Jelis Strings, with Pieter and Jelis Potvliet, in the Year 1562

Jelis Strings, a thoughtful young single man, and a man named Pieter Potvliet, with his brother Jelis Potvliet, a young man, all three natives of Tielt, in Flanders, came to the knowledge of the divine truth and joined the church of God, and finally, after suffering much persecution, took up residence at Wervijck, where they supported themselves by tape weaving. So it happened about the middle of the summer of the year 1562 that one night the inquisitor came with many servants, surrounded the house, entered it, and arrested these three brothers.

When daylight came, they were put into a wagon, securely bound, while the inquisitor and his company rode alongside on horseback. They were taken this way through Meenen to Kortrijck, a distance of about three hours' walk, where they were kept in confinement for three months, very closely guarded, and had many discussions about the faith with the inquisitor and other clergymen; but they valiantly and steadfastly held to the truth they had come to know and accept. So the inquisitor and the lord of Everbeke (in whose territory they had been arrested), with a great company on horseback and on foot, took these devout witnesses of the truth in a wagon back the same way, to Werwijck, where an enclosure had been prepared in the marketplace, called the Steenacker, along with stakes and wood, to burn them. But since it had rained heavily while they were on the way between Meenen and Werwijck, so that the wood and straw prepared for the purpose had become very wet, and since the bailiff was also unwilling to have them burned, all three were sentenced to be beheaded.

Jelis Strings was brought out first, and as he was going to his death he said, among other things: "Because I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, born of the Virgin Mary, I must die." At this a monk, who walked at his side, said at once: "You lie." Jelis said further, finishing his remark: "And because I believe that the pope is the antichrist." Finally, kneeling down, he said with a trembling voice: "O heavenly Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit." A few moments more, and the executioner had put him to death, and covered the dead body with wood, so that the others who were to follow would not see it lying there.

Pieter Potvliet was brought out next, and on his way to death he said: "It has been so before for the name of the Lord." He also quoted, in confirmation of his faith, from Ephesians 4, verse 5, that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and so on. And having kneeled down, he too cried out: "O heavenly Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit." The executioner soon swung his sword, dealing him five strokes, on shoulder, head and neck, before he finished his work on him; after which he covered the dead body, as he had done with the others.

Jelis Potvliet (still young in years) was the third one brought out, and as he was going to his death he quoted, among other things, the words of Christ:

"Do not fear those who kill the body," and so on. And kneeling down, he also said: "O heavenly Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit" but before he had fully spoken the last word, his head was off. Their bodies were placed upon wheels, between Werwijck and Meenen, but soon afterward they were secretly taken down and buried by some of their fellow believers.

Two letters of Jelis Strings are still in existence, which he wrote while in prison at Kortrijck, and which we have added here for the satisfaction of the Christian reader.