# Hans Brael Severely Persecuted A. D. 1557.

1557 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: HANS BRAEL SEVERELY PERSECUTED A. D. 1557.

Source heading; not independently verified

In the year 1557, a few days before Ascension-day,
brother Hans Brael, while on a journey, was
apprehended in the Pusterthal, for the faith and testimony
of Jesus Christ. Nearly a league from the
castle, he met the Judge, who not knowing him,
rode past him, and saluted him, Hans Brael thanking
him: but the actuary rode up to him, and asked
him: “Where are you going and what have you
been doing here?” He replied that he had been
with his brethren. The actuary asked him whether
the Baptists were his brethren. “Yes,” he replied.
He then seized him, and the judge turned about,
dismounted, and taking the brother’s own girdle
from his body, bound him with it and made him
walk like a dog alongside of his horse, through mud
and mire, for a whole league, until they arrived in
the castle. He was so fatigued from walking, and
from being bound so hard, that he could stand no
longer, but fell down in the field, so that even the
lord of the castle reproved the Judge for having
bound him so hard. There they examined him, taking
from him whatever they found on his body, and
put him into prison. The next day he was forthwith
brought out, and the lord of the castle examined
him himself, and asked him concerning his faith and
baptism, and what he thought of the sacrament.
When he made confession of his faith and the divine
truth, they abandoned everything, and pressed him
hard to recant. But when he plainly told them, not
to count on his renouncing the truth confessed, they
brought him back into prison.

Eight days after, he was brought out again, and
the lord with six others examined him; but being
unable to accomplish anything, they remanded him
to prison. After another eight days they arraigned
and examined him before the whole council, and the
Judge called his faith a delusion, and his church a
sect. Acts 24:14. But Hans said: “It is neither a
sect nor a delusion; but it is the church of God.”
The Judge said: “It may be the devil’s; how could
it be God’s church?” and became angry over it and
said again. “On what account should it be called
the church of God?” But brother Hans boldly adhered
to it, that it was the church of God. Then
said the Judge: “Since he knows who has come
from the seignioralty of Innsbruck, we also want to
know where those are whom they send out into this
country, what their names are, who has fed and
harbored them; all this we want to know.” But he
answered them: “We are not sent out to the harm
or detriment of any one; but our calling is, that we
shall seek the salvation of men and exhort them to
repentance and reformation (Matt. 10:5; Acts 2:38);
but the things that are asked here are not articles of
faith, nor are they necessary to know; hence I do
not wish to tell them, nor to accuse any one.” The
Judge admonished him urgently, to spare himself,
since his body should be tortured, if he refused to
name the persons, and to confess who had harbored
him. Hans asked the Judge and the whole council,
whether he could be considered good if he adopted
the proposed means, and betrayed those who had
shown him such kindness, by feeding and lodging
him. The members of the council looked at each
other, and said themselves that they should not consider
it good, if it were done to them. But the Judge
became enraged, and asked whether he meant to
charge the honorable council with requiring treachery
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of him, and again admonished him very solemnly,
to spare himself, or they should deal very
severely with him. But as he would not confess to
them, they remanded him again to prison, to see
what he should resolve upon.

After this they brought him forth again, and took
him to the rack, where he himself took off his
clothes, lay down before them, and patiently submitted
to the torturing ropes, so that the eyes of
the bystanders filled with tears, and they could not
refrain from weeping.

The executioner suspended him by the rope, but
the Judge earnestly admonished him to spare himself,
and to indicate the persons required; but he
said he would betray no one but would bide whatever
God permitted them to inflict upon him. Then
they tied a large stone to his feet. The Judge became
angry, when he perceived that he could accomplish
nothing, and said: “You swear to each other
that you will not betray one another.” He replied:
“We do not swear, but we do not betray any one,
because it would be wrong.” Then the Judge said:
“You are a rogue; I have detected you in a lie; why
will you suffer yourself to be tortured.” The brother
said: “I am no rogue, and in what lie have you detected
me?” The Judge said: “You said that you
were no teacher, but we find that you certainly are
one.” He answered: “I am no teacher; but if I
were one, I would not be ashamed of it; for it is an
honorable thing before God.” 1 Tim. 3:1.

Thereupon they left him hanging by the rope,
and went away; but the executioner staid with him.
In the meantime the officers assembled, and he was
admonished to confess: or they would not cease
racking him until they should have rent his limbs
asunder. He replied that he would bide what God
should permit them to inflict upon him, since they
could do no more than God permitted them. The
executioner said: “Are you not a fool, to think that
God looks down to see what we are doing in this
hole; for this would be ridiculous.” Then the council
returned and said that the lady of the castle had
interceded for him, that they should torture him no
longer, and, hence, they would let it rest; and they
sent him back to prison.

