Martyrs Mirror 1004JACOB DE ROORE, OR THE CHANDLER AND HER; MAN VAN VLECKWIJCK, BOTH BURNED ALIVE AT THE STAKE, AT BRUGES, IN FLANDERS, FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, THE 10TH OF JUNE, A. D. 1569

The very pleasant and favored country of Flanders, in and about the year 1569, was as a dreadful den of murderers, in which they did not hestitate to put to death the chosen friends and followers of Jesus Christ, yea, to deprive them little by little of life in the most awful and horrible manner, namely, by fire, to the sorrow and grief of many, who living at that time beheld it with weeping eyes. This appeared, 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 possessed nevertheless no small gifts.

These were both brought 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 as they were founded upon the immovable corner stone, Christ Jesus, the edifice of their faith also remained firm, and they could by no means be moved or swerved therefrom. Hence the rulers at said place, through 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, A.D. 1569. Concerning this the following verses have been 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.

Did testify before all the world

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

And thus their sacrifice they did bring

To the mighty God that inhabiteth heaven."

Of these two offered up children of God, two disputations are extant, which a certain monk, called Friar Cornelis held with them at said place, and which, because of the wise, intelligent and prudent answers of said two friends, are well worthy to be added here.