# Hans Staudtach, Anthony Keyn, Blasius Beck, And Leonhard Schneider, A. D. 1546. [Previous page: QUIRINUS PIETERS OF GRŒNINGEN, BURNT ALIVE FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT AMSTERDAM, IN HOLLAND, ON THE 16TH OF APRIL, A. D. 1545.](/en/stories/mm-quirinus-pieters-of-grningen-burnt-alive-for-the-testimony-of-jesus-christ-at-amsterdam-in-holland-on-the-16th-of-april/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: DIRK PIETERS SMUEL AND JACOB DEN GELDERSMAN, BURNT ALIVE AT AMSTERDAM, ON THE 24TH OF MAY, A. D. 1546.](/en/stories/mm-dirk-pieters-smuel-and-jacob-den-geldersman-burnt-alive-at-amsterdam-on-the-24th-of-may-a-d-1546/) In the year 1546, four brethren, namely, Hans Staudtach of Kaufbeuren, Anthony Keyn, a tailor of Gunzenhausen, Blasius Beck and Leonhard Schneider, both of them also of Kaufbeuren, while on their way, with their wives and children, to the church in Moravia, were apprehended in Austria. On the third of August they were brought to Vienna, two and two fettered together, with great chains on their feet, and led through the city like criminals, with their wives and children following after them. They were brought into prison, with their wives and children, and left for four days. In these four days they were examined, and sorely assailed, whether they would continue in this faith; this they confessed, with the help and power of God they would do. Thereupon the four brethren were put into another prison. Afterwards they examined them again, and brought their wives and children into the house of the Judge, but prevented the brethren from talking much with them. On Sunday, the sixteenth of August, much people came to them in prison, and talked with the brethren, and concerning their wives. But however hard they were pressed to recant, they remained valiant and steadfast, though they threatened to take away 458 their children from them. In the meantime, however, their wives were released, and came to the church. Subsequently much craftiness was resorted to, to intimidate them, and cause them to apostatize. Four times they were brought before the authorities at Vienna, also before monks, priests and doctors, whom Christ does not in vain designate ravening wolves, of whom we are to beware; for their priests are like wolves, and indeed come under a fair appearance, to devour them; yea, would have them all killed and destroyed. Hence, it grieves the false prophets to leave any one pious and unseduced, and therefore they labor much and in many various ways. They have enough who follow the doctrine of their false prophets, and walk after their ungodly and vicious life; they might well leave the pious in peace. Thus they also tempted these lovers of God, yet could not gain them, but were put to shame and reproach: for no one can pluck Christ’s own out of his hand. John 10:28. They also read to them the mandate of the King, and threatened them with fire, water and the sword, or that they should be kept on bread and water, and separated, or drowned in the night, like Brother Oswald of Jamnits, as related previously. By these things they endeavored to intimidate them; but there was no intimidating these soldiers and heroes of the truth of God. On the fifth day after St. Michæl’s, they were subjected to another hearing, whether they would renounce their faith; if not, they had orders to put them to death by fire, water or the sword. This was the last warning. But when they could accomplish nothing by their threats, they brought all four of them back into the Joppen (a prison). Hans Staudtach was left in prison. Blasius in the wood-room, and Leonhard, with another, in a vacant apartment; but afterwards, about All-souls Day, they were put together again. After all this, as they remained constant and steadfast, and continued to confess that they were going in the true way of the divine truth, which they were willing to seal with their blood, they were condemned to death, a little after St. Martin’s day, on the 22d of November, and delivered to the executioner, who bound them, and, in order to avoid too great a sensation, and not to have a large concourse of people come together he led them out to the place of execution, in the morning, at daybreak. When they were being led out to the slaughter, they boldly and joyfully sang. A ring was then made, as the executioners usually do. The brethren knelt down and fervently prayed, offering up this burnt offering as their final farewell to the world. The executioner became sad, acted with reluctance, and was grieved in his heart that he had to perform this execution. The other children of Pilate also wished to be innocent, yet they had to do it because of their superiors in authority, and by virtue of their office; but they would much rather have been excused. They then blessed each other, and exhorted one another to steadfastness, to be strong and of good cheer, saying; “To-day we shall be together in the kingdom of our heavenly Father,” etc. Thus all four were beheaded with the same sword, and undauntedly and boldly surrendered their necks for the name of Christ. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_458) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: QUIRINUS PIETERS OF GRŒNINGEN, BURNT ALIVE FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT AMSTERDAM, IN HOLLAND, ON THE 16TH OF APRIL, A. D. 1545.](/en/stories/mm-quirinus-pieters-of-grningen-burnt-alive-for-the-testimony-of-jesus-christ-at-amsterdam-in-holland-on-the-16th-of-april/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: DIRK PIETERS SMUEL AND JACOB DEN GELDERSMAN, BURNT ALIVE AT AMSTERDAM, ON THE 24TH OF MAY, A. D. 1546.](/en/stories/mm-dirk-pieters-smuel-and-jacob-den-geldersman-burnt-alive-at-amsterdam-on-the-24th-of-may-a-d-1546/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-hans-staudtach-anthony-keyn-blasius-beck-and-leonhard-schneider-a-d-1546/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Hans+Staudtach%2C+Anthony+Keyn%2C+Blasius+Beck%2C+And+Leonhard+Schneider%2C+A.+D.+1546.&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AHans+Staudtach%2C+Anthony+Keyn%2C+Blasius+Beck%2C+And+Leonhard+Schneider%2C+A.+D.+1546.%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-hans-staudtach-anthony-keyn-blasius-beck-and-leonhard-schneider-a-d-1546%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-hans-staudtach-anthony-keyn-blasius-beck-and-leonhard-schneider-a-d-1546%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1546%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)