Old Pieter, Jan Waitier, Jan van Raes, Wouter Denijs, Francais the Carpenter

As the Jews did to the Shepherd, so their successors still do to His sheep, as was plain in the year 1569, when they came from Kortrijck to Meenen and there arrested a brother named old Pieter; but not yet satisfied with this, they came back on the Friday before Easter, in the night, and arrested Jan Watier, Jan van Raes, Wouter Denijs, Francais the Carpenter, and Kalleken, the widow of Anpleunis van den Berge (who had been offered up before this). [n955-1] These were bound so tightly that it was pitiful to see. Jan Watier said: "If anyone here is from Komen, greet my wife, and tell her to fear God." They were then taken to Kortrijck, where they lay for three weeks, guarded so closely that no one could come to them to comfort them or speak to them. They were also tortured very severely, so that they would name others; but God kept their lips. The old man, Jan van Raes, was put on the rack twice, but even so he betrayed no one. When Jan Watier was led back to prison, it was a sorrowful sight to see how he had been tortured, for all his limbs appeared to have been broken.

When they were led to the court, they said: "Now truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter." Isaiah 59, verse 14. There they (the five brothers and one sister) comforted and cheered one another with the Word of God. First Thessalonians 4, verse 18. There the innocent were sentenced to be burned, and delivered to the hangman or executioner. Longing for their Father's land, to be at peace with Him forever, they came forth boldly, and Pieter sighed and lifted up his eyes, saying: "O Lord, help Your servant, and strengthen him in his last extremity; and do not count this as sin against them, but convert them; for they do not know what they do." Jan Watier said to the lords: "If we have wronged you in anything, do forgive us; we gladly forgive you all that you have done wrong to us; but let the innocent blood you have shed satisfy you, and do not shed any more." Pieter said to the people: "If you would enter into life, seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all that you further need will be added to you." Matthew 6, verse 33. He said further: "This is the strait gate by which we enter in; here we are going home, where we will be this evening." Wouter Denijs said: "O Lord, reprove them with the hammer of Your divine word, that they may see whom they have pierced, and be converted." John 19, verse 37. Pieter said again: "These members, which God has given me, I will gladly give up for His honor; for afterward, when I rise, He will give them to me again." Second Maccabees 7, verse 11.

When they had all finished their prayer, and were standing bound at the stakes, they cried out with confidence: "O heavenly Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit." So all six of these friends passed through the conflict, as faithful, regenerated children of God, and elect sheep of Christ, who remained steadfast to the end, and with their sacrifice took their blessed departure out of this world.

Wouter Denijs also wrote several letters from prison, three of which have come into our hands, and follow here.