Great Persecution In Austria, A. D. 1539.

Thus it continued until the beginning of the year 1540, when the King’s Marshal came, together with a Spaniard, the Provost of the Empire, and other horsemen with their equipments. These further examined the imprisoned brethren, and those who did not comply with their demands, but held to the truth confessed, they speedily laid in iron chains and bonds, coupling them two and two together by their hands. In the mean time many of the sisters, their fellow believers, came into the castle of Falkenstein, when the prisoners were to be taken to the sea; some were waiting for the imprisoned brother Eegmachel, and others were particularly engaged in earnest and fervent prayer and supplication to God Almighty, that he would keep them from all wrong and sinful actions, on sea as well as on land, and also give them a steadfast mind, and grant that they might persevere in the truth unto the end. After this prayer, a Spaniard was commanded to send all of them away. Hence they began to take leave from one another, with many scalding tears and weeping eyes, affectionately admonishing each other, that each should firmly and unfalteringly adhere to the Lord and the truth confessed. Time and again they commended each other to the gracious protection of God, not knowing whether in their life time they should ever see each other again with their bodily eyes. Thus man and wife had to separate from each other, and leave their little children; which flesh and blood would not have been equal to, had it not been done through the power of God, and for his sake. This leave-taking was so pitiful, that the King’s Marshal, and others like him, could not keep back their tears. When everything was arranged, and the escort was ready, the pious went forth, firmly trusting in God, that he would aid and deliver them. Thus they were brought from the tower, two and two together, ninety in all, after having been confined five weeks and a half in Falkenstein; but the sisters had to remain in the castle, and from the walls, looked after the brethren, with much sighing and sorrow, as long as they could see them.

After this, the sisters were all sent away from the castle to the place where they resided; but the brethren whom they did not want to take to the sea, on account of infirmity or sickness, and some because of their youth, they retained as prisoners in the castle; now and then they gave some of the young lads as slaves to Austrian nobles; however, nearly all of them returned to the church; the others remained in the castle, and for them God also wrought a gracious deliverance.

The cause of this great distress of the pious was solely, that in antichristendom they testified against the idolatrous and unrighteous life and ways of the priests, for which, as an abomination, God should once severely punish them, and make an end with them and their sins. Hence, King Ferdinand gave the crew of priests, who are a band of robbers, and delight in killing and slaying, power to do with them as they pleased. These condemned them as worthy of death, that they should not be tolerated on the earth, but should be sent to sea, thus to wear out their lives in much anguish and distress, as a warning to other brethren; and that the other three should be delivered into the hands of the Admiral of the Armada on the sea, and be employed on the galleons, in pillaging and waging war against the Turks and other enemies; though these imprisoned brethren previously told the messengers of the King, that they would not go against the enemy, to pillage and wage war, neither would they consent to do wrong on the sea just as little as on the land, nor sin against God in heaven; and that, since it was contrary to their faith and conscience, God, through his unconquerable power, and his grace, could preserve them on the sea as well as on the land. Nevertheless, these witnesses of the divine truth were led, through the King’s messengers and his strict command to the authorities, through cities, towns and villages, to be brought from one court to another. In this they suffered much and manifold adversity and great sorrow; but God always granted them gracious means, particularly in this, that every morning and evening they could all unmolestedly pray to God, and that one brother could without hindrance comfort the other; which they accepted very gratefully as a special grace and gift of God.

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By this and the ordering of their whole life they convinced the people in many places, so that many who at their arrival regarded them as malefactors, had great compassion on them. Moreover, the King’s servants, their conductors, frequently bore them testimony, and told them that they should not pass silently through the cities and towns, but should make their faith known by singing or otherwise.