was not ashamed to be called their God. Exodus 3, verse 6. So, my dear friends, He will not be ashamed of us either; for He says through His pious prophet Isaiah: "Can a mother forsake her own child, to whom she herself gave birth? Indeed, she may forget it, yet your God will not forget you." Isaiah 49, verse 15. Consider, therefore, how the gracious Father has been with all the pious children of God, and how He has preserved and upheld them under His powerful hand, as we may clearly see from Abraham; for when he went into a strange country, he often had God for his comforter. He gave Jacob courage when he fled from his brother Esau. He fed Hezekiah three days and three nights, who complained of the blasphemy of Sennacherib. Second Kings 19, verse 6. He delivered the Jews through Judith, when they were besieged by Holofernes. Judith 13, verse 8. He delivered the three young men from the heat of the fiery furnace, and was in the pit with Daniel, so that the lions did not devour him. Daniel 3, verse 25; Daniel 6, verse 22. He delivered Israel from the bondage of Pharaoh. He delivered Rahab from the shadow of death. Joshua 6, verse 25. He saved Susanna through Daniel. He delivered Peter from prison. He delivered John from the Isle of Patmos. He comforted Paul by the vision on the way to Damascus. He comforts the apostles through the Comforter, the Holy Ghost. He turned Joseph's great sorrow into great joy in Egypt. So God will also turn the sorrow of every one of you into great joy, just as He Himself declares: "The world will rejoice, but you will mourn and be sorrowful; yet be of good cheer, God will turn your sorrow into joy. A woman when she is in labor has sorrow, but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembers the anguish no more, for joy that a child is born into the world. And so you now have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your sorrow will be turned into joy, and no one takes your joy from you." John 16, verses 20 to 22.

Therefore, my dear friends, do not be afraid of the sons of men, who pass away like grass. "Do not fear, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12, verse 32. Do not be afraid, my dear friends, of this tyrannous generation; do not fear those who kill the body; but I will show you whom you shall fear: fear him who, after you are dead, has power to cast into eternal fire. And, my dear friends, we have here a little suffering of tribulation, but it is very small in comparison with the everlasting torment or punishment.

John the Revelator says: "Fear God, and give glory to him." Revelation 14, verse 7. And the prophet Esdras says: "Behold, God himself is the judge; fear him. Leave off from your sins, and forget your iniquities, to meddle with them no more forever; so will God lead you forth, and deliver you from all trouble. For behold, the burning wrath of a great multitude is kindled over you, and they will take away certain ones of you, and feed you, being idle, with things offered to idols. And those who consent to them will be held in derision and in reproach, and trodden under foot. For there will be in every place, and in the neighboring cities, a great insurrection against those who fear the Lord. They will be like madmen, sparing none, but still plundering and destroying those who fear the Lord. For they will waste and take away their goods, and cast them out of their houses. Then they will be known who are my chosen; and they will be tried as the gold in the fire." Therefore, my chosen, behold, the days of trouble are at hand, but the Lord will deliver you from them. Do not be afraid, and do not doubt; for God is your guide, and the Lord will not leave you orphans; for He cares for us all, and will preserve us as the apple of His eye. Second Esdras 16, verses 67 and 75; Wisdom 3, verse 6; John 14, verse 18.

Hence, do not faint at the tribulation in which we are, but hold fast to the Lord, and the tempest will soon attack you; but, my dear friends, remember, as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ, since eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. Ephesians 3, verse 13; Matthew 7, verse 25; Second Corinthians 1, verse 5; First Corinthians 2, verse 9. Let everyone therefore who has this hope in him purify himself, even as He is pure, and go out from this sinful generation, and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light; for whatever makes manifest is light. Therefore he says, Awake, you who sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. First John 3, verse 3; Ephesians 5, verses 11 to 14.

Hence, my dear friends, if there should be some among you who are slothful or drowsy, let them wake up now, or they will be shut out with the foolish virgins. O my dear friends, it will do no good that some of you know the way. O my dear friends, knowledge puffs up, but charity edifies; for it does no good to know the way, it must be walked; and though it is strait and narrow, and fraught with much labor, it must nevertheless be walked. First Corinthians 8, verse 1; John 13, verse 17; Matthew 7, verse 14.

