History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

came, the executioner made her sit in a chair till he
should strike off her head. Being a Romanist she
knew that her great wealth had as much to do with
her death as the night's lodging she had given the
Reformed pastor, for when brought upon the
scaffold she asked if there was no room for pardon.
The officer answered, "None." "I know what you
mean," replied the brave old lady; "the calf is fat,
and must therefore be killed." Then turning to the
executioner, and jesting playfully on her great age,
which ought to have procured her respect and
favor, she said, "I hope your sword, is sharp, for
you will find my neck somewhat tough." The
executioner struck, and her head fell.[1]
A month after (25th of September) the widow
of Egbert van Broekhuissen, a wine merchant at
Utrecht, was beheaded. Her sentence set forth that
she had been at a conventicle, but it was strongly
rumoured that her real offense was one on which
the judicial record was silent. One of the
commissioners of the Council of Blood was a
customer of her husband's, and was said to be deep
in his debt. It would seem that the judge took this
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