Jacob de Roore, or the Chandler and Herman van Vleckwijck, in the Year 1569

The very pleasant and favored country of Flanders, in and about the year 1569, was like a dreadful den of murderers, where they did not hesitate to put to death the chosen friends and followers of Jesus Christ; indeed, to deprive them of life little by little in the most awful and horrible manner, namely, by fire, to the sorrow and grief of many, who living at that time saw it with weeping eyes. This was seen, among many others, in two valiant heroes and champions of Jesus Christ. One of them was named Jacob de Roore, or the Chandler. He was a teacher in the church, and a very God-fearing, intelligent, kind, and eloquent man, who was not afraid, at the peril of his life, to lead and feed the flock of Jesus in the green meadows of the true evangelical doctrine, though it was in forests and wildernesses. The name of the other was Herman van Vleckwijck. He was a common member, but nevertheless he had no small gifts.

Both of these were brought as prisoners into Bruges, one of the Flemish cities, where they had to endure many hard and severe temptations from the papists, who sought to make them apostatize from the faith. But since they were founded on the immovable cornerstone, Christ Jesus, the building of their faith also remained firm, and they could not by any means be moved or turned from it. Therefore the rulers at that place, at the instigation of the Romish so-called spirituality (clergy), concluded their process, and delivered them both from life to death, to be burned to ashes at the stake, which was done on the 10th day of the month of June, in the year 1569. Concerning this the following verses were composed

"In fifteen hundred and sixty-nine,

On the tenth of June, in the city of Bruges,

Encircled wholly by fiery flames,

With intrepid spirit, both Jacob and Herman.

Testified before all the world

To the word of God, which they sealed with their heart's blood,

And so they brought their sacrifice

To the mighty God who inhabits heaven."

Of these two offered-up children of God two disputations still exist, which a certain monk called Friar Cornelis held with them at that place, and which, because of the wise, intelligent and prudent answers of these two friends, are well worth adding here.