How Jacques D'Auchy was Betrayed, Apprehended

There was a councilor at Harlingen named Mr. de Wael, who searched very diligently for Jacques, spoke to him in a friendly way, and invited him to his house, saying that he had a letter for him. When Jacques arrived there, he welcomed him warmly, and urged him strongly to be his guest, seeming to be kindled with great love for the sake of their old acquaintance. When he learned that Jacques could not stay, he asked him, with friendly words but the heart of a Judas, to come again and bring some of his wares and work with him, supposedly in order to buy from him, since Jacques was a peddler. In the meantime he secretly sent a messenger to Leeuwarden, to the council, for a commissary and a bailiff. When Jacques came to him again, he greeted him pleasantly, sending meanwhile for the bailiff. When the bailiff arrived, the traitor said maliciously: "Arrest him; look, this is the man." So they handled him with great severity, saying: "Hold still," and searched him all over.

Then Jacques said: "Oh my lord, what have you done, that you have betrayed me like this, when I trusted you with my life and all my property? Why do you seek my life, and thirst so for my blood?" He replied: "Be content and let yourself be bound: you must go with me to the prison." He said that he had to do this to fulfill his oath, and he read to Jacques his cruel, tyrannical mandate. He also asked very strictly about four other men. Jacques replied that he would not betray or deceive anyone, but that if he had anything against him, or had heard anyone complain of him, he should tell him of it. The traitor replied that he had heard nothing of the kind, and that he was not arrested on account of any crime, but simply because he had held to heresy; he also asked him whether he was not an Anabaptist. Jacques denied that he had held to heresy or that he was an Anabaptist, saying that he had received only one baptism, according to the Word of the Lord, upon his faith. When asked about the Roman church, Jacques replied that it was not of God. At this the traitor was seen to sigh deeply, his face feigning great sorrow as he said:

"Oh, Jacques, must you fall into my hands?" Jacques replied: "My lord, I had placed my confidence in you, because of our old acquaintance, and because I had dealings with you so long; but I will gladly forgive you for this from my heart, and it is my earnest desire that the Lord may have mercy on you." He thanked Jacques for this kindness, supposing that in this he had not sinned before God, since he had to act according to his oath. Jacques said: "Do you consider this dealing right before God and men? The time will come when you will find it otherwise." Wisdom of Solomon 5, verse 2. He then sent Jacques into the room and said to him:

"You will be examined at Leeuwarden concerning your faith and doctrine." While Jacques was imprisoned there, his wife came to him, and this friend of God was filled with great sorrow and anxiety at seeing her in such deep grief, since she was also pregnant. The turnkey pushed her away from him with great cruelty, but many of the bystanders wept with her from their hearts, and pleaded with the turnkey, saying: "Oh, let her go to him;" but it could not last long. Jacques said to her: "O my beloved, go home, and comfort yourself in the Lord; for I am imprisoned here for the Word of God; and it will bring you neither shame nor disgrace, since I have injured no one." She said: "May the Lord strengthen you in the truth; for after this conflict an eternal crown is prepared for you. Oh, that I could die with you, and inherit that blissful life with you; then my heart would rejoice." Jacques said: "O sister in the Lord, do not let this grieve you, though I must go a little before you; it is the Lord's will." The turnkey could not bear this, but said: "Get out, quick!" Then Jacques pleaded with him, saying:

"Oh, let us be alone with God for a little while." And so these two dear lambs were separated, but they hope to meet again at the resurrection of the just, where wailing and parting will be heard no more forever. Philippians 3, verse 11; Revelation 7, verse 17; Revelation 21, verse 4; Isaiah 25, verse 8.

Having, through the grace of God, undergone and endured many assaults, by way of numerous examinations and threats from the bloodthirsty, he died in great steadfastness for the testimony of Jesus. He was not put to death at the place of execution, but secretly murdered by night. Until quite recently there were still trustworthy people living who, early in the morning after the night in whose first hours he had been murdered, saw him lying dead in his blood, in his leather clothes. He now rests under the altar of Jesus, awaiting, with God's chosen, a blessed resurrection and eternal life.

The traitor mentioned above, Mr. de Wael, was most severely struck by God not long after this deed, in punishment for his murderous treachery, and as a result he departed out of this world in a most terrible manner, as a solemn and significant warning to all who are inclined to follow his example in this respect; for he was soon driven from Leeuwarden with great reproach and shame by the common people, so that the boatman who was to carry him away was in danger of his life along with him, and begged most urgently that his life might be spared; for the traitor was pelted most mercilessly with stones by the common people and the children, and shamefully reproached for his treachery, being called a Judas, a rogue, a scoundrel and an arch-heretic. To his great disgrace and reproach they sang about him the following verses, which had been composed by Jacques:

"He said: I had to find you

Now from my oath I'm free;

Submit and let us bind you;

To prison go with me."

And also:

"And is it right, your dealing,

Before the Lord and men?

The time is surely coming

When you will doubtless ken," and so on. [n810-1]

God the Lord had also punished him with severe leprosy, with which he was likewise most shamefully taunted. Whenever they had sung a stanza of that hymn, they would jeeringly cry out:

"You leprous Judas and treacherous rogue, do you ken it now?" The stones grew more numerous the longer it lasted, so that the boatman who was to carry him away saw his own life endangered, and cried out that he had to take him away by order of the lord. So he was driven from Leeuwarden with great disgrace and shame, and had to roam about from place to place, an object of scorn and contempt, until he was finally consumed by leprosy and, like Antiochus and Herod, died a terrible and untimely death, an example to all who follow him. [n810-2] Second Maccabees 9, verse 9; Acts 12, verse 23. The reports among the common people about this matter are of a far more horrible nature than the account we have given here.