The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1561-62 | Page 7

was present at the execution was so much affected by the courage
and fervor of the simple-minded victim, that he went home, took to his
bed, became delirious, crying constantly, Ah, Simon! Simon! and died
miserably, "notwithstanding all that the monks could do to console
him."]
The amazement and horror were so universal at such an appalling
offence, that not a finger was raised to arrest the criminal. Priests and
congregation were alike paralyzed, so that he would have found no
difficulty in making his escape. Ho did not stir, however; he had come
to the church determined to execute what he considered a sacred duty,
and to abide the consequences. After a time, he was apprehended. The
inquisitor demanded if he repented of what he had done. He protested,

on the contrary, that he gloried in the deed, and that he would die a
hundred deaths to rescue from such daily profanation the name of his
Redeemer, Christ. He was then put thrice to the torture, that he might
be forced to reveal his accomplices. It did not seem in human power for
one man to accomplish such a deed of darkness without confederates.
Bertrand had none, however, and could denounce none. A frantic
sentence was then devised as a feeble punishment for so much
wickedness. He was dragged on a hurdle, with his mouth closed with
an iron gag, to the market-place. Here his right hand and foot were
burned and twisted off between two red-hot irons. His tongue was then
torn out by the roots, and because he still endeavored to call upon the
name of God, the iron gag was again applied. With his arms and legs
fastened together behind his back, he was then hooked by the middle of
his body to an iron chain, and made to swing to and fro over a slow fire
till he was entirely roasted. His life lasted almost to the end of these
ingenious tortures, but his fortitude lasted as long as his life.
In the next year, Titelmann caused one Robert Ogier, of Ryssel, in
Flanders, to be arrested, together with his wife and two sons. Their
crime consisted in not going to mass, and in practising private worship
at home. They confessed the offence, for they protested that they could
not endure to see the profanation of their Saviour's name in the
idolatrous sacraments. They were asked what rites they practised in
their own house. One of the sons, a mere boy, answered, "We fall on
our knees, and pray to God that he may enlighten our hearts, and
forgive our sins. We pray for our sovereign, that his reign may be
prosperous, and his life peaceful. We also pray for the magistrates and
others in authority, that God may protect and preserve them all." The
boy's simple eloquence drew tears even from the eyes of some of his
judges; for the inquisitor had placed the case before the civil tribunal.
The father and eldest son were, however, condemned to the flames.
"Oh God!" prayed the youth at the stake, "Eternal Father, accept the
sacrifice of our lives, in the name of thy beloved Son."--"Thou liest,
scoundrel!" fiercely interrupted a monk, who was lighting the fire;
"God is not your father; ye are the devil's children." As the flames rose
about them, the boy cried out once more, "Look, my father, all heaven
is opening, and I see ten hundred thousand angels rejoicing over us. Let
us be glad, for we are dying for the truth."--" Thou liest! thou liest !"

again screamed the monk; "all hell is opening, and you see ten
thousand devils thrusting you into eternal fire." Eight days afterwards,
the wife of Ogier and his other son were burned; so that there was an
end of that family.
Such are a few isolated specimens of the manner of proceeding in a
single district of the Netherlands. The inquisitor Titelmann certainly
deserved his terrible reputation. Men called him Saul the persecutor,
and it was well known that he had been originally tainted with the
heresy which he had, for so many years, been furiously chastising. At
the epoch which now engages our attention, he felt stimulated by the
avowed policy of the government to fresh exertions, by which all his
previous achievements should be cast into the shade. In one day he
broke into a house in Ryssel, seized John de Swarte, his wife and four
children, together with two newly-married couples, and two other
persons, convicted them of reading the Bible, and of praying in their
own doors, and had them all immediately burned.
Are these things related merely to excite superfluous horror? Are the
sufferings of these obscure Christians beneath the dignity of history? Is
it not better to deal with murder and