An Account of Those who Suffered in the Seventeenth Century

FROM 1600 TO 1660

[After the preceding sixteenth century closed with the burying alive of Anneken van den Hove, in the year 1597, the following seventeenth century began, not without threats, and the shedding of the blood of the pious witnesses of the Lord.

The first year of this century begins with a decree (though not to death), published by those of Groeningen and Sneeck against the Anabaptists.

Huybert op der Straten, Trynken his wife, Pieter ten Hove, and Lysken to Linschoten, near Witgensteyn, for the aforementioned faith, led around the gallows, scourged and banished from the country, in 1601.

Hemes Nimrich, a teacher of the aforementioned people, and others, four years later, namely, 1605, near Steyn, scourged out of the city, Hemes having first been led through under the gallows.

Marcus Eder and Hans Poltzinger apprehended on the 24th of April of the same year, at Nimbach, in Bavaria, and on the 26th of the same month taken to Riet; and, for the steadfastness of their faith, finally put to death with the sword, and burned with fire, on the 26th of August, in the year 1605.

Hans Landis beheaded in the city of Zurich; further observations concerning the circumstances of his death; for the year 1614.

An account of a certain prohibition published by those of Aerdenborgh against the Anabaptists, and what was done by the Lords States General of the United Netherlands to have it abolished.

An extract from certain letters of those Lords States to the Lords of Haultain, Governor of Sluys, and also to the bailiff and magistrates of Aerdenborgh, for the ending of the oppression begun in the year 1619.

A decree of those of Deventer against the Mennists or Anabaptists, in the year 1620.

A note concerning severe slanders against the Anabaptists in Holland, and how they, by a certain confession of faith, defended themselves before the States of that country, in the year 1626.

The beginning of the last Swiss persecution, and also the cause of it, in the year 1635.

The progress of the beginning of that persecution in the castles Wadischwyl, Knonow and Groeningen, and also in the consistory at Zurich, in the year 1636.

Concerning that persecution, and the manner in which twelve brothers were apprehended and imprisoned in the place Othenbach, at Zurich, and also how it ended, in the year 1637.

Hans Meyli, Sr., and his son's wife taken to Zurich and imprisoned in the year 1638.

This year (1639), fruitful in martyrs and martyresses, many having suffered in prison, at Zurich, in body as well as in life; an account of whom is given in order, namely, Catharina Mulerin; the four sisters, Barbara Meylin, Ottila Mulerin, Barbara Kolbin, and Elizabeth Meylin; and also Elizabeth Hilzin; the brothers, Hans von Uticken, Burckhardt Aman, Jacob Egly, Ully Schedme, surnamed Schneider, Jacob Rustenhel of Horgerberg, Stephen Zehender of Byrmensdorf, Ulrich Schneider, with his two sons, Henry Gutwol of Lehnmer, Hans Jacobs Hess, and also his wife.

A certain manifesto published by those of Zurich in excuse of the persecution begun, answered and refuted by the persecuted; in the aforesaid year 1639.

Werner Phister, and his son's wife, and also Callus Schneider, Rudolph Bachman, and Ulrich Muller, put to death in the year 1640, at Zurich, in the prison Othenbach.

A supplication of those of Amsterdam to the council of Zurich, for the mitigation of the persecution; and also the answer, in the year 1642.

Felix Landis (the son of Hans Landis) dies of hunger and want in the prison Othenbach, in the year 1642; his wife delivered out of her bonds.

Rudolph Suhner, a young lad, follows in the footsteps of the aforesaid Felix, and also dies of want, in the year 1643.

A number of women suffer much for the truth, namely, Elizabeth Bachmanni, Elsa Bethezei, Sarah Wanry, Verena Landis, Barbara Neff, and Barbly Ruff, about the year 1643.

Henry Boller dies bound in prison, in the year 1644.

A certain letter from Switzerland, concerning the threats made by those of Berne against the Anabaptists in those parts, in the year 1645.

Mention is made, in the year 1650, of a decree published by those of Schaffhausen against those called Anabaptists.

A certain mandate proclaimed against the Anabaptists, three years later, namely, 1653.

Ully Wagman and another brother, both imprisoned; Ully dies in the year 1654, while the other brother remained in prison long afterwards.

A certain letter from Mackhenheym, in defense of the brothers persecuted in Switzerland, sent to Amsterdam, in the year 1658.

Seven teachers apprehended at Berne, namely, Ully Bogart, Anthony Hinnelberg, Jegly Schlebach, Hans Zaug, Ully Baumgartner, Christian Christians, and Rudi Peters. See the year 1659.

A decree published by those of Berne, against those called Anabaptists, on the 9th of August, in the year 1659.

A record of what the Lords States of the United Netherlands did with those of Berne, for the mitigation of the aforesaid decree, by letters of recommendation, and also of letters of recommendation of some Dutch cities in particular, for the same purpose; in the year 1660.

Herewith this whole work, and consequently the whole Book of Martyrs, is abridged and concluded.

This century will be brief, and will not extend over much more than half a century. Neither will the martyrdoms that occurred in it be as severe as those in any of the preceding centuries. Beheading people, or letting them die of want in prison, will be the severest punishments that were inflicted on the bodies of the following witnesses of the Lord. In the meantime, when the north wind of persecution began to blow its fiercest, according to the course of the times, the pleasant south wind of rest and liberty from persecution intervened. The greatest mischief, however, in this brief century, in the regions of Zurich and Berne, was caused by those who called themselves Reformed; others, who bore the same name, and especially the rulers of the United Netherlands (as being friends of peace, and enemies of constraint of conscience), opposed it, and kindly and in a fatherly manner protected the innocently persecuted, according to all their ability.

This work begins with Groningen and Sneeck in Vriesland, and ends with Zurich and Berne, in the confines of Switzerland. This is the order which we shall follow.