Extract From The Second Letter From Obersultzem, The 23d Day Of May, 1671.

The persecution of our friends continues as rigorous as before, so that we are surprised, that they do not make more speed in leaving the country. Now and then one or two come straggling down; but the most of them still stay above Strasburg, in Alsace. Some go into the woods and chop wood; others go to the mountains and work in the vineyards, in the hope, as it appears to me, that by-and-by tranquillity will be restored, and that they might then be able with the greater convenience to return to their forsaken abodes; but I fear, that it will not pass over so soon, and that they will find themselves greatly deceived in their hope.

The magistrates at Berne caused six of the prisoners, among whom was a man with nine children, to be fastened to a chain, and to be sold for the sea, to be used as galley slaves between Milan and Malta; but as to what they propose to do with the other prisoners, cannot really be learned. One of the prisoners, an old man of about eighty years, died in prison. May the Lord comfort them in their sorrow, and strengthen them in their weakness, so that they may patiently bear the cross, and strive faithfully unto the end, for the truth of the gospel, and thus be enabled ultimately to obtain the promised salvation and crown of life. Amen.