Therefore, my dear friends, you who have become partakers of the heavenly calling, make good use of the time of grace, and do not look to those who proceed so lukewarmly and slothfully; but strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Luke 13, verse 24. Why, my dear friends? Because they seek to enter in by another way, which is not commanded us. But those who enter in by Christ, since He is the way, they are the ones who shall inherit the city, whom the Bridegroom will make sit down at the table, and will serve them. But, my dear friends, the lukewarm, who are neither cold nor hot, God will begin to spew out of His mouth, who say they are rich, and increased with goods, and do not know that they are poor, miserable, naked and blind. Hence, Solomon says: "Go to the ants, you sluggard, and consider their labor; they gather in the summer their sustenance for the winter." And Jeremiah says: "The crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people do not observe the time." O you ignorant ones, the ox knows his master's crib. You who say, It will be fair weather tomorrow, and it comes to pass; O you who can discern the face of heaven and earth, why can you not discern among yourselves that which is right? Matthew 16, verse 3. Therefore, my dear friends, take heed that none of you be found slothful; but let your loins be girded, and have your staff in your hand, to eat the passover; for we have a passover to eat, which is Christ. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Exodus 12, verse 11; First Corinthians 7, verse 8. [n739-3]

Hence, my dearly beloved friends, do not think it strange if you are tried by the fire of tribulation, as though some strange thing happened to you; but be partakers of Christ's sufferings, that in the time of revelation you may have hope and consolation. Let none of you suffer as a thief or murderer; yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time has come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it begins first at us, what shall the end be of those who do not obey the Gospel of God? And if the righteous are scarcely saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Hence, Solomon says: "If the righteous are recompensed, how much more the wicked and the sinner." First Peter 4, verses 12, 13, and 15 to 18; Proverbs 11, verse 31.

Therefore, my dear friends, take heed and flee the shadow of this world, and do not seek to escape the cross, so that you go into other countries to obtain great liberty. Oh, no, my dear friends, but always submit to the cross; for the children who are under the rod are therefore obedient, fearing that their Lord should come and find them sleeping; hence, they are always watchful, that they may not be found sleeping; for as soon as the flesh obtains a little freedom, it takes still more of its own accord. My dear friends, though I have written this so boldly, accept it nevertheless in good part; for I am not your lord in this matter, but I write as my own flesh testifies. Hence, my dear friends, walk in wisdom toward those who are without; remain among the scattered flock of Israel; for where blood is shed, gain is to be had; there put your pounds out to usury, each according to the gift received from God; in honor preferring one another, and endeavoring to show yourselves tried ministers to God. Colossians 4, verse 5; First Peter 1, verse 1; Matthew 25, verse 15; Romans 12, verse 10. Lay aside all malice and hypocrisy, and, as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow by it: if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious, to whom you have come, as to a living stone; hence, build yourselves up a spiritual house, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that you, as obedient children, should show forth the praises of Him who has called you. First Peter 2, verses 1 to 5, and verse 9.

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; fulfill your ministry wisely, that your treasure be not evil spoken of; and as you were diligent in going astray from God, so give now so much the more diligence to turn to the Lord, and abound in it. First Peter 4, verse 11; Baruch 4, verse 28; Romans 6, verse 19. Do good to all men, especially to those who are of the household of faith, and see that you add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity; for if these things are in you, and abound, they make you so that you shall be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord; but he who lacks these things is blind, and gropes for the wall, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Galatians 6, verse 10; Second Peter 1, verses 5 to 9. Let it not be so with you, my friends; make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, and if you are partakers in the spiritual things, share also the temporal things with one another, and let this be done in order, and remember that it is more blessed to give than to receive; for we read, John 6, that some followed the Lord, to whom He said: "You follow me, not because you saw the miracles, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled." Luke 16, verse 9; Romans 15, verse 27; First Corinthians 14, verse 40; Acts 20, verse 35; John 6, verse 26.

