An Account of Those who Suffered in the Sixteenth Century

[Mention of the inquisition, which continued from the year 1492 to 1660. It is noted for the year 1501.

Persecution of the orthodox Christians in Hungary, briefly and plainly shown, for the year 1507.

Two years after this, another persecution of the same people is brought to remembrance, in the principality of Mecklenburg, near Mooren, two years later, presented and noted for the year 1509.

Several persons who opposed popery on various points of doctrine; such as Nicholas Rus, Bernhard Liblinensis, John Picus, John Hilten, William Budaeus, John Bugenhagius, and so on; some of whom also felt the sting of the Roman scorpion, referred to in a note for the years 1509, 1510, 1512, 1513, 1520, and so on.

The decree which the Romanists published in the Netherlands against all who believed otherwise than the Roman church, and what misery resulted from it, noted in full detail for the year 1521.

In a note for the year 1522 mention is made of Charles Stadius, and for the year 1524, of Henry Zutphaniensis, concerning their faith and death.

Beginning of the old Martyrs' Mirror of the Defenseless Christians, together with the corrections from various trustworthy chronicles, memoirs, testimonies, and so on.

The first martyrs mentioned are Hans Koch and Leonhart Meister; both of whom lost their lives for the truth of the holy Gospel, at Augsburg, in the year 1524.

Then follows so great a multitude of professors of Christ, who gave their lives for His name's sake, as well as so great a number of accounts of bloody decrees, examinations, sentences, and memorable memoirs, that it is impossible to count them. From the year 1524 until 1597, almost to the close of the century, the pious martyrs were arrested, tormented, and put to death by fire, water, sword, and burying alive; and with this last manner of death this century closes.]

A great door is opened to us into the arena of the martyrs and blessed followers of Jesus. None of the earlier persecutions endured by the orthodox martyrs can be compared to this one. We have come through the time of fifteen centuries, each consisting of one hundred consecutive years; but we must confess that we did not meet with what we have seen, or at least with what we shall see here. The length of the time, the severity of the persecution, and the number of the martyred persons will testify to this.

It is true that fifteen hundred years cover a longer period of time than about a hundred and fifty such years; and that the persecutions which occurred during that long time, when put in the balance, would be heavier than this last one, and so would the number of the persons who were persecuted; but never in the preceding fifteen centuries did any persecution continue so long a time without relief; never in so short (though truly long) a time was so much innocent blood shed; never in so small a space were so many dark prisons, deadly tribunals, scaffolds, fiery stakes, and other instruments of death set up and used as were used at this time in Germany and in the Netherlands.

To prove this, without unnecessary words, we will at once enter upon our task, beginning with Germany and ending with the Netherlands.