About Three Hundred and Fifty Persons Put to Death for the Faith, Near Altzey, in the Year 1529

The Palsgrave, then, in keeping with the imperial mandate, in a short time had about three hundred and fifty persons executed for the faith; especially his Burgrave at Altzey, namely Dietrich von Schoenburg, had many in the town of Altzey beheaded, drowned and otherwise put to death; just as the lords who came to the church, and who at that time lived in Altzey, saw for themselves how they were taken from the houses in which they were known to be, and led like sheep to the place of execution. They could not be persuaded in any way to renounce their faith, but went joyfully to meet death; while the others were being drowned and executed, the rest who were still alive and waiting for death sang until the executioner took them. They were very steadfast in the truth they had confessed, and, assured in the faith which they had received from God, conducted themselves as valiant soldiers. Matthew 10, verse 22. All the learned and great of this world were confounded by them. First Corinthians 1, verses 25 and 26.

Some whom they did not want to execute they tortured and maimed their bodies; from some they cut off the fingers, others they burned crosses on their foreheads, and subjected them to much wanton injury; so that even the Burgrave already mentioned said: "What shall I do? The more I have executed, the more they increase." Exodus 1, verse 22.

This Burgrave Dietrich, who had shed much innocent blood, died a sudden and terrible death, as he was rising from his table. Chron. van den Ondergang, page 1029, column 1, from the old History of the Baptist Martyrs, book 1, [n610-1]