Background
Heyns was born in Antwerp as the son of the schoolmaster Peeter Heyns, who was known for his French schoolbooks and translations from Dutch to French and back.
Heyns was born in Antwerp as the son of the schoolmaster Peeter Heyns, who was known for his French schoolbooks and translations from Dutch to French and back.
His first published works were a few latin books by Eilhard Lubinus and schoolbooks by his father, and after his father"s death he published maps of Holland with poetic comments under them in Den Nederlandtschen Landtspiegel in 1599. Heyns moved to Zwolle in 1606, where he opened a publishing company located behind what is now the Vrouwenhuis. lieutenant is there where he wrote an account of the 1609 international rhetoric contest in Haarlem for Trou moet Blycken.
In 1615 and 1616 he wrote poetry for the Schiedam chamber of rhetoric called "De Roode Rosen", and in 1625 he published his poetry in an emblem book which became popular.
He died in Zwolle.
In Amsterdam he became one of the founding members of the chamber of rhetoric called Wit lavender for which he wrote two plays.