Jelis Strings, Pieter Potvliet, Jelis Potvliet (Anabaptist Martyrs – Beheaded at Wervik,Flanders in 1562)

Jelis Strings, Pieter Potvliet, Jelis Potvliet (Anabaptist Martyrs – Beheaded at Wervik,Flanders in 1562)

As they moved through the village of Meenen, on the last stage of the trip to Wervik, it suddenly began to rain. The thunder and lightning was so intense that the trip was interrupted for a while and then continued. Rather than postpone the executions they agreed to change the sentence and behead the men. With this formality taken care of they immediately proceeded.

Jelis Strings was brought to the platform first. As he walked along he sang loudly, “Because I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, born of the virgin Mary, I must die.” A monk walking past him said angrily, “You lie,” to which Jelis added, “and because I believe that the pope is the antichrist.” He kneeled over the block and prayed with a trembling voice, “O heavenly Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”

Pieter Potvliet was brought next to the block. He said simply, “It has been so before for the name of the Lord. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Kneeling at the block he prayed similarly as had Jelis. The executioner had some difficulty this time, making five strokes to the shoulder, head and neck before finishing.

The younger lad came last, Jelis Potvliet. As he went to his death he quoted Jesus’ words, “Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul.” And kneeling, he also began to pray, “Father, into thy hands, I commend my---ˮ before he finished, the executioner had severed his head.

To add to the fear generated by their death, the inquisitor had their bodies placed on wheels in display. But as soon as the crowd had dispersed, some of the Anabaptist brethren were able to take their bodies away and bury them.

Jelis’s writings from prison give insight into the quality of faith which motivated these young men.