Therefore, my dear friends, do not labor for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures to everlasting life; for man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God; for "meats for the belly, and the belly for meats; but God shall destroy both it and them." Luke 6, verse 27; Deuteronomy 8, verse 3; First Corinthians 6, verse 13. [n739-4]

Thus, my dear friends, if you live according to the Gospel, you will be fruitful branches of the true vine Christ, comely olive branches grafted into Christ. My dear friends, do not be moved away from the Gospel by the enemies of the cross of Christ, who would preach the Gospel without the cross. Do not believe them, for they are those who love your flesh, and kill your souls, and put pillows under the arms, or under the head. Avoid them, for such do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For we are not ignorant of the devices of the devil, since he can transform himself into an angel of light; what wonder is it then that his ministers assume this appearance? Philippians 3, verse 18; Ezekiel 13, verse 18; Romans 16, verses 17 and 18; Second Corinthians 11, verses 14 and 15.

O my dear friends, a thief does not come except to steal and to kill; hence, beware, lest you be deceived by them, and thus fall from your own steadfastness. John 10, verse 10; Second Peter 3, verse 17. Therefore, hold fast that which you have, that no man take your crown; and let him who stands take heed lest he fall; for what do you have that you did not receive? for every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Revelation 3, verse 11; First Corinthians 10, verse 12; First Corinthians 4, verse 7; James 1, verse 17.

Therefore, exhort one another daily, my dear friends, the more so, as the day of Christ is at hand, and while it is called today. Hebrews 3, verse 13. And see that you care for one another; and, my dear friends, when you assemble together, do not make many inquiries concerning others, or as to where each particular one lives; in such things be ignorant, and in malice be children; but in understanding be old and hoary, and keep the doors of your mouth from her that lies in your bosom. First Corinthians 14, verse 20; Micah 7, verse 5. My dear friends, if you have understanding, answer your neighbor; if not, lay your hand upon your mouth, lest you be caught in an unseemly word, and put to shame. Sirach 5, verse 12. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good for the use of edifying, and may minister grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed to the day of redemption. Ephesians 4, verses 29 and 30.

My dear friends, with this I hope to take leave. Do not take it amiss that I have written you a little; I hope it will tend to edification; I have done my diligence with the little gift the Lord has given me.

By me, Adrian Corneliss, glazier, your unworthy brother, who am not worthy to be called a brother. First Corinthians 15, verse 9. Written in my imprisonment, sitting in the stocks, with two fellow companions, and one who is separately confined, and two sisters who are below us. We wait daily for the redemption of our body; and our pilgrimage, I trust, is half finished. I hope that we shall soon have completed the rest.

We commend you to the Lord, dear brothers and sisters. Remember the prisoners; we remember you in our prayers. Hebrews 13, verse 3. Salute all lovers of the only salvation by name; the times are too perilous now to mention them; hence we must govern ourselves accordingly.

Let me inform you how it went with us in our last time. When we were to be offered up on Monday, a priest came to us on Sunday, who talked to us, and said: "You have to die."

Answer. "So did the Jews also, who said

'We have a law, and by our law you must die.' So must we also, as the decree of the Emperor shows." But we asked the priest whether their things were right.

He replied: "Not all; for we have also abuses in our church."

We then said: "A little leaven leavens the whole lump." First Corinthians 5, verse 6.

He replied: "It has to be leavened."

By this we can see that their things are not good. But beware of such; for they are not sent from God. Jeremiah 14, verse 15. Greet all lovers of the divine word.

Confession of Adrian Corneliss before the magistrate

and the priests, together with an account

of the manner of his apprehension

My dearly beloved brothers and sisters, to the twelve tribes which are scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, with all who call on the Lord out of a pure heart, in their places and in ours, greeting. James 1, verse 1; First Peter 1, verse 1; First Corinthians 1, verse 2; Second Timothy 2, verse 22. I must still write to you a little, hoping with this to take my leave. Let me tell you how it went in my imprisonment. I had come to Leyden, and while talking there with a brother, we wondered how it was that they kept our friends confined so long. So we agreed that I should go and see Jan of Delft, the Bailiff's servant, and ask him how it stood with the prisoners, and whether they would not soon be offered up. He replied: "I hear nothing at all concerning it." I then said: "This long imprisonment gives you much trouble."

