Martyrs Mirror 805JORIS WIPPE, JOOSTEN'S SON, PUT TO DEATH AT DORTRECHT, A. D. 1558

Joris Wippe, when he still lived in the darkness of popery, was a burgomaster at Meenen in Flanders, his native place; but having subsequently come to the knowledge of the Gospel, he had to flee the country, and went to live at Dortrecht, in Holland, where he established himself as clothdyer. When he had lived there for a while, and was becoming known, he, through the instigation of the enemies of the truth, was summoned to appear before the lords in the large church. Somewhat alarmed on this account, Joris consulted with several drapers, for whom he dyed, and who were men of influence, as to what he should do. They, placing entire confidence in the magistracy, deemed it advisable that he should appear before them, and hear what they had to say to him.

When he came there, and the lords saw him, they were filled with consternation, and would have preferred that he had taken their summons as a warning to secretly make his escape, since they did not thirst much for innocent blood; but as he had appeared, the bailiff, when Joris was about to leave the church, seized him as one who, according to the imperial decree, had forfeited life and property. This happened on the 28th of April, 1558.

After his apprehension, the lords tried every means to save him from death; he was sent to Gravenhage (that is, to the court of Holland), and there examined; but as he was a resident of Dordrecht, and had been apprehended there, he was sent back thither, and ultimately put to death there.

He left behind him a good testimony as regards his liberality to the poor; for when he was sentenced to death, the executioner lamented with tears in his eyes, that he had to put to death a man who had so often fed his wife and children, and would rather forego his office, than put to death this man, who had done so much good to him and others, and had never harmed any one. Hence he was finally drowned, in the night, in a wine cask filled with water, by one of the thiefcatchers, who, at the command of the lords, performed the executioner's office on him, pushing him backward into the water. Thus he offered up his life to the Lord, on the first of October, being forty one years old. The next day he was hung by his feet to the gallows, in the place of execution, as an object of derision to the people, being thus, like his Master, numbered among the malefactors. The day following, several criminals were scourged and banished; whereupon the executioner, after he had executed this punishment, still lamenting the death of Joris Wippe, said: "They have crucified Christ, and released Barabbas."

He wrote several letters in prison, three of which have come into our possession. He doubtless would have written more; but great watchfulness was exercised that he should have no ink, so that he wrote his last letter (to his children) with mulberry juice.

NOTE. Inasmuch as we, after long search in the archives of this city, found the sentence of death of this friend of God, Joris Wippe, and copied it ourselves from the criminal records of this city, we deem it well to add it here, so that the truth of the above account concerning the death of this man may appear the more clearly and incontrovertibly.

Sentence of death of Joris Wippe done and pronounced in the chamber (of justice), the 4th o f August, 1558

Whereas Joris Wippe, Joosten's son, born at Meenen, in Flanders, has dared to have himself rebaptized, and has held* pernicious views concerning baptism, according to testimony and truth, and all the evidence which the judges and the council have seen and heard with regard to it, and according to his own confession, therefore, he shall, to the honor of God,t and the edification of the lords and the city,*** be drowned in a cask, and his body then be brought to the place of execution, and there be hung to the gallows, and his property shall be confiscated, and placed in the lord's exchequer.

Extracted from the book o f criminal records o f the city o f Dortrecht, commenced on the last o f October, 1554, and ended on the 16th o f June, 1573

This is the first sentence of death publicly pronounced upon any one with regard to matters of faith, which we found in this book. As to whether it was pronounced in the chamber of justice, in the presence of the lords alone, or publicly proclaimed in court, before all men, is not expressed; nor is it of much importance to know. This much is certain, that his death resulted in consequence.

But since, according to the testimony of old writers, the executioner was not willing to execute this man, and the lords of justice themselves were not a little troubled in this matter, though they had allowed themselves to be persuaded by the priests and monks, the execution of the sentence pronounced was postponed for over seven weeks, namely, from the 4th of August until the first of October, A. D. 1558.

The following night, having commended his soul into the hands of God, he was drowned in a wine cask, by,one of the thiefcatchers, as related above, in the Vuylgate at Dortrecht, where he was imprisoned.

Further Observation. According to John van Beverwijck's account of the government of the city of Dortrecht, the following persons sat in court when sentence of death was passed upon this pious man

Adriaen van Blyenberg Adriaens (who also sat * Has held," etc. ; an error of the writer of this sentence; for Joris still held these views at that very time. ** How can God be honored by what lie has forbidden? *** What edification could the lords derive therefrom, who, by doing this, made themselves tyrants, yea, murderers? ---- ---- in court when sentence was passed upon Digna Pieters), bailiff of Dortrecht; together with nine judges: Mr. T. Schoock Sir Pieters; Cornelis Krooswijck Jans; Frans Anthoniss; Mr. Aert van der Lede Sir Staess; Willem Boucquet Blasiuss; Adriaen van Nispen Gerrits; Frans Adriaens; Heyman van Bleyenbergh Adriaens; Cornelis van Beveren Claess.

But whether they all unanimously passed this sentence, is not stated; however, it appears that the majority concurred therein, which can not have taken place without grief and compunction of conscience on their part, since but a short time before they had sought to get rid of the doomed man, and for this purpose had sent him to the Hague, to the court of Holland, that he might be judged there; but when he returned they sentenced him to death certainly a lamentable matter on their part; but on the part of the martyr a matter of rejoicing, since death was for him the entrance to an eternal and blissful life.