Hans Brael Severely Persecuted A. D. 1557.

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.