Jan. "I would be well satisfied to see it come to an end soon."

Adrian. "You can hardly get away any more."

Jan. "Yes, that is so."

Adrian. "You ought to have some rest."

Jan. "It would soon be time."

Adrian. "Jan Jans, I should like to have a little conversation with you about certain things."

Jan. "I have something to do yet; I shall speak with you; just wait here a little while for me."

I waited a little, and he returned, even before he had attended to the prisoners or brought them their food. He came and spoke to me in a friendly way, and accepted my words with such suavity (Psalm 55, verse 21), that for all I knew he would also embrace our faith.

I then said: "Jan Jans, what do you think, will you abandon this service, and release the prisoners? I shall see to it that you are not a loser by it; for it is in your power, you have the keys."

Before I said this to him, he had said to our friends in prison: "Shall I leave the door open some time, so that you can escape?" "Why should you do this?" our friends replied. Because of this I spoke the more boldly to him, remembering the words about Paul and the jailer (Acts 16, verse 29), in case the Lord had shown the same grace to this man; and since our friends had urged me, I had a long conversation with him. He asked me whether I knew those whom he named to me. I said: "No, but I have heard of them." One, however, he mentioned, whom I knew well. "Yes, I know him well," I said. He asked me where I was from. I replied: "I am a native of Schoonhoven," but I did not tell him that I lived at Delft. But for all my prudence, the devil, as is well known, was still more cunning. Genesis 3, verse 1. When we had walked together for a long time, we came again to the prison. He then said: "Do you want to talk with the prisoners?" I went in without any fear, and coming to our dear sisters, we talked together, without showing, however, that we already knew one another. This servant then went off a little way, and spoke to another servant. I then plainly saw what I had got myself into.

Now, someone may ask: Why did you go in? O dear friends, my flesh and blood did not drive me to go in there. We run in vain; it is just as the prophet says: "We may flee, but cannot escape." Psalm 139, verse 7. So we must all come where our destiny calls us. I had expected that my journey to Leyden would not be a fortunate one.

The other servant then asked me whether I wished to go above to the others. I thought to myself that it was now as bad as it could ever become, and went above. They then shut the door after me, and one of them went for the bailiff. Having been above for a little while, and having talked with our friends, I went below again. They opened the door, and the night bailiff stood before it. He said: [n739-2] "You will have to remain here a little while." I then asked whether I should go above. He replied: "Yes." I then said: Christ had twelve apostles, and one was a Judas; but here there were only two, and one was a Judas. However, the Lord be praised for His grace. Without much delay, they shut me up above alone, and I immediately began to sing the hymn: "O Waerheydt hoe zijt gy nu vertreden!" Isaiah 59, verse 14.

I did not, however, enjoy a very long respite; for many people came, and so they came at once and took from me my Testament, and the hymn about our four friends, which I had composed. They then shut me up with E. S. Soon afterward, the bailiff came with the whole council. The gates were shut, and it was reported that there were a dozen in Leyden; so they were very assiduous, thinking they had caught a great gentleman or captain; but alas, they had not.

The bailiff then asked: "Where is your rapier?" [n739-1]

I replied: "My Master has not taught me to carry a rapier."

Bailiff. "Who is your Master?"

Adrian. "Christ is my Master."

Bailiff. "Christ is the Master of us all."

Adrian. "If Christ were your Master, you would not dare to fight against Him; but it will be hard for you to kick against the goads." Acts 9, verse 5.

Bailiff. "We are responsible for that." They then asked me where I had slept.

Adrian. "I have slept well; did you sleep badly?"

Bailiff. "No, I shall make you tell." One of the lords then asked me whether I had been rebaptized. I replied: "No, I was baptized rightly once."

Bailiff. "Who baptized you?"

I asked him whether he also wished to be baptized.

Bailiff. "Don't be ashamed to tell; I will tell you where and by whom I was baptized: here in Saint Peter's church."

Adrian. "If you wish to be baptized too, I will tell you."

Bailiff. "I have no desire for it as yet."