Thereupon the lord very joyfully rode to Innsbruck,
to the government, and when he returned,
he had the priests dispute with and examine Hans
for two days in succession, namely Saturday and
Sunday, he himself being present. But when they
could accomplish nothing by their various disputations,
and false and deceitful doctrine, which it would
take too long to relate, and he remained steadfast,
and constantly confessed that that in which he
stood, and would remain steadfast, by the protection
and help of God, was the truth, the lord at last
became exasperated at him, and said: “O you obdurate
dog, I have tried all possible means and
ways with you, and will still do so, and place you on
a sharp pile, and see how you will trust your God in
this trial,” But he answered: “I shall not suffer on
account of any wrong-doing, but only for the truth
and the faith; and God will overlook no wrong.”
After three days they put him into a deep, dark and
filthy tower, where he could see neither sun nor
moon, nor daylight, so that he did not know
whether it was day or night, only he perceived now
and then that it was night, when it was a little colder
in the tower than at other times. It was also so
moist and damp in the tower, that his clothes rotted
on his body, so that he became almost naked, and
was without a single garment for a long time, only
he had a coarse blanket that had been given him,
which he wrapped around his body and thus sat in
misery and darkness. The shirt on his body had so
rotted, that he had not a shred left of it, except the
collar, which he hung on the wall.

At one time when these children of Pilate had
him brought out to try him whether he would not
apostatize, the light so hurt his eyes, that he was
glad when they let him down again into the dark
tower. There also proceeded such a fetid stench
from the filth that was in this dark hole, that no one
could stay in his presence; when they brought him
in, they instantly had to go away from him again;
yea, the councilors said themselves, that they had
never smelled such a horrible stench. Thus he lay
in this filthy tower, in which were also many vermin
and loathsome reptiles, so that at first he for a
long time protected his head with an old hat, which
had been thrown to him out of pity. The tower, for a
long time had not had an occupant; hence the vermin
were very numerous, and they caused him much
terror, until he got used to it. The vermin sometimes
also ate his food, so that when they let down
his food, he had to eat it all up, before he set down
the dish; otherwise the vermin so covered it, that he
could not well eat it. When he got a dish of soup,
and set it down but once, they ate it up in a moment.
In short, he could keep neither bread nor anything
else; for as soon as the vermin smelled it, instantly
they were at it. However, this was his least care, inasmuch
as he was so tormented with hunger, no great
abundance being given him so that he could easily eat
it up, if he was only well. The vermin sometimes
got also in his drink, and drowned therein, until he
finally obtained a large stone, which he placed on
top of his pitcher.

His chief affliction, however, in this great trial
was, that he could get no tidings from the church
or the brethren. At that time there was in the high
country one Hans Mein, a servant of the Lord, who
also had a great desire to hear some tidings from
him. He sent word to him in the tower, that if it
were still well with him, and his heart adhered
firmly to God and his church, he should send him a
certain token: and if he had nothing else, he should
send him a little bit of straw, however little it might
be. But such was the misery and poverty in which
he sat that he could not even find that much in the
tower. Then he bethought himself of his rotten
collar which he had hung on the wall; he was glad
of it, and took the collar and sent it from the tower
to his brother, as a token that he was still unchanged
in his faith in God, and in peace with the church.
When the brother received the collar, and thereby
perceived his misery and poverty, he and his church
felt great compassion for him, and after weeping
bitterly and sorrowfully, they sent word back to
him, that they were very willing to send him clothes
541
or anything else, in his great poverty, if he only
could get it. But he would not have it, because
that if they had discovered it, they would have
thrown him on the rack and tortured him again, in
order to get the names of others. Hence he sent
them word, that he should let the garment of
patience do him.

Thus he lay in this filthy tower all summer, until
after Michaelmas, in autumn, when they saw that
the frost was approaching; then they took him out,
and put him into another prison, which could likewise
not have been worse. There he had to sit, with
one hand and one foot in the stocks, for thirty-seven
weeks, being unable to lie or sit properly, but
only to stand; besides, he had to endure much reproach
and ridicule from the ungodly, who said:
“There lies a holy man; nobody is as wise as he;
there he sits as a light of the world, and as a witness
of the people of God and his church,” and such like
taunting remarks.

Again, since he could get no comforting tidings
from the church, God so ordered it that he was
comforted by the unbelieving; for on a certain occasion
a nobleman came to comfort him, telling him
to be courageous, and not to suffer himself to be
intimidated since he well knew that he had the
truth on his side, and that his faith was the true
one, but that it were impossible to follow it, or
to suffer what he suffered; whereupon the brother
earnestly admonished him. Once it also happened
that his soul was kindled in God, and he sent for the
actuary who had apprehended him, that he should
come to him in prison. The latter very quickly
came to him, sat down, and asked him what he
wished, that he had sent for him. The brother
said: “The sole reason is, that I cannot forbear
showing you, that, as you well know, that you are
the chief cause of my imprisonment and miserable
sufferings, though I have never in all my life done
you an injury.” The actuary sat there frightened
and dumb, saying not a word, save that he had
to do it. The brother said: “Yes, the judgment
of God impelled you to it; because you were so
bloodthirsty against the pious, it also fell to your lot
to fulfill your judgment thereby. You have incurred
a heavy judgment; God will certainly find you for
this, require it at your hands, and punish you for
your sins.” The actuary was dumbfounded and
could not utter a word; so frightened was he; and
thus he went away. About a fortnight afterwards
he died very suddenly in the night, being both well
and dead within a quarter of an hour. God had
smitten him with great fear, so that he cried and
moaned terribly, and lamented that he had done
wrong and sinned.

