Extract from the Book of Criminal Sentences of the Town of Gouda

Faes Dircks executed with fire

Whereas Faes Dircks, a native citizen of this town of Gouda, at present a prisoner, has confessed, without torture and iron bonds, under the blue sky, before my lords of the court, that about a little over a year ago he was rebaptized at Rotterdam by a man whom he does not know; that he has also for the last two years rejected communion with the holy church, our mother, and does not believe in the holy, worshipful sacrament of the altar, in which lies the salvation of man; without the said Faes Dircks having been willing to repent of this, or to be instructed otherwise, but has added that he would not listen to the man who desired to instruct him, and to turn him from his error and heresy, all of this being contrary to the written laws and decrees of his royal majesty published at different times in these countries; therefore the judges, with the mature deliberation of the council, having examined and weighed everything of importance in this case, on behalf of and in the name of the King of Spain, as Count of Holland, Zealand and Friesland, our common lord and prince, have condemned the aforesaid Faes Dircks, at present a prisoner, and by this present sentence do condemn him, to be brought to the scaffold outside this town, and there to be executed with fire; and they declare all his property confiscated for the benefit of his royal majesty; unless the aforesaid Faes Dircks publicly, before the church, turns away from his aforesaid heresy, and declares and confesses that he has been led astray and deceived; in which case the judges reserve to themselves the punishment to be inflicted upon him for his crime, the same to be as they shall find proper, in accordance with the decrees of his majesty mentioned above.* [n999-2]

Done by Jan, Claess Diert, and Simon Pieters, burgomasters, summoned, Gijsbert Jan Maertenss and Gerritt Huyges, burgomasters, Dirck Ottes van Slingerlandt, judge, summoned, Gerrit Gerrit Bouwenss, Dirck Andriess, Mr. Heyndrick Jacobs, Dirck Janss Lonck, Mr. Cornelis Heyndricks, judges, and announced to Dirck van Necq, judge, summoned. [n999-1] Published on the 30th of May, in the year 1570. Subscribed.

JORIS JACOBS,

Secretary of Gouda, in the year 1570.