David and Levina, in the Year 1554

In the year 1554, a young brother named David was imprisoned at Ghent, in Flanders, for following Christ and living according to God's commandments; and when he was examined, he freely confessed his faith. When he was asked what he thought of the sacrament, David said that he considered it nothing but idolatry. Then a priest said to him: "Friend, you are greatly mistaken to confess your faith so readily, for it will cost you your life if you do not change your mind in time." At this David gently replied: "I am ready to shed my blood for the name of Christ, even if it should be here in this place; for God is my salvation, who will keep me and preserve me from all evil." The priest said: "It will not be as good as if you were put to death secretly here in this place; but you will be burned publicly at the stake, for an everlasting reproach." He was then brought into the court, where he was condemned to death, and his sentence was read: namely, that he had fallen from the true faith into heresy, and was therefore, according to the imperial edict, sentenced to be strangled and burned. David said: "No one will ever be able to prove by the Scriptures that the faith for which I must now die is heresy."

A woman named Levina was sentenced to death with him. She would rather give up not only her six dear children, but her earthly life as well, than give up her dear Lord and Bridegroom Jesus Christ. When they came to the scaffold, David tried to kneel down to offer up his prayer to God, but he was prevented, and they were immediately driven on to the stakes. Standing there, David said to Levina: "Rejoice, dear sister; for what we suffer here is not to be compared with the eternal good that awaits us." Romans 8, verse 18. When they were about to offer up their sacrifice, both of them cried out:

"Father, into Your hands we commend our spirits." A little bag of gunpowder was tied to each of them, and then they were strangled and burned. But a plain miracle of God took place; for though they were completely burned, and the fire had all but gone out, David was seen to move his head, so that the people cried out: "He still lives." The executioner seized the fork and thrust it three times into his bowels, so that the blood flowed out; yet even after this he was still seen to move, and so the executioner threw a chain around his neck, bound him to the stake, and in this way broke his neck.

So these two valiantly fought their way through, firmly trusting in God, who did not let them be put to shame, since they had firmly built their building on the only foundation; therefore they will never perish, but will remain forever.