Hesseling, Pieter Andriesz (1588-1645)

Pieter Andriesz Hesseling, usually called simply Pieter Andriesz, born 1588 at Rotterdam, died 1645 at Amsterdam, was preacher of the Waterlander congregation at Amsterdam. A tailor by trade, and evidently the son of poor and non-Mennonite parents, he became acquainted with Hans de Ries, and was baptized by him; Hans de Ries must have taught him Latin.

While he was living in de Rijp he married Adriaantje Willemsdr of Amsterdam, 17 February 1613. She was baptized in January 1612. She was an older sister of the wealthy grain dealer, Joost Willemsz Nieukerck (a brother-in-law of the poet Joost van den Vondel) and of Hester Willemsdr (the mother of the poet Reyer Anslo). In 1613 he obeyed the request of the Waterlander preachers to settle in Amsterdam.

Hesseling was at once chosen preacher and was ordained on 5 February 1617 by Hans de Ries and Reinier Wybrantsz. On 30 December 1615, he signed (with Reinier Wybrantsz and Nittert Obbesz) a book titled Vreede-schrift of eene Christelijke Vermaaning en Andwoord, 't welk van de Vereenigde Gemeente binnen Amsterdam geschreeven en aan Eenigen, die zonder genoegzaame oorzaake van de Gemeente afgeweeken (zijn) en eene bijzondere vergaderinge aangesteld hebben, over geleverd is, . . . (Amsterdam, 1616). This work deals especially with the ban in mixed marriages, the Incarnation, and the baptism of those who had been baptized as adults by the Reformed. They took a moderate position, as they also did in the second booklet, Noodwendige Verklaaringe, . . . (Amsterdam, 1616). Pieter Andriesz stepped into the fore especially in the dispute with Preacher Nittert Obbesz, who differed from the other preachers in his faith. After Nittert Obbesz had severely criticized a sermon by Pieter Andriesz in 1624, and at a meeting on 25 November 1625 had called another sermon by Pieter Andriesz "stupid tricks," the latter induced the others to exclude Obbesz from communion. Then Jan Theunisz, who was on the side of Obbesz, created an offensive disturbance at the service conducted by Pieter Andriesz. In connection with this quarrel Pieter Andriesz, Reinier Wybrantsz, and Cornelis Claesz Anslo wrote Apologia ofte verantwoordinghe . . . tot onderrechtinghe van alle oprechte Broeders en Zusters sijnde in deselve Gemeente, diemen oock Waterlanders noemt (Hoorn, 1626). The quarrel took its course in public view through the 13 articles of peace set up by Nittert Obbesz.

About this time Pieter Andriesz must also have been involved in a quarrel about the confiscation of some wax. He did not carry out his intention to settle in Danzig. In 1628 he disputed with Pastor Abdias Widmarius at Uitgeest. In the report by Widmarius, written in detail, but not in favor of his opponent, he calls the latter the "bishop of the Mennonites of Amsterdam."

Pieter Andriesz was a cloth merchant and lived at the Nieuwendijk at Amsterdam. He was a "very peace-loving and pious preacher, in matters of minor import conciliatory, who, with all his meek gentleness, proper in a preacher, held fast to the sound doctrine of the truth and piety, although he had to endure much scorn and shame for it" (Maatschoen III, 85). His portrait, with a signature by Spinniker, engraved by J. Folkema, is found in Schijn-Maatschoen, III, 80. There is also a portrait of him made by Chr. van der Passe.

Bibliography

Cate, Steven Blaupot ten. Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht en Gelderland, 2 vols. Amsterdam: P.N. van Kampen, 1847: I, 273.

Doopsgezinde Bijdragen 1864: 49, 51, 62 ff.; 1907: 51, 55 ff.

Douwen, Wiebe Jans van. Socinianen en Doopsgezinden: Doopsgezinde Historiën uit de jaren 1559-1626. Leiden: S.C. van Doesburgh, 1898: 147 ff.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. II, 293.

Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: II, No. 1024.

Knuttel, Wilhem Peter Cornelis. Catalogus van de pamfletten-verzameling berustende in de Koninglijke Bibliotheek.‘s Gravehage: Algemeene Landsdrukk.: No. 3711.

Kühler, Wilhelmus Johannes. Geschiedenis van de Doopsgezinden in Nederland II. 1600-1735 Eerste Helft. Haarlem: H.D. Tjeenk Willink & Zoon n.v., 1940: passim.

Memoriaal van Reynier Wybrandsz and Banboek in the Mennonite archives at Amsterdam.

Molhuysen, P. C. and  P. J. Blok. Nieuw Nederlandsch Biografisch Woordenboek. Leiden, 1911-1937: VIII, 757 ff. "Pieter Andriesz Hesseling" by Wijnman, H. F.

Posthumus, N. W. De nationale organisatie der lakenkoopers. 1927: 249, 289.

Schijn, Hermann. Aanhangzel Dienende tot den Vervolg of Derde Deel van de Geschiedenis der Mennoniten .. . in het welke noch Negentien Leeraars der Mennoniten . . .  Amsterdam: Kornelis de Wit, 1745. 80 ft.

Theunisz, Jan. Teghenlooper Ontmoe-tende den Meester van den voorlooper. 1626.

Theunisz, Jan. Een Vraghe van Nittert Obbesz. 1627.

Wijnman, H. F. "Jan Theunisz." in Jaarboek-Amstelodamum (1928): 78 ff.

Author(s)	H. F Wijnman
Date Published	1956

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Wijnman, H. F. "Hesseling, Pieter Andriesz (1588-1645)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1956. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hesseling,_Pieter_Andriesz_(1588-1645)&oldid=135316.

APA style

Wijnman, H. F. (1956). Hesseling, Pieter Andriesz (1588-1645). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hesseling,_Pieter_Andriesz_(1588-1645)&oldid=135316.

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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 728. All rights reserved.

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