world is neuer without. Suche godly ministers we haue had but a fewe.

The people hearing this pitiful noyse and lamentation in the night, came runnyng out, not the men, but onely the women, whom the souldiers willed to go home againe, and that their men should come forth and keepe the towne, but the men durste not appeare. Then from Friburge, shortly after they conueyed hym to Eusissheim.

After they had long kept this man in pryson, and that he had endured most terrible torments, as wel by the priuie members, as in other partes, they iudged hym to death. If you wyll knowe the cause what they had to laye to his charge, it was only this, that he had maryed a wife secretly in his owne house, with a fewe witnesses. Other crimes they had none to obiecte against hym, MarginaliaCrueltie without cause. neither that he was a seditious and wicked man, or that he had committed any other offence, albeit they had gathered diuers wicked persons out of sundry places, to picke out of his Sermons, the order and manner of his behaueour. When he was led vnto the place of execution, he aunsweared gently and quietly vnto all them that came to comforte hym. But there were diuers Monkes and Priestes whiche troubled hym very sore with their foolishe babling, as he was striuyng in his spirite agaynste the horrour of death, and making his prayer vnto almightie God, seekyng nothing els but to turne hym awaye from his hartie and earnest contemplation. But he desired them that they woulde holde their peace, saying, that he had already confessed his sinnes vnto the Lorde Iesus, nothyng at all doubting but that he had receyued absolution and forgeuenes of them all. And I (saide he) shall this daye be an acceptable sacrifice vnto my Sauiour Iesus Christ, for I haue done no such thing wherefore I am nowe condemned, whiche might displease my Lorde God, who in this behalfe hath geuen me a good and quiet conscience. Nowe therefore let them whiche thirst for innocent bloud, and shed the same, diligently aduise them selues what they do, and that they offend euen hym, vnto whom it perteineth truely to iudge the hartes of men: for it is said: Vengeance is myne, and I wyll punishe.MarginaliaRom. 12. And for so much as he was a very leane man, he added this moreouer, saying: It is all one, for shortly I must haue forsaken this skin whiche already scarsely hangeth to my bones. I know wel that I am mortal, & a corruptible worme, and haue nothing in me but corruption. I haue long tyme desired my latter day, and haue made my request that I might be deliuered out of this mortall body, to be ioyned with my Sauiour Christ.

I haue deserued through my manifold sinnes committed against my saueour Christ, my crosse: and my saueour Christe hath borne the crosse, and hath dyed vpon þ^e crosse: and for my parte, I wyll not glorye in any other thing, but only in the crosse of Iesus Christ.

MarginaliaThis blessed Martyr drowned. There were present by, certaine naughtie persons which could not endure to heare this godly exhortation, but made a signe vnto the hangman, to cast hym downe into the ryuer.MarginaliaThe water miraculously coloured with bloud, where he was drowned. After he was throwen downe, he moued by a certaine space in the water, in such sort, that the ryuer whereinto he was caste, was red with bloud. This was a certaine signe and token, that innocent bloud was that daye shed. They which were there present, beholding that whiche had happened, were greatly amazed and astonied, considering with them selues what the stayning of the water with the bloud signifie. Euery man returned home pensiue and sad, marueilyng at the cruel deed that was done that daye: notwithstanding no man durst open his mouth to speake one word, because that all thinges were exercised with such crueltie. This was done in the towne of Ensisheim, ann. 1525.

These thinges I dyd vnderstand by one which did behold them with his eyes. The Lorde of his great grace be merciful vnto vs, and forgeue vs our sinnes. Ex Oecolam.

Such was the wickednes then of those dayes, and yet is styll, that who so euer was perceiued to fauour the Gospel, or any thing to dislike the doctrine of the popes church, he was hated and despited of the Rulers, Lawers, and al other Papistes through the whole countrey about, but especially of priestes, monkes, and fryers. And though the life of the Gospellers were neuer so sound & vpright: yet such was the hatred and malice of the Popes freendes againste them, that they neuer ceased to seeke al occasions, and deuise matters how to bring them to death.

