Hans Haslibacher, in the Year 1571

In connection with the account given above of the persecutions that came upon the Swiss brothers, we do not think it out of place to add the following, namely, that a certain old and pious brother (commonly called Haslibacher, because he was born at Haslibach) was arrested for his faith, and brought to Berne, where he was handled very severely in prison, and cruelly tortured; but since he still held steadfastly to his faith, several preachers came to him in the prison soon afterward, on a Friday, and disputed with him; and he bore himself so bravely against them, in defending his simple confession of faith, that they could accomplish nothing with him. Then the preachers came to him again the next day, which was Saturday, speaking more harshly to him, and threatening him severely, that if he did not renounce his faith, his head should be laid before his feet. At this the good old man courageously replied that he would in no way renounce his faith, but would hold steadfastly to it, since he felt perfectly assured that his faith was so acceptable to God that He would by no means forsake him in distress and death.

Then it happened, as is credibly related, that in the following night, from Saturday until Sunday, he was comforted and strengthened by a divine vision, and urged to hold steadfastly to the faith he had accepted; and that, though they should threaten him severely, even so far as to put him to death with the sword, he should nevertheless not be terrified, for the Lord would be at his side, and would not allow him to feel any pain from it.

Now when the preachers came to him again on Monday and disputed with him as before, trying to move him from his faith, adding that if he did not renounce it he should be punished with death the next day, Haslibacher boldly answered: "I am ready to let my head be struck off, much rather than fall away from my faith."

Then, when the preachers had left him, and he had fallen in the evening into a deep sleep which lasted until midnight, it is said that he had a dream in which it was shown him that they would behead him (by which he was suddenly awakened), and it was made known to him in a special way that he should be punished with the sword, but that three special signs would be given, by which his innocence would appear before men.

NOTE. Since reference has been made to three signs, which, however, are not mentioned, but are given in the hymn (the last one in the Gesangbuch der Taufgesinnten), we will, in order to complete the account, insert this hymn here in full. We will, however, add that neither this hymn nor the list of Swiss martyrs copied by Hans Loersch, which follows it, was contained in the Holland editions of the Martyrs' Mirror, but were added afterwards in the German editions. The hymn, which also appears only in part in the German, is here given entire. —Publishers.

Give ear, kind friends, and help who can,

To sing about an aged man,

Who came from Haslibach;

And so he was called Haslibacher,

And lived in the parish of Summiswald.

Since our dear Lord gave permission

For men to accuse him as a knave,

Because of his true faith;

So they bound him with stern rigor,

And led him to the town of Berne.

And though he was imprisoned here,

And tortured with severe torments,

For holding to his faith;

Yet he still remained steadfast,

In torture, anguish, and in pain.

One Friday morning, mark my words,

There came some educated lords,

Into his prison hold;

And drew him into a dispute,

That he should turn from his faith.

Our Haslibacher then and there,

Gave all their babblings to the air,

For this is what he said at once: "

My faith I never will forsake,

Though you should take my life and body."

On Saturday these learned men

Came to his prison hold again,

And thus they spoke with threats: "

You must renounce your heresy,

Or else you shall be beheaded."

At once he answered with a bold heart:

"From this my faith I will never depart,

But will hold firmly to it;

For God accepts my faith as right

And He will protect me by His might."

And when night's dark garb was spread,

God's angel came with power and said,

In Haslibacher's ear: "

It is God who sends me to you,

To comfort you there before your end.

"Moreover I will give you counsel,

Not to waver in your faith,

But to remain strong in it;

For God has accepted your belief—

He will keep your soul and bring relief.

"And though they threaten with the sword

To execute you, let their word

Cause no dismay in you,

For I will remain at your side

To shield you from every pain."

And so again, when Monday came,

Those tutored men of priestly fame

Went to Haslibacher,

And plied him sorely with words,

That he should deny his belief.

"If not," they said, and meant it too, "Tomorrow morning brings death to you."

But Haslibacher said: "

This body you may put to death—

I will give my head, but not my faith."

When night again spread her mantle,

Deep sleep fell on his weary head,

Until the clock struck twelve.

He dreamed he was in fair daylight,

Led out to be beheaded there.

This wakes him up, as well it might,

And look, about him all is light.

A book lies before him,

And an angel's holy voice explains:

"Read what this little book contains."

And when he reads the book he finds

That his tormentors had set their minds,

That they would behead him.

But God would let three signs appear

To show the injustice he must bear.

When he had read it to the end,

The darkness of night came down again,

And sleep closed his eyelids,

Till daylight brought these murderous men,

Into his prison cell again.

"Good morning, friend," he hears from them,

With thanks, the same greeting meets their ears.

