Martyrs Mirror 1020Sentence of death of Willem Janss from Waterland

Whereas Willem Janss, from Waterland, residing at Doornickendam, present here as a prisoner, unmindful of his soul's salvation, and 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 received by him in his infancy of the holy church, been rebaptized, and afterwards received the breaking of bread three or four different times, after the manner of the afore mentioned sect, has also exhorted said sect as a teacher; and on the 26th of February ultimo, when one Pieter Pieterss Beckjen, bargeman, was to be executed in this city, on account of said sect, he, the prisoner, standing among the people, undertook yet to strengthen said Pieter Pieterss in his obstinacy, calling with a loud voice these or similar words: "Contend valiantly, dear brother," and though he, the prisoner, by my lords of the court as well as by divers clerical per

* The time of the death of Willem janss, as also of Pieter Pie. terss Beckjen, had from of old been fixed in the year 1567; but this was two years too early, as appears from the adjoined sentence.

sons, has been urged and repeatedly admonished to leave the afore mentioned reprobated sect, and to return to our mother the holy church, he nevertheless refuses to do the salve, continuing in his stubbornness, and obstinacy, so that he, the prisoner, according to what has been mentioned, has committed crime against divine and human majesty, as by disturbing through said 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 unto 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 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, A. D. 1569, in presence of all the judges, by advice of all the burgomasters.