Hans Blietel, in the Year 1545

In this year also, Brother Hans Blietel, who had been sent by the church, was arrested at Ried, in Bavaria; for the people of Ried had offered a sum of money to the one who should arrest him. So there was a traitor who spoke to him with kind words, pretending to be very zealous, and, professing a desire to be with him, lured him into his house. The brother supposed that he was concerned for the salvation of his soul, and went with him. Then he locked him into his house and said:

"Hans, you are a prisoner." But Hans replied: "God forbid that you should do this; have I not come to you for good?"

The traitor demanded money from him, and he would then release him; but when the brother refused to meet this demand, he went to the authorities and betrayed him. While he was gone, the traitor's wife also demanded money from him; for, she said, the authorities would take him away in any case; she wanted fifteen guilders, and then they would let him leave the house. But Brother Hans Blietel would not consent to give her one farthing; instead he would, with the help of God, await all tribulation. In the meantime the authorities came with a great number of armed men, and arrested the brother, together with the traitor and his wife, binding them fast with ropes, bonds and straps.

When they had come to the market town of Ried, they took them and tormented them dreadfully, the traitor as well as the brother; for the authorities thought that he had taken money from the brother, because they found so little on him. The traitor's wife also had her hand squeezed until the blood flowed from it; for they wanted her to tell it. And though they had received nothing, their treachery became a source of bitter grief to them.

When Brother Hans had lain in prison for four or five weeks, he was sentenced to death, about Saint John's day, to be burned alive. He was led out to the place of execution, where the priests tried to get him to give up and forsake his faith; but he said to them: "You may as well leave off your wicked deception; I will not listen to or accept your false doctrine; I have something else to do this day than to listen to you false prophets; I must follow the Lord my God in Christ, and fulfill what I have promised." So the priests stood back, and left him in peace. On his way to the place of execution he met one of his acquaintances, named Michael Dirks, or Kramer. Hans Blietel looked at Michael with a smiling face, and pointed him to heaven. Michael was astonished that he could smile, going as he was to death and the fire. This produced a complete contrition of heart in Michael, and in his wife as well, who did not eat anything for three days, but sought to join the church and become pious, and others with them.

When the dear Brother Hans arrived at the place of execution, he thought of the church, and cried with a loud voice to the multitude of the people assembled: "Is there anyone here who has the courage to tell the church of God in Moravia that I, Hans Blietel, was burned for the Gospel at Ried, in Bavaria?" Then a zealous man, full of piety, kindled by this, made himself known, and though he could not get to him, he called out to him that he would inform the church in Moravia that he was burned at Ried for the faith; which encouraged Brother Hans, so that he cried out to the people again: "This faith of mine is the divine truth, which I will show to you; and I say to you, repent, reform, and turn from your unrighteous, wicked, and vicious life; for if you do not do this, the eternal God will visit you for your sins, and punish you with the everlasting pain which is prepared for all sinners, and He will require the innocent blood at your hands, and punish you for it."

The fire having been kindled and prepared, he was tied upon a ladder. In the meantime he testified again that this was the truth and the way to eternal life, and the true church of God, appealing to heaven and earth as His witnesses: "And today," he said, "God will give a sign in heaven, to testify that this is the way to eternal life." This also happened; for the sun in the sky was darkened and became full of spots, so that it gave forth no shadow. Though the sky was quite clear and bright, yet the sun cast a very pale and yellow light upon the earth; for God intended to confirm it by this sign. This lover of God also sang in the fire, in which he lived for some time, praising God with his singing, and praying for all men who were worthy, that God would enlighten them. And so he was found constant and steadfast in the faith, in the trial of the fire, even as the precious and pure gold. He had also foretold as a sign that his smoke would quickly rise high over him, and his soul ascend in it to heaven, which came to pass, the smoke ascending straight up to heaven. Some said that a beautiful white dove fluttered in the fire, and flew over him to heaven. In this way God helped him very powerfully.