Herman Jans of Sollem, Burnt Alive for the Testimony of Jesus Christ

The distress of this time was very great, and it did not cease; so that all who truly left the idolatrous Roman Babel, and turned to the spiritual Jerusalem of the peaceable church of Jesus Christ, were at once declared to have forfeited their lives.

This appeared at the beginning of the year 1553, at Amsterdam, in the case of Herman Jans, a native of Sollem and a pious, God-fearing novice, who stood ready to receive baptism on the confession of his faith. While he was still in his first zeal for the divine truth, he was seized by the rulers of wickedness and brought as a prisoner to Amsterdam, where he had to suffer much abuse and torment, inflicted on him to draw him away from the faith. But he remained immovable and steadfast, and was sentenced to death, to be burnt as a heretic. This sentence was publicly read to him in the court on the 14th day of January, 1553, and also carried out on him the same day, as appears from the sentence that follows, which we, in proof of this matter, have received from the criminal records of the city of Amsterdam. It reads as follows.

Sentence of death of Herman Jans of Sollem.

Whereas Herman Jans, a native of Sollem, has attended the assemblies of the Anabaptists, received their admonition, doctrines and errors, and been present at certain conventicles (gatherings), in which improper things were taught concerning the Scriptures by Gillis of Aix la Chapelle and by others as well, so that, renouncing the baptism administered to him, he has confessed that he desired to receive another baptism, if he should be able to obtain it, and also holds harmful views concerning the holy sacrament of the altar, all of which is contrary to the ordinances and the faith of the holy Christian Church, and to the written laws and decrees of his Imperial Majesty, our gracious lord; and whereas he, moreover, obstinately persists in his unbelief, heresy and error, in spite of the instruction given him by those truly sent; therefore my lords the judges, having heard the demand made by my lord the bailiff concerning the said Herman Jans, together with the confession of the same, and having duly considered the circumstances of the case, condemn the said Herman Jans, according to the decrees named above, to be executed with fire by the executioner, and further declare his property confiscated, for the benefit of his Imperial Majesty, as count of Holland. Thus pronounced and executed on the sixteenth day of January, in the year 1553, in the presence of the bailiff, Pieter Cantert and Joost Buyck, Burgomasters, and all the judges, by the advice of the other two burgomasters.

Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences of the city of Amsterdam, in the keeping of the secretary there.

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