Melchoir Platser, in the Year 1583

In the year 1583, on the Friday after Whitsuntide, Melchoir Platser, who had been an apothecary, was arrested for the sake of the faith in the village of Rankweil, in the bailiwick of Feldkirch. There he was put in irons and taken to Veldkirch, into the castle, and imprisoned in a deep tower, from which he was several times brought before the authorities and the priests. He was always ready to give an answer concerning his faith and to resist their false doctrine.

Then there was brought to him from the town of Bregenz a special priest, whom they regarded as very wise and learned. He undertook to dispute publicly with brother Melchoir, hoping to gain honor and glory by it; but he was very soon put to shame, so that he himself said, "Did the devil bring me here for this purpose, that I should be proved wrong by an Anabaptist?" Now when they could accomplish nothing with him, they sent (since that region is entirely papist) for Lutheran parsons, and brought them to him, [to see] whether they could instruct him. But they were no better in his eyes; he convinced them that they were both in unrighteousness and that they upheld and maintained their doctrine unjustly. This is the reason why, at the present day, all sin, vice and idolatry are so prevalent: because the priests themselves are the greatest rogues and knaves.

Now when they could in no way seduce or deceive him, they handed him over to the authorities and accused him as a traitor who had deserved death. However, they offered him that if he asked for mercy, and would swear an oath that he would leave their land and dominion, they would let him live and go away. But he answered that before he would swear such an oath to them, and consent to renounce, he would rather wait for what God would permit them to do with him, though it should cost him his body and his life. He also told them that their threats did not frighten him, and that he did not care about it, for in any case he had to die once.

Then the lord at Feldkirch was moved, and asked that they should take him back to Rankweil, into the same village where they had arrested him, as though he wanted by this to wash his hands in innocence of his blood. … over him, according to the order of the great Hannibal, to whom he had been delivered by the prince of Innsbruck, to deal with him as he pleased. [n1172-1] There they passed sentence that he should be put to death.

When the brother heard that he was to depart out of this world, he faithfully thanked God the heavenly Father, and rejoiced that God was willing to count him worthy to testify to the truth with his blood, which he regarded as a great benefit from God.

Shortly afterward he was handed over to the executioner, who led him to the usual place of execution. The people were very sorrowful and full of pity; but Brother Melchoir began to speak to the people with great zeal, and urged them to think of their ungodly life in which they were sunk, and no longer to boast so perversely that they were Christians. "O what woe" he said, "and eternal suffering will come upon such men as kill an innocent man because he has separated and turned away from the ungodly, shameful life of the world. But I will leave this to God in heaven, who will give such mouth Christians their reward." The priests also came, as he was being led out, and wanted to comfort him. But he said: "You priests are the serpents and scorpions against whom Christ has warned us, who are full of abomination and destruction." At this they commanded him to be silent, if he wanted to speak so scornfully to them. Then he began to sing with a loud voice, until he came to the place where he was to be executed. He then warned the people again to beware of the false prophets who in this way uphold, comfort and strengthen them in unrighteousness, and promise them liberty and life, so that they would be all the less ready to turn from wickedness. He spoke so earnestly and at such length to the people that the sweat ran down his face. The executioner wiped his face and said: "Speak freely, I shall not hurry you." A little later the executioner said to him: "If you will consent to do according to the mind of the lords, and acknowledge that what they do is right, I have been given power to release you." Melchoir replied: "I will not do this; so go on, and do what you have been commanded." At this the executioner at once executed him with the sword and quickly cut off his head. Not far from there was a pile of wood, on which he laid his body and burned it, after he had been imprisoned about twenty-six weeks. So he kept the truth he had confessed as long as he was alive and had breath in him.