Then they said to him:

That he should hear the divine Word,

Or feast on the executioner's fare.

"From this my faith I will never let go,

The Word of God full well I know;

My cause I give to God;

Yet deep regret fills my heart,

That innocent I must depart."

They led him to an inn in haste,

And placed meat and drink before him,

The hangman by his side

So that deep disgust and fear of death,

Might make him yet renounce his faith.

Haslibacher said to the man:

"Eat, drink; make merry while you can,

For though upon this day

You offer up my guiltless blood,

My soul soars the more quickly to God."

He further said: "The Lord will show

Three signs, to let you plainly know

That innocent I die;

For when my head is struck off, it will fall

Into my hat, and laugh as well.

"The second sign upon the sun

You will plainly see when it is done;

And of the third take heed

The sun will, like my blood, be red,

The town well likewise will shed blood.

"The judge declared to the lords:

Of these three signs take godly heed.

Remember also this:

That if all this shall happen so,

It will work your soul's eternal woe."

When he had finished his meal,

They took his hands to tie them fast;

When Haslibacher said:

"Pray, Lorenz, listen to my plea,

And leave my hands free from fetters.

"I am ready now and do rejoice,

That you have let me have my choice

To die and pass from here.

But Lord, show mercy to them,

Who condemn me to death this day."

When he at last had faced the block,

He took off his hat and had it placed

Before the multitude:

"Friend Lorenz, give ear to my prayer,

I beg you, let my hat lie here."

With this he bowed his knees in prayer,

And when the Paternoster there,

He had earnestly prayed,

He said: "To God I have given my cause,

Act now, according to your laws."

Down comes the sword, and look, the head

Springs into his hat, as he had said;

And all the signs were seen—

The sun was red and looked like blood,

The town well shed a crimson flood.

Amazed, an old man said: "

The Anabaptist laughs, though dead."

Then another old man said:

"If you had let this Baptist live,

You would not grieve eternally."

With one accord the people said:

"From now on we will shed no Baptist's blood."

Then an old man said:

"Had you not acted against my will,

This Baptist would be living still."

The hangman too was heard to say: "

It is guiltless blood I have shed today."

Then an old yeoman said:

"The Anabaptist's mouth did laugh,

Which surely shows God's wrath."

He who composed this little hymn,

Received his death in a dim prison,

A sinful mob to please.

They brought him pen and ink to write,

And so he bade us all "Good night."

NOTE. At the close of the German edition of the Martyrs' Mirror an extract was received and inserted which Hans Loersch had copied out of the Tower Book at Berne, and which has been preserved by Christian Kropff; it reads as follows:

At Berne the following persons were executed for the faith: In the year 1528: Hans Seckler, a joiner and hatter, at Aarau. In the year 1529: Conrad Eicher of Straffisburg; two believers from the Seignioralty of Bix; a tinker from the Emmenthal; Ulrich Schneider, of Luetzgenpfluehe; a young lad from Wallis; Hagerly, from the Seignioralty of Alburg. In the year 1536: the 2nd of May, Moritz Losenegger. In the year 1537: Bernhard Waelty of Ruederswil, on the 7th of July; Hans Schweitzer of Ruegsau, Juerg Hoffser of Obergallbach, from the Seignioralty of Siegnau on the 28th of August, Ulrich Bichsel; Barbeli Willher of Hassli; Barbeli zur Studen of Summiswald; Catharina Friedli Imhoff; Verena Issoli of Schuelbah from the Seignioralty of Seignau; Ulrich of Ruegsau. In the year 1538: Cunas Seidenkohen of Constance, on the 28th of March; Peter Stucki, at Wimmis on the 16th of April; Ulrich Huben of Rietenbach from the Seignioralty of Seignau; Hans Willer, in August; Elsbeth Kuepfer of Summiswald; two women, on the 28th of May, the one of Summiswald, the other of Hoestetten; Peter Wessenmiller of Wimmis, on the 7th of September; Stephen Ruegsegger, on the 8th of December, who was executed at Einygen; one from the Seignioralty of Seignau; one of Summiswald; Rudolph Isolly from the Tannenthal. In the year 1539: Lorenz Aeberly of Gruenau, on the 3rd of June; Hans Schumacher from the Aargau, of Wuemistern. In the year 1532: one of Oberbip, on the 1st of May; Peter Ancken from the Siebenthal. In the year 1543: Christian Oberlen, on the 17th of September; Hans Ancken of Ausseldingen; Waelty Gaerber on the Striethalter, from the Seignioralty of Seignau. In the year 1571, on the 20th of December: Hans Haslibacher, from the Seignioralty of Summiswald, who was executed at Haslibach.