Adrian. "Neither are you fit for it."

Bailiff. "Where is the servant with the hat, who accompanied you?"

Adrian. "I know nothing of a servant with a hat."

Bailiff. "We saw him walk with you."

Adrian. "Lord bailiff, you lie; if you are a servant of Christ, you ought not to lie." Ephesians 4, verse 25. They then showed me the hymn about the friends and asked me who had written it.

I replied: "I wrote it."

Then they asked whether I had also composed it. I told them I wrote it, but said nothing about composing. The under bailiff then said:

"You were at my house one Friday, and taught me a refrain about Mary Magdalene?"

Adrian. "You have lied too; for my Master has taught me no refrains."

Under bailiff. "Or an exhortation?"

Adrian. "It is not so."

The servants and others then said: "The fellow is drunk."

Yes, dear friends, then I remembered the words of Peter in Acts, chapter 2; as they were drunk, so was I, having tasted neither beer nor bread all day. They were then about to leave, but were at a loss where to put me; for John of Delft, the servant, said: "It is all right with E. S.; but now this rogue will spoil him again." Nevertheless, they put me with him. All this took place the same Monday on which I was apprehended.

The following Thursday the bailiff came, with two judges, and a commissary from the Hague; they asked me many questions, which I could not answer, and also demanded to know where I had slept, which I would not tell, together with many other things too tedious to relate. They also asked:

"Do you know Jelis of Aix la Chapelle?" I replied: "I never in my life was at Aix la Chapelle." As they kept on asking me for a long time, I finally said: "I know him." They then asked where I had been with him. I replied: "I cannot tell you this;" more I would not say. "We shall make you tell," they said. "My lords," I replied, "I have always been careful not to know much, so that if I should be apprehended, I might not have much to tell." They then laid before me the letters I had sent them, and also the hymn; they readily saw that it was the same handwriting; but I did not confess it. I thought to myself: "There is plenty of time yet for that; for I will have to tell them something anyway, when they torture me." For the matter concerned myself; so I did not keep it secret when I was tortured; but as regards others, I had no warrant to accuse them, and so I did not want to know where the friends lived, when I talked with anyone. And let me tell you, dear friends, this matter is sadly overlooked by some, who are continually inquiring after this one and that one, and take it amiss if you do not give them the desired information. O dear friends, if you knew what suffering it would mean if you were imprisoned, you would not make such inquiries. So if you wish to make any inquiries, inquire after the faith that can save your souls. See, my dear friends, accept this in good part; for I have written it out of love. All the torture I have suffered was inflicted on me to make me inform on others; so the less you know, the less you have to answer. The commissary then examined my Testament, and said: "This is a proscribed testament." I replied: "There you have lied too." Then he was silent, and evening came on. They then went away, promising to consider my case in the daytime.

Saturday morning they all came before eight o'clock and took me into the torture chamber, where the executioner was. They then asked me whether I had not changed my mind, and would answer their questions. I began to admonish them. They said: "We have not come here to be taught by you; but we ask you whether you will answer our questions." But this I did not intend to do. The executioner then stripped me and bound my hands behind my back. There was a windlass there, and tying a block to my feet, they drew me up and left me hanging. While I hung there they questioned me, but I did not answer. They then let me down, and the bailiff asked me where I had worked since I left Flanders. At Delft, I replied. Then they asked me still other questions, and as I refused to answer them, they drew me up again and untied the block. The executioner then placed a piece of wood or iron between my legs, which had been bound together, and stood on it. Being let down again, I was asked by the bailiff whether I and six of my friends had not been at Leyden at a certain time, which he named. I did not confess it. Again the executioner drew me up, they having blindfolded my eyes, and they took rods and scourged me. After I was let down, the bailiff said: "Tell it, or I shall tell you?" I would not accuse anyone. They drew me up again, pulled my beard and hair, and beat and scourged my back; but as my eyes were blindfolded, I could not see who did it. They might also have asked: "Who smote you?" Luke 22, verse 64. This continued until I had been beaten with seven or eight rods. When they let me down, and I did not answer for a long time, they, fearing that I would faint away, poured water over me, which they had also done while I was suspended. I sat down, and as I did not speak for a long time, the bailiff said: "You will not tell it; I will tell you: you slept at Stephen Claess'."

