Bogaert, Pieter Willemsz (16th/17th century)

Pieter Willemsz Bogaert (Boomgaert) was a Mennonite preacher at Monnikendam (Holland), and in 1567 took an active part in the dispute between the Frisians and Flemish, siding with the former, and was banned by Dirk Philips. When Duke Alba came to Holland, Bogaert fled to Emden. Prince William of Orange wrote him here 5 May 1572, asking him to help in raising money among the Mennonites to continue his war against Spain. Bogaert complied and on 19 July, accompanied by Dirck Jansz Cortenbosch, was able to place 1,060 guilders at the disposal of the prince at Roermond, who gratefully accepted the sum. In the same year Monnikendam declared itself on the side of the prince, and Bogaert presumably returned home. The aid given by the Mennonites through his agency surely contributed to the tolerant attitude of the prince toward the Mennonites, for the prince repeatedly urged the strict Calvinists around him to a similar tolerance.

Bogaert was of a gentle disposition. He voiced his opposition to a repetition of baptism in the case of a transfer of membership. In 1588 he was made elder and in 1590 was banned by the stricter party together with the more moderate Jonge Frisians, Lubbert Gerritsz and Hoyte Renix. In 1606 he was still living; in that year he wrote a letter from Monnikendam to C. P. Hooft, mayor of Amsterdam, a copy of which is in the archives of the Amsterdam church. The archives contain other documents from his hand, e.g., a pamphlet against Menno's book on the ban, and a letter of encouragement to Hans de Ries. A treatise titled Een Munster end Wttocht also genaempt over Robert Roberts boeksken 1592 (see Robbert Robbertsz le Canu) with the motto Proeve wilt Behouwen (P. W. Bogaert) is probably from his pen. But he is not to be confused with Pieter Willemsz, who wrote several religious poems and belonged to the strict opposing party. The correspondence with the Prince of Orange and the letter to Hooft are found in Blaupot ten Cate, Holland I, 381-384.

Bibliography

Brons, Antje. Ursprung, entwickelung und shicksale der altevangelischen taufgesinnten oder Mennoniten in kurzen Zugen übersichtlich dargestellt. Amsterdam, Johannes Muller, 1912: 115.

Cate, Steven Blaupot ten. Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht en Gelderland, 2 vols. Amsterdam: P.N. van Kampen, 1847: v. I, 84, 151, 259, 381.

Doopsgezinde Bijdragen (1873): 8; (1898): 147; (1893): 62, 67, 70.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 241 f.

Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam, 2 vols. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: v. I, Nos. 421 f., 478, 480 f., 488 f., 499, 517, 630-634, 637, 639, 641.

Nederlands Archief voor Kerkgeschiedenis 11: 345.

Author(s)	Jacob Loosjes
Date Published	1953

Cite This Article

MLA style

Loosjes, Jacob. "Bogaert, Pieter Willemsz (16th/17th century)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1953. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bogaert,_Pieter_Willemsz_(16th/17th_century)&oldid=161265.

APA style

Loosjes, Jacob. (1953). Bogaert, Pieter Willemsz (16th/17th century). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bogaert,_Pieter_Willemsz_(16th/17th_century)&oldid=161265.

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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 381. All rights reserved.

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