# Of The Edict Issued By Emperor Charles V. Against The Anabaptists, A. D. 1535.

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By the Emperor: To our beloved and faithful
commanders-in-chief, the president and members
of our Privy-Council, the Chancellor and members
of our council in Braband, the Governor and Councilors
in Limburg, the President and Councilors in
Flanders, the Governor, President and Councilors
in Artois, the chief Bailiff in Hainault, the Councilors
of Bergen, the Lieutenant, President and Councilors
of Holland, Namur, Friesland, and Utrecht,
to the Lieutenant of Over-Yssel, the Governor of
Rijssel, Douay and Orchies, the Bailiff and Councilors
of Doornick and Tournesis, the stewards of
Bewest and Beoosterschelde, in Zealand, the Provost
of Valenciennes, the Bailiff of Mechlin, and all
other Judges and officers of our territories, cities
and seigniories, and of our subjects, or their governors,
to whom these presents shall come, happiness
and favor.

In order to guard against and remedy the errors
which many sectarians and authors of contempt,
with their adherents, have dared for some time to
sow and spread in our territories, against our holy
Christian faith, sacraments, and the commandments
of our Mother the holy church, we have at different
times ordained, and caused to be executed and proclaimed
many decrees containing statutes, edicts
and ordinances, as also penalties to be incurred by
transgressors, so that by means thereof the common,
simple people, and others, may beware of said errors
and abuses, and that the chief promulgators and
sectarians may be punished and corrected, as an
example unto others. And since it has come to our
knowledge, that notwithstanding our aforesaid decrees,
many and various sectarians, even some who
call themselves Anabaptists, have proceeded, and
still daily proceed, to spread, sow, and secretly
preach their aforesaid abuses and errors, in order
to allure a great number of men and women to their
false doctrine and reprobate sect, to seduce them,
and to rebaptize some, to the great reproach and
disregard of the sacrament of holy baptism, and of
our edicts, statutes and ordinances; therefore we,
intending to guard against and remedy this, summon
and command you, that, immediately upon
receipt of this, you cause it to be proclaimed within
every place and border of your dominions, that all
those, or such as shall be found polluted by the accursed
sect of the Anabaptist, of whatever rank or
condition they may be, their chief leaders, adherents,
and abettors, shall incur the loss of life and
property, and be brought to the most extreme punishment,
without delay; namely, those who remain
obstinate and continue in their evil belief and purpose,
or who have seduced to their sect and rebaptized
any; also those who have been called prophets,
apostles or bishops—these shall be punished with
fire. All other persons who have been rebaptized,
or who secretly and with premeditation have harbored
any of the aforesaid Anabaptists, and who
renounce their evil purpose and belief, and are truly
sorry and penitent for it, shall be executed with the
sword, and the women be buried in a pit.

And in order better to detect these Anabaptists,
their adherents and accomplices, we expressly command
all subjects, to make known and report them
to the officer of the place where they reside or shall
be found; and if any one shall know of persons of
427
this sect, and do not report them to the officer of
the place, he shall be punished as a favorer, adherent,
or abettor of the sect of the Anabaptists; but
he who shall report or make them known, shall
have, if the accused is convicted, one third of their
confiscated property.

Moreover, we prohibit all our subjects from asking
for mercy, forgiveness, or reconciliation for the
aforesaid Anabaptists, or from presenting any petitions
for this purpose, on pain of summary punishment;
for because of their evil doctrine, we will not
have or permit that any Anabaptists shall have any
mercy shown them, but that they shall be punished,
as an example unto others, without any dissimulation,
favor or delay. And in order to do this with
all that pertains to it, we give each and all of you
full power and special command.

Given at Brussels, under our counter-seal, stamped
here in the margin, on the tenth day of June, in the
year 1535. Subscribed by the Emperor and his
council, and signed

Pensart.



## Original source

[Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_427)

[Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855)

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