Adrian. "That is true."

Bailiff. "You were here before the prison, with six of your friends, and exhorted the prisoners to strive valiantly and to hold to their faith; and you went and hired a boat for six stivers. Who was the fellow to whom the boat belonged, and the one who was in the other boat, who gave the skipper half a stiver, into whose charge he committed his chest, because he was to sail with you?" And he knew the fellow's name, and knew also what we had done, and that a woman was with us, and how we had read, and that two sat there bareheaded, and where we had gone up. I then acknowledged that it was so, and they wrote it down; however, I excused the two from those that were in the boat; but it was of no avail, and thus the matter was left. They then showed me the letters, about four or five in number. "Yes," said I, "I wrote them." Upon this they said: "This is the placard writer." "It is certainly not proper," said the judges, "that you disparage the Emperor in such a manner." I replied: "I do not disparage the Emperor; however great the Emperor is, the Supreme Emperor is still greater. Bring me a Bible; I shall prove to you what I have written." Thereupon they said: "Why did you write these letters?" I replied: "I wrote them because my grief was stirred, and that you might no longer stain your hands with blood, and might repent, as did those of Nineveh." Jonah 3, verse 5. Thus the matter rested.

They then asked me what I thought of the sacrament of the altar. I told them that it was good for nothing.

Question. "How long has it been since you went to it?"

Answer. "Not for four years."

Question. "Have you belonged to this belief so long?"

Answer. "No."

Question. "Why did you not go, then?"

Answer. "Even in my ignorance I knew that it was good for nothing?"

Then they went away, having been engaged with me from eight o'clock until half past eleven in the morning.

This is what I said on that occasion. "Dear friends, do not be discouraged, though what I have written presents a rather gloomy picture; the Lord helps His own; if the Lord had not helped me, it would not have been possible for me to bear it; but we can do all things through Him who strengthens us, that is, Christ. And as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also our consolation abounds by Christ." First Corinthians 10, verse 13; Psalm 46, verse 1; Philippians 4, verse 13; Second Corinthians 1, verse 5.

Here I will let this matter rest. I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus, spoken of by Paul. Galatians 6, verse 17.

On Sunday morning they came and read to me my examination, and asked me whether it was correct. Then I remembered the words of the prophet: "They are evening wolves, that leave nothing till the morning; indeed, their feet run swiftly to shed innocent blood." Zephaniah 3, verse 3; Proverbs 1, verse 16. I then asked the bailiff whether he was not yet sated with innocent blood, since he was so diligent in the way of unrighteousness. He replied: "I do not put you to death." I said: "The Emperor's edict puts us to death; but you ought therefore to be satisfied with what you have, and not ask for more. By what will you prove that you may put us to death? It is written: 'If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone; if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more; and if he will still not hear, tell it to the church; and if he will then not hear, let him be to you as a heathen man and a publican.'" Matthew 18, verses 15 to 17. Here the Scripture says nothing about putting to death.

Bailiff. "We have another Scripture, where Paul says: 'The powers are not ordained in vain; for God himself has ordained them.'" Romans 13, verse 1.

Adrian. "Yes, for the protection of the good, and the punishment of the evil (First Peter 2, verse 14); but it seems to me the order is inverted, that they are for the punishment of the good, and the protection of the evil."

Bailiff. "We shall prove to you from books that we may put you to death."

Adrian. "You cannot do this with the Gospel?"

Under bailiff. "What do you know about the Gospel?"

Adrian. "It is written: 'Repent, and believe the gospel.'" Mark 1, verse 15.

Under bailiff. "There are eight Gospels written."

Adrian. "I am well content with four; if these cannot teach me, neither can the others."

Bailiff. "Shall we send you learned men, to instruct you with the Word of the Lord?"

Adrian. "I am willing to be instructed with the Word of the Lord."

Bailiff. "Well said."

Adrian. "I will not speak with them except in the presence of the court, and of those that are imprisoned with me."

This did not please them, and they went away, the bailiff leaving immediately for Delft.

