History of Protestantism in the Netherlands - James Aitken Wylie

life and doctrine into greater accordance with it.
One of the printers of this first edition of the Dutch
Bible was condemned to death for his pains, and
died by the axe. Soon after this, some one made a
collection of certain passages from the Scriptures,
and published them under the title of "The Well of
Life." The little book, with neither note nor
comment, contained but the words of Scripture
itself; nevertheless it was very obnoxious to the
zealous defenders of Popery. A "Well of Life" to
others, it was a Well of Death to their Church and
her rites, and they resolved on stopping it. A
Franciscan friar of Brabant set out on purpose for
Amsterdam, where the little book had been printed,
and buying up the whole edition, he committed it
to the flames. He had only half done his work,
however. The book was printed in other towns. The
Well would not be stopped; its water would gush
out; the journey and the expense which the friar
had incurred had been in vain.
We pass over the edicts that were occasionally
seeing the light during the ten following years, as
well as the Anabaptist opinions and excesses, with
41