Willem de Kleermaecker, in the Year 1560

In the year 1560 a brother named Willem de Kleermaecker was arrested for the truth, and sentenced to death, at Antwerp.

When he had been brought into the court, the bailiff asked him whether he had been rebaptized. He replied: "Why do you ask about my baptism, and not about my life and faith? Then you could pass a right judgment on me, and this people could follow it." The bailiff asked again whether he had not been rebaptized. Willem said

"You want only one word, and I made a confession before this: judge rightly, and once more consider the matter well." The bailiff asked whether he had been rebaptized. Willem said: "You alone have asked me until now; may I not now ask you?" The bailiff said: "Answer first; then I will tell you." Willem said: "I wish you would once think of that day that shall burn as an oven, when the ungodly shall perish like stubble." Malachi 4, verse 1. He further said (Mark 16, verse 16) it is written: "He who believes and is baptized shall be saved." The bailiff said: "You are not asked about that." Willem said: "Infants cannot believe; therefore I had myself baptized upon my faith."

The lords then went in, and Willem said to the people: "Repent and amend your ways." The bailiff forbade him to speak, but he said: "Do let me speak; for it cannot last long." Soon the lords returned, and Willem said: "My lords, do not judge according to the king's decree, if you do not want to be lost; but think of that day which no one can escape, in which you will regret it, unless you are converted." He was then sentenced, and his sentence was read to him; then, though it was still early in the morning, he was taken to the marketplace, and there strangled and burned at the stake. So he fought his way through as a valiant soldier of Christ.