Three weeks after this, the bailiff came into the prison where we three in number were sitting, and asked us whether we were not almost beginning to get tired of it. We said: "No." I then said: "James says: 'Take it for an example of suffering affliction.' " James 5, verse 10. It surprised them greatly that we minded it so little. I then said to the bailiff:

"As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ." Second Corinthians 1, verse 5.

Bailiff. "I should think it would weary you?"

Adrian. "Do you not also begin to get weary of shedding this blood?"

He did not reply. Then he asked whether they should send us learned men. We replied:

"We are always willing to be instructed with the words of the Lord."

Bailiff. "You will not be instructed otherwise than with the Word of the Lord?"

Answer. "We are always willing to give our faith for a better one, that it may not be said that we are obstinate; and our adversaries ought to do the same."

Bailiff. "That is so; let yourselves be instructed; perhaps your stay here is but brief?"

Adrian. "You do not know whether your stay here will be long. Though we are now as forsaken, the Lord will soon be gracious to us."

With this it rested. He then said: "We shall send you someone." We called to him, as he descended the stairs, that he should bring a Bible or Testament with him.

In the afternoon there came a priest with two servants; he advanced in fine style and laid out his wares, thinking to sell something, and his words were full of smoothness. And when one of us spoke, he had much to say. Then I said that the Lord had warned us of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of those who go in long clothing.

Priest. "The clothing does not make it." I then told him that their things, such as infant baptism, ringing of bells, mass, and all other trumpery, were good for nothing. Upon this he replied that holy baptism of infants was right. I asked where the authorization for it was to be found.

Priest. "In the sixteenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians."

Adrian. "There it is written: The house of Stephanas are the first in Achaia who addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints. These certainly could not have been infants; infants cannot addict themselves to the ministry of the saints, but must themselves be ministered to."

He asked us in regard to the jailer and his household, whether there were no infants there.

Answer. "No."

Priest. "How do you know it?"

Adrian. "It is written there: 'The jailer rejoiced with all his house, that he had become a believer in Christ Jesus.' Infants cannot rejoice in faith; for they have no faith." Then he was at his wit's end again. He fared the same way in regard to Lydia, the seller of purple.

Priest. "When I was young, my faith was as perfect as it is now."

Adrian. "What did you say then?"

He made no reply. He also said: "When I was born, I had my hand, and was not conscious of it; so also my faith, which was hidden in me; and the original sin which I had was taken away through the regeneration of the water which takes place in the font." I asked him whether the water had been crucified for him, or Christ.

Priest. "Christ."

Adrian. "And yet you seek your salvation in the water?" He was silent. Dirk Jans then asked him where it was written that bells ought to be baptized.

Priest. "This is instituted by the holy church." He also asked him concerning the reading of mass. He replied that he had God in the mass, corporeally in flesh and blood. I then told him that he was a deceiver.

Priest. "Did not God say: 'Take, eat; this is my body; and drink, this is my blood, and as often as you eat this bread, you do show the Lord's death?'"

On this point we had much discussion. I then asked him whether he had read First Timothy 4?

Priest. "Yes."

Then I inquired whether he had brought a Testament with him.

Priest. "Yes, here is a Latin Testament."

Adrian. "We have not studied in Latin universities, but in the highly celebrated school of the Gospel, of which the Spirit of God is the teacher." John 16, verse 13.

He said he could read it in Dutch. He then read the passage about the forbidding to marry, and the commanding to abstain from meats. First Timothy 4, verse 3. I asked him about whom this was spoken. He replied that he did not know.

Adrian. "If you are a teacher, you ought to know this?"

Priest. "It relates to the end of the world."

Adrian. "It speaks there of the latter times; now do you mean to say that these are not the latter times?"

He made no reply to this, but said that he had not forbidden marriage, nor meats.

We said: "Your father, the pope, has done it, and you exerted yourselves with Haman to obtain mandates to put us and our people to death, and contributed toward giving the Emperor ten thousand pounds of silver?"

Priest. "I did not."

Adrian. "Are you Christians? Christians ought not to persecute anyone."

Priest. "We do not persecute you."

