# Hans Brael Severely Persecuted A. D. 1557. · Page 3 of 4 [Previous page: HANS BRAEL SEVERELY PERSECUTED A. D. 1557.](/en/stories/mm-hans-brael-severely-persecuted-a-d-1557/part-2/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: HANS BRAEL SEVERELY PERSECUTED A. D. 1557.](/en/stories/mm-hans-brael-severely-persecuted-a-d-1557/part-4/) 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. ## Original source [Read this passage on Project Gutenberg](https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/65855/pg65855-images.html#Page_541) [Edition details](https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/65855) [Previous page: HANS BRAEL SEVERELY PERSECUTED A. D. 1557.](/en/stories/mm-hans-brael-severely-persecuted-a-d-1557/part-2/) · [Book contents](/en/sources/martyrs-mirror/#book-contents) · [Next page: HANS BRAEL SEVERELY PERSECUTED A. D. 1557.](/en/stories/mm-hans-brael-severely-persecuted-a-d-1557/part-4/) --- Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/stories/mm-hans-brael-severely-persecuted-a-d-1557/part-3/ [Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Hans+Brael+Severely+Persecuted+A.+D.+1557.+%C2%B7+Page+3+of+4&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AHans+Brael+Severely+Persecuted+A.+D.+1557.+%C2%B7+Page+3+of+4%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fstories%2Fmm-hans-brael-severely-persecuted-a-d-1557%2Fpart-3%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+mm-hans-brael-severely-persecuted-a-d-1557--b00017-o000000%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+1557%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)