O my son, though I am taken from you here

O my son, though I am taken from you here

O my son, though I am taken from you here, strive from your youth to fear God, and you shall have your mother again up yonder in the New Jerusalem, where parting will be no more. My dear son, I hope to go before you; follow me in this way as much as you value your soul, for besides this there can be found no other way to salvation. So I will now commend you to the Lord; may he keep you. I trust the Lord that he will do it, if you seek him. Love one another all the days of your life; take Hansken on your arm now and then for me. And if your father should be taken from you, care for one another. The Lord keep you one and all. My dear children, kiss one another once for me, for remembrance. Adieu, my dear children, all of you. 

My dear son, be not afraid of this suffering; it is nothing compared to what is going to endure forever. The Lord takes away all fear; I did not know what to do for joy when I was sentenced. Hence cease not to fear God because of this temporal death. I cannot fully thank my God for the great grace which he has shown me. Adieu once more, my dear son Adriaen. And now I will commend you to the Lord once more. I have written this, after I was sentenced to die for the testimony of Jesus Christ, on the fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1573.

 Maeyken Wens