# Marcus Eder And Hans Poltzinger, A. D. 1605.

1605 · Historical source

Source: Martyrs’ Mirror. Original heading: MARCUS EDER AND HANS POLTZINGER, A. D. 1605.

Source heading; not independently verified

On the 24th of April, A. D. 1605, two brethren,
named Marcus Eder, a cart-wright, and Hans Poltzinger,
a tailor, were apprehended for their faith and
for the sake of the divine truth, at Nimbach in Bavaria,
where they were traveling through and were
betrayed. Early in the morning on the 26th of
April both were taken prisoners to Riet, where
they remained in confinement until in the fifteenth
week. In the meantime they dealt with them in
many and various ways, seeking to make them
apostatize from the faith. Two Jesuits were also
brought to them from the town of Oting, who were
to instruct them, and teach them their faith. But
they continued firmly and steadfastly in the true
faith, and would not hearken to the voice of strangers.
The priests at Riet often came to them, and
wanted to persuade them to their faith; but the
brethren said: “It is a faith of idolatry and fornication,
a faith of sin and blasphemy, as the fruits testify.”
And thus they did in no wise suffer themselves
to be moved, but always defended themselves well
according to the truth and the simplicity of Christ,
concerning what God had made known to them;
and thereto they would adhere unto the end; and
though they, by God’s permission, should deprive
them of their lives, they could not harm their souls.

Now when all the false doctrine of the priests
could accomplish nothing with them, they gave
them over to the executioner that he should try his
skill on them, and had them twice very cruelly tortured,
wanting to know of them, who had lodged
them, and who they were to whom they wanted to
go; the brethren however would not tell them, but
said that it was not necessary for them to know.

Now when they could in no wise accomplish their
purpose with them, there came, after much proceeding,
an order from the government at Berckhausen,
that they should be executed with the
sword, and then burnt with fire.

When they arrived at the place of execution,
brother Marcus requested the executioner, that he
should first execute Hans, which he also did; and
when this had been done, Marcus said to the people,
of whom there were many present: “God be
praised, my brother has overcome; and I will do
likewise.” After these words brother Marcus was
also beheaded, whereupon both were burnt together.
This occurred on the twenty-sixth day of
the month of August of the aforesaid year. The executioner
had received orders, that if he should perceive
1045
that one of them wanted to recant, though he
should already have drawn forth the sword, he
should yet forbear and not proceed with it; but in
this hope they were disappointed. Thus these two
brethren testified to the faith and the divine truth
valiantly and steadfastly unto death, with their
blood; God, who gave them power and strength
thereto, be praised and thanked forever.

The following brief account, which is found in the
Chronijck van den Ondergang, page 1590, col. 2,
will serve as a confirmation of the foregoing.

In the year 1605 (says the writer), on the 24th
day of April, Marcus Eder and Hans Poltzinger,
Anabaptists, were apprehended for the faith, at
Nimback, in Bavaria, and taken prisoners to Riet,
where they remained in confinement until the fifteenth
week.

When they could neither by the Jesuits, nor by
the priests, move them from the faith, they gave
them over to the executioner to try his skill on
them, and had them tortured twice very cruelly,
wanting to know of them, who had lodged them,
and who they were to whom they wanted to go;
but the brethren would not tell them. Thereupon
both of them were executed with the sword, and
their bodies burnt together, on the 26th of August,
of the same year. Compare the aforementioned
chronicle with Jac. Th. Dal., and W. Att. letters.





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