I then asked him whether the Christian church persecuted, or suffered persecution.

Priest. "It suffers persecution."

I asked him in what way he suffered persecution, and whether we were not the ones who suffer persecution.

Priest. "We suffer persecution from the devil."

We then demanded to know where it was written that we might be put to death for our faith. He replied that it was ordained on account of the evil sects. We said: "We belong to no sect."

Priest. "It is suspected that it might also be the case with you."

Then Dirk Jans said: "Is a man hanged because he is suspected of having stolen, though he has not done so? So neither may we be put to death before we are convicted."

The priest finally went away. We had silenced him in many things about which he had no understanding. I also said that he was one of those who rob God of His glory by their confession, presuming to forgive sins. Here too he was defeated, and then he went away. I hope that we shall soon offer up our sacrifice together.

O my dear friends, see that you take care for one another, and walk prudently; because men are so incensed, and make such strenuous efforts to seize our brothers wherever they find them. So walk a little more wisely in this than some of you do; for, dear friends, if the Lord permitted it, they would deal roughly with them if they had them. Therefore, take it in good part; for there are so few laborers in the harvest; so take good care of those who are in it. Moreover, dear friends, when you meet to speak of the Word of the Lord, do not spend your time in idle talk and old wives' fables, but exercise yourselves in godliness, so that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and stand protected in all things; and always give diligence, in honor, to build up the spiritual temple until the appearing of the Lord. First Timothy 4, verse 7; Ephesians 6, verse 13; First Peter 2, verse 5. Let him who is holy become holier still; let him who is pure become purer still; as Paul writes to the Thessalonians, that they did not need him to write to them, but he said that they should increase more and more. Revelation 22, verse 11; First Thessalonians 4, verses 9 and 10. So also you, my dear brothers and sisters. Read the exhortation I have written you, which will no doubt be shown to you. Greet all the friends in the Lord, especially our Brother G., who is a faithful minister; all who are in bonds greet him, and they also greet all lovers of the truth. We commend you to the Lord; know that we are all of good cheer yet; the Lord be praised always.

My dear friends, I must write you yet a little more. There was not enough paper before, for, dear friends, paper is a precious thing when we are in bonds; but since Habakkuk brought me some more, I write you a few additional lines about certain things that happened during our imprisonment, which were forgotten before. It happened that the servant who had betrayed me came to bring us our food. I then asked him to forgive me, if I had injured him in any way, and so I often talked to him as kindly as I could, which we are commanded to do. Matthew 5, verse 44. He replied: "You have not injured me, nor have any of your people." My kind words, and the love I showed, made him ashamed that he had betrayed me, and that I spoke to him so affectionately. Romans 12, verse 20.

A few more things about the priest who came to instruct us. I asked him whether he had faith. "Yes," he replied.

Adrian. "If you should sit here in prison with us for a month, I think you would deny your faith."

Priest. "Possibly not."

He then began to speak about faith, and said that faith was incomprehensible.

I said: "If faith is incomprehensible, how then can we be saved?" Then he was defeated. After that we touched on the calling of preachers, and the words of Paul, that teachers must be blameless, and following the passage further on, "given to hospitality." I then said: "You would rather be a guest than entertain one, and receive strangers;" adding

"If I should come to your house, would you receive me?"

Priest. "Possibly."

We also discussed infant baptism, which he tried to prove from the households. I asked him to whom the Scriptures speak; do they not speak to those who have ears to hear, and hearts to understand?

Priest. "Yes."

I then asked him whether any Scripture belonged to infants.

Priest. "No."

Adrian. "If no Scripture belongs to infants, neither does baptism." Then he was caught, and had nothing more to say about his infant baptism. He also spoke about eating the flesh of Christ, and drinking His blood, how Christ gave His apostles flesh from His flesh, and blood to drink outwardly. I then said that he was worse than the Jews.

Priest. "Why?"

Adrian. "The Jews murmured and said: 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' but you now come and would eat it." "Be assured," I said to the priest, "Christ did not speak this passage in the sense in which you bring it forward." In short, he would gladly have retreated, could he have done so honorably, for there was no market for his merchandise.