Reader's Theatre: Widow Weynken, an Anabaptist Martyr

Readers’ Theater

Widow Weynken

Adapted from Martyrs’ Mirror

Parts:

Narrator

Weynken

Woman 1

Woman 2

Man 1

Man 2

Man 3

Narrator:

In November of 1527, Mrs. Weynken, a widow, was brought as a prisoner to the Hague, in Holland, under the charges of being an Anabaptist which was outlawed by the government. She was arraigned before the governor and the full council of Holland. There a woman asked her:

Woman 1: "Have you well considered the things which my lords proposed to you?"

Weynken:  "I abide by what I have said."

Woman 1: "If you do not speak differently, and turn from your error, you will be subjected to an intolerable death."

Weynken:  "If power is given to you from above I am ready to suffer." 

Woman 1:  "Do you then, not fear death, which you have never tasted?"

Weynken: "This is true; but I shall never taste death, for Christ says: 'If a man keeps my sayings, he shall never see death.'”

Woman 1: "What do you hold concerning the sacrament?"

Weynken: "I hold your sacrament to be bread and flour, and if you hold it as God, I say that it is your devil."

Woman 1:  "What do you hold concerning the saints?"

Weynken: "I know no other Mediator than Christ." 

Woman 1: "You must die, if you abide by this."

Weynken: "I am already dead." 

Woman 1:  "If you are dead, how can you speak?"

Weynken: "The spirit lives in me. The Lord is in me, and I am in Him." 

Woman 1:  "Will you have a confessor, or not?"

Weynken: "I have Christ, to Him I confess; nevertheless, if I have offended any, I would willingly ask them to forgive me."

Woman 1:  "Who has taught you this opinion, and how did you come to it?"

Weynken: "The Lord, who calls all men to Him. I am also one of His sheep; therefore I hear His voice." 

Woman 1:  "Are you alone called?"

Weynken: "No; for the Lord calls to Him all that are heavy laden." 

Narrator:

After many words like these Weynken was taken back to prison. During the following days she was entreated and tempted by various persons such as monks, priests, women, and her nearest friends. Among others, a woman came to her, prompted by sincerity, who commiserated with her in this way.

Woman 2: "Dear mother, can you not think whatever you please, and keep it to yourself? Then you will not die."

Weynken: "Dear sister, I am commanded to speak, and am constrained to do so; hence I cannot remain silent about it."

Woman 2: "Then, I am afraid, they will put you to death."

Weynken: "Though they may burn me tomorrow, or put me into a bag to be drown, I care not; as the Lord has ordained it, so it must be, and not otherwise; I will adhere to the Lord."

Woman 2: "If you have done nothing else, I hope you will not die."

Weynken:"As for me, it matters not; but it grieves me to see that these good men are all so blinded; I will pray to the Lord for them."

Narrator: Two friars also came to her, the one as a confessor, and the other as an instructor. One showed her the crucifix, saying:

Man 1: "See, here is your Lord and your God."

Weynken: "This is not my God; the cross by which I have been redeemed, is a different one. This is a wooden god; throw him into the fire, and warm yourselves with him."

Man 2: You will die today. Will you not receive the sacrament? I will willingly administer it.

Weynken: "What God would you give me? One that is perishable, and is sold for a farthing?" 

Man 2: "It appears to me that you have fallen unto error”

Weynken "I cannot help it, my Lord and my God, to whom be eternal honor, praise, and thanksgiving has thus given it unto me."

Man 1: "What do you hold concerning the holy oil?"

Weynken:. "Oil is good for salad, or to oil your shoes with."

Narrator: Later, she was brought before the Court, and when she came into the hall, again a monk went up to her, and held the crucifix before her face, saying: 

Man 1:"Do recant before the sentence is passed."

Weynken:” I turn away, for I adhere to my Lord and God; neither death nor life shall separate me from Him." 

Man 2: "Fall down upon your knees, and ask the Lord for pardon." 

Weynken: "Be still: did I not tell you, that you should not draw me away from my Lord."

Narrator: After these things the inquisitor, read the sentence--first in Latin, and and then repeated it in Dutch-- that Wynken was found to be in error with regard to the sacrament, and that she immovably adhered to it; hence she was a heretic, and must be sentenced to death. He then delivered Weynken to the executioners.

Man 3: You have been found obstinate, which could not be passed by without punishment, and you shall be burnt to ashes, and all your property be confiscated.

Wynken "Has all been done now? I beg you all, that if I have harmed or offended any, you will forgive me."

Narrator: As they were leaving the council chamber, the monk said to her that she should call upon our Lady Mary the mother of Jesus to intercede for her.

Wynken: "Our Lady is well content in God."

Man 1: "Call upon her. All this is not the will of the Lord; the will of God is your sanctification."

Man 2: "Mother, cleave to God and do not suffer yourself to be drawn away from Him."

Narrator: Instead, the pious Wynken went alone undauntedly to the bench, and stationed herself at the stake at which she was to be burned.

Wynken: "Is the bench firm; will I not fall?"

Narrator: The executioner then made ready the ropes with which he was to strangle her. The woman took off her neckerchief and veil, and put the strap around her neck.

Man 3: "Mother Weynken, will you gladly die as a Christian?"

Wynken:. "Yes, I will."

Man 3: "Do you renounce all heresy?"

Wynken: "I do."

Man 3: "This is well. Are you also sorry that you have erred?"

Wynken: "I formerly did err indeed, and for that I am sorry; this however is no error, but the true way, and I adhere to God."

Narrator: When she had said this, the executioner began to strangle her, which when she felt it, she cast down her eyes and closed them, as though she had fallen into a sleep, and gave up the ghost. She was martyred on the twentieth day of November, A. D. 1527.