Willem Janss from Waterland

About two weeks after the death of the aforementioned hero of God, Pieter Pieterss Beckjen, there was also put to death (entirely for his sake), in the same place at Amsterdam, another valiant champion and soldier of Christ, who loved the truth more than his own life, named Willem Janss, born in Waterland, and living at Doornickendam. The circumstances which led to his death were as follows

When this Willem Janss heard that his dear fellow brother Pieter Pieterss Beckjen was about to offer up his sacrifice, and to deliver his body to the fire, for the truth, at Amsterdam, he made great haste also to be present at that time at the place of execution at Amsterdam, so that he might witness the death of his brother, and, if possible, strengthen him in the faith in his extremity.

However, when he arrived at the city, he was a little too late, since the bar had already been let down because of the execution. But his zeal was so great that he had no rest until he could see his beloved friend, either alive or dead; so for a certain sum of money he had the bar unlocked, and hurried to be present at that offering.

When Pieter Pieterss Beckjen was brought out to die, this valiant hero and friend of God, standing opposite the place of execution, on the steps of the weighing office, called to him with a loud voice, saying: "Contend valiantly, dear brother."

He too was immediately seized by the persecutors, thrown into prison, and twice severely and horribly tortured; and when he would in no way apostatize, he was, two weeks after the death of his dear brother, sentenced to the fire, to be burned alive at the same place where his brother had died. This was also done to him, after he had commended his soul into the hands of God.

The foregoing was recorded long ago, from credible witnesses, though the date, or the time when it occurred, was not correctly stated,* which we have corrected according to the import of the following sentence, which was pronounced upon him on the day of his death, in the court at Amsterdam, in which also all the circumstances upon which the rulers of darkness at that time based his death are expressed. It reads as follows

Sentence of death of Willem Janss from Waterland

Whereas Willem Janss, from Waterland, living at Doornickendam, present here as a prisoner, unmindful of his soul's salvation, and of the obedience which he owed to our mother the holy church, and to His Royal Majesty, as his natural lord and prince, despising the ordinances of the holy church, has never been to confession; and only once in his life, about eight years ago, to the holy, worthy sacrament; has further undertaken several times to go to the assembly of the reprobated and accursed sect of Mennonists or Anabaptists; also, about six or seven years ago, rejecting and renouncing the baptism he received in his infancy from the holy church, was rebaptized, and afterwards received the breaking of bread three or four different times, after the manner of the aforementioned sect; has also exhorted that sect as a teacher; and on the 26th of February last, when one Pieter Pieterss Beckjen, bargeman, was to be executed in this city on account of that sect, he, the prisoner, standing among the people, undertook still to strengthen the said Pieter Pieterss in his obstinacy, calling out with a loud voice these or similar words: [n981-1] "Contend valiantly, dear brother," and though he, the prisoner, has been urged and repeatedly admonished, by my lords of the court as well as by various clerical persons, to leave the aforementioned reprobated sect, and to return to our mother the holy church, he nevertheless refuses to do the same, continuing in his stubbornness and obstinacy; so that he, the prisoner, according to what has been mentioned, has committed a crime against divine and human majesty, in that he disturbed through that sect the common peace and welfare of the land, according to the import of the decrees of his majesty existing in regard to this; which crimes, for an example to others, ought not to remain unpunished; therefore my lords of the court, having heard the demand of the lord bailiff, and having seen the confession of the prisoner, and having had regard to his stubbornness and obstinacy, have condemned the said prisoner, and by these presents do condemn him to be executed with fire according to the decrees of his majesty; and declare all his property confiscated for the benefit of his majesty aforesaid. Done in court, the 12th of March, in the year 1569, in the presence of all the judges, by the advice of all the burgomasters.

Of the twofold torturings of the aforesaid martyr according to the record of the said secretary

This delinquent was tortured twice, according to the sentence of the judges, namely, on the 26th of February, and on the last day of the same month, in the year 1569, as appears from the records of the confession.

Thus extracted from the book of criminal sentences of the city of Amsterdam, preserved in the archives of that city.

N. N.