Martyrs Mirror 758RENEWAL OF THE PREVIOUS BLOODY DECREES OF EMPEROR CHARLES V, AGAINST THE BAPTISTS OR SO CALLED ANABAPTISTS, BY PHILIP II, KING OF SPAIN, A. D. 1556

Up to this time, Emperor Charles V was alone, or at least chiefly responsible for the shedding of the blood of the saints in the Netherlands, as also for the most cruel tyrannies which, through the instrumentality of the Inquisition, and through what followed afterwards, were inflicted upon them, by fire, water, sword, and otherwise; but in this year, his son, Philip II, King of Spain, following in his father's footsteps (instead of lightening the constraint of conscience) caused all the previous bloody and cruel decrees which his father had issued against the so called heretics, to be renewed and confirmed, especially the most cruel decree published on the 25th of September, 1550, the contents of which we have reserved until the present time, but will now, as renewed A. D. 1556, adduce here, however not with all its particulars, but only so far as it was directed (principally) against the Anabaptists and their doctrine.

In the book in which the prince of Orange, William I, defends himself against the false charges, which his adversaries sought unjustly to bring against him, printed 1569, mention of this is made (AC/. 165, letter L. VI. ), in the following words.