It so happened a litle before this present tyme, that there was a commotion of the rude and rusticall people of the countrey, rising in armour inordinately, agaynste their Rulers, to the great disturbance of the whole countrey of Germanie, and no lesse to their owne destruction: of whom were slaine aboue xx. thousande. At length when this rebellion was appeased, and all thinges quiet, suche as were the Popes frendes, to worke their malice against the Gospel tooke occasion thereby not long after, to accuse and intangle such as they knewe to be Gospellers & protestantes. And although the saide Gospellers were neuer so inculpable & cleare from al rebellion, yet that suffised not: for causes were made, false witnesse brought, corrupt Iudges suborned to condemne the innocent, & many were put to death, their cause neither being hearde nor knowen. By reason whereof, a great number of good and innocent Christians were miserably brought to their ende and martyrdome. In the number of whom was this poore man also, whose story by Oecolampadius is thus described.

MarginaliaEx. Ioan. Oecolampadio. THere was (saith he) a certayne man of the countreye, whiche in my iudgement was a good man, a louer of iustice, and a mortall enemie of all the cruell exactions of the Gentlemen, which oppressed the poore people. This man after the tumult and commotion of the countrey was appeased, was greeuously vexed and tormented, because he had cryed Alarme, when as a great number of horsemen raunged about the countrey to seeke out those whiche had been the authours of that sedition. This poore man was taken by policie, and so vpholden with fayre promises, that they made him confesse whatsoeuer they required. He thinking that they would not haue put hym to death, was cast in prison, whereas he was long tyme deteined & wel cherished, to take away all suspition from hym: but after that he had taried a long tyme in prison, they put hym to the Pinbank, laying diuers and many greeuous offences to his charge: where they kept hym hanging in the trusse of the corde,MarginaliaThe trusse of the corde is a certain hanging vp by the handes behinde, hauyng a waighty stone fastened at their feete the space of sixe houres, hanging a great stone fastened at his feete.

The sweat that dropped from his body for very payne and anguishe, was almost bloud. In this distresse he cryed out pitifully, but all that coulde not once moue the tormenters hartes. When as al the power & strength in his body beganne to faile hym, with great violence they let him fall downe. There this poore man lay euen as a stocke, not mouyng any part or member of his bodye, but a litle drawyng his breath, which was a token that there was some life in hym. Here the tormenters were in great doubt what to do with the man, whom they sought by al meanes to destroye, in what place they might put hym, that he should not dye of that torment.

Amongest them there was one which brought vineger and rose water, and rubbyng hym therewithall, they dyd somewhat recouer hym. After that they had caused hym to eate and drinke such as they had prouided for hym, they let hym downe into a deepe dungeon, where he coulde see neither Sunne nor Moone. All this was done to the intent to put hym to more torment, when he had somewhat recouered his strength agayne. There they let hym continue xviij. dayes: after which tyme they brought hym againe to examination, propounding certain articles vnto hym, whiche he constantly denyed. They deuised diuers and sundry kindes of tormentes, to the intent they might euen of force extorte something of this poore man, whiche might seeme woorthy of death: yet for all that they were fayne to depart without their purpose.MarginaliaThe innocent man agayne tormented. The. xx. daye after, these tyrauntes hyred a hangman (a man sure worthy of his office) whiche leaft no kinde of crueltie vnpractised. Yet dyd he misse of his purpose also, and was constrayned to leaue his crueltie, and to pronounce euen with his own mouth, that the man was innocent, in that he had so constantly endured so many horrible and greeuous tormentes.MarginaliaFalse witnes. Yet these tyrauntes came againe the fourth tyme, and suborned two witnesses against hym, thus concluding that he was worthy of death, because he had cryed Alarme, after the truce was taken, & woulde haue moued a newe sedition. The day was appoynted whē he should suffer, and they brought vnto hym the hangman, and a Fryer into the prison.

In the meane time this poore man thought with hym selfe that they would haue shewed him the like crueltie as they had done the night before. They called hym out of the dungeon where they had let him downe, certifiyng him that they had thinges to tel hym for his profite. This they did, because he should not dye in prison.

MarginaliaHe had rather pyne in prison then to come in the papistes handes. Then they let downe a corde and a staffe, but they could not perswade hym to sit thereupon, saying that he woulde rather chuse to dye there, then he woulde endure any more such cruel tormentes: Notwithstandyng, if they woulde promise hym, not to put hym any more to the trusse of the Corde, nor to put hym to death, but to bring hym before iust