Thus it goes with those, who will serve the devil
and his minions. I say nothing of the fact that he
was severely reprehended for this by his master and
his mistress, and reaped the devil’s thanks for it
from his own; for they said to him, so loud that the
brother heard it himself: “How came the devil so
to possess you, that you would not let this man go,
though you might easily have done so?” and they
wished that the devil rather had carried him off,
since he had committed this deed, for which he at
last had to pay so dearly.

In the same night that he died, a great joy came
over the brother, so that with praying and thanksgiving
he could not praise God sufficiently; for on
that night it came into his mind that he should yet
return to the brethren and the church. In the morning
a servant came to him, and told him, that the
actuary had died very terribly and suddenly during
the night. Ps. 73:18. This having transpired with
the actuary, the lord and his spouse were seized
with great terror.

About eight days afterwards, the servant who attended
to the tillage of the land came into the castle,
and, towards evening, came to the brother, with the
keys, and asked whether he hoped to get out. He
replied: “I will see what you will do with me.”
The servant wanted to open the stocks, but could
not find the right key. The brother told him not to
do it, since it might go ill with him. But when he
could not find the right key, he told him that he
could set him at liberty, but it would probably not
be at that time. The lady of the castle also sent
a servant before the prison, who called to the brother,
and said: “The gracious lady would have me tell
you, that she will send for the judge and the jurate,
and if you will say but two words, that you will suffer
yourself to be instructed, and confess that you
have erred, you will be set at liberty, and she will
take upon her the sin which you commit by it, so
that no guilt will fall upon you.” But he replied:
“She has sins enough already, let her desist from
them; she needs no sins from others. 1 Tim. 5:22,1.
Hence he had to lie in prison and sorrow for another
winter.

Then an order came from Innsbruck, from the
council, which the lords came to read to him. It
contained the following: Since he was so obdurate,
and would receive no instruction, he should be sent
to sea; and thither he should go the next morning;
there he should find out, how evildoers are stripped
and scourged. But he replied that he would trust in
God his Lord, who was on sea as well as on the
land, to help him, and give him patience. 2 Cor. 1:9;
Matt. 14:31.

They then let him out of prison, and walk about
in the castle for two days, that he should learn to
walk again; for he was not well able to walk, so
greatly had he become impaired in the use of his
limbs by imprisonment, stocks, fetters and bonds,
in which he had lain for two years, less five weeks,
having not seen the sun for about a year and a
half.

He was then given in the custody of one of the
servants, who was to take him to the sea. Hence he
took leave from every one in the castle, and exhorted
them to repentance. The lady of the castle sent
word to him that he should come to her, which he
did. She called him into her study, where he took
leave from her, and exhorted her also to repentance,
and entreated her not to molest the pious (who do
no hurt), in the exercise of their religion, and not to
apprehend any more of them, to which she consented,
and began to weep, so that the tears flowed
down her cheeks, and said: “Never more in my
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life shall I lay hands upon them.” She gave him
some money for the journey, and dismissed him.

This servant then took him away with him. The
servant was a wicked man; he called the brother a
rogue on every occasion, or applied some other opprobrious
epithet to him.

Having led him two days, the servant so filled
himself with wine, in a tavern, at Niederdorf (for
those present had so often drank his health), that,
instead of going to bed to sleep, he stretched himself
upon the table, and instantly falling asleep like
a dumb beast, he rolled off the table.

Seeing this, the brother opened the door of the
room, and also that of the house, locked them again,
and went away.

Thus did God help him to make his escape that
night, which took place in the year 1559, and thus
he returned in peace and with joy to the church
of the Lord, his brethren. Subsequently he again
went up into the country, several times, as the
ministry of the divine word had been committed
to him.

From this it may be seen how God succors and
helps his own, and how he can give to those who
cleave to him with a true heart, much strength and
patience in suffering, through their strong faith,
which would otherwise be impossible. 2 Tim. 4:17;
Philip. 4:13; Matt. 17:20. And it is also seen how
he casts out his enemies and adversaries, and knows
where to find them; for not only did the actuary
die a very dreadful death, as has already been
stated; but, while Hans Brael yet lay in prison, the
lord of the castle died suddenly; and the servant
who was to take Hans to the sea, also died miserably,
even before the brother left the country; and
about two years afterwards also the Judge died,
yet not an ordinary, but a most miserable death.
2 Macc. 9:5.





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