View source for Govert Jaspersz (ca. 1527-1567)

Govert Jaspersz, an [[Anabaptism|Anabaptist]] martyr, was executed by burning at [[Brussels (Belgium)|Brussels]], [[Belgium|Belgium]], on 20 September 1567 ([[Braght, Tieleman Jansz van (1625-1664)|van Braght]], <em>[[Martyrs' Mirror|<em>Martyrs' Mirror</em>]]</em>, erroneously has 1558, without further date). Govert was a native of Biezelinge, a village in the Dutch province of [[Zeeland (Netherlands)|Zeeland]]. He was a mason by trade, 40 years of age; he had lived for seven years in [[Antwerp (Belgium)|Antwerp]]. During the trial he refused to betray the names of other Anabaptists he knew in Antwerp, [[Mechelin (Antwerpen, Belgium)|Mechelen]], Brussels, and in Zeeland. Govert was a preacher; asked by judges why he preached secretly rather than publicly, he answered that Saint Paul also preached in attics. He gave some particulars on the Mennonite baptismal ceremony. Van Braght relates that he formerly had been a lay brother of the Monastery of the Brethren of the Holy Cross at [[Goes (Zeeland, Netherlands)|Goes]], Zeeland, and that he had been arrested in the field while reading the [[New Testament|New Testament]].
= Bibliography =
Braght, Thieleman J. van. <em>Het Bloedigh Tooneel of Martelaers Spiegel der Doopsgesinde of Weereloose Christenen, Die om 't getuygenis van Jesus haren Salighmaker geleden hebben ende gedood zijn van Christi tijd of tot desen tijd toe</em>. Den Tweeden Druk. Amsterdam: Hieronymus Sweerts, …, 1685: II, 200.

Braght, Thieleman J. van. <em>The Bloody Theatre or Martyrs' Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only upon Confession of Faith and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus Their Saviour . . . to the Year A.D. 1660</em>. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1951: 582. Available online at: [http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/ http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm. ]

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. <em>Mennonitisches Lexikon</em>, 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. II, 394.

Verheyden, A. L. E. <em>Le Martyrologe Courtraisien et la Martyrologe Bruxellois</em>. Vilvorde: R. Allecourt, 1950: 71, No. 29.
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