TWO YOUNG GIRLS, ABOUT A. D 1550

Engraving by Jan Luiken, Martyrs Mirror, courtesy Mennonite Library and Archives.

“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).

About the year 1550, it happened in the bishopric of Bamberg, that two young girls espoused and received Christ by faith, were baptized upon their faith, according to the doctrine of Christ, and arising from sin, sought to walk in newness of life with Christ. On this account the antichristians sought to hinder them in this good resolution, and to quench their good intention as much as lay in their power: They therefore cast these two young lambs into prison, where they tortured them with great severity, and sought also with other unchristian means to cause them to apostatize; but as they were firmly built upon Christ, thev remained faithful and steadfast during the entire trial. Col. 2:7; Rev. 2:10. Hence, the authorities, who herein generally follow the advice of the false 'prophets, condemned them to death; at which they were joyful and undaunted. When they were led out to execution, their persecutors, by way of reproach and mockery, placed wreaths of straw upon their heads; whereupon one said to the other, "Since the Lord Christ wore a crown of thorns for us, why should not we wear these crowns of straw in honor of Him? The faithful God shall for this place a beautiful golden crown and glorious wreath upon our heads." Thus these two young branches armed themselves with patience, according to the example of their Captain Jesus, remained faithful unto death, died steadfastly, and. obtained, through grace, the glorious crown with God in heaven.

To these girls their adversaries accord the praise, that they died quite undauntedly and steadfastly, and that they had the true foundation and ground of the Christian faith in their Redeemer Christ Jesus, whom they openly confessed, and called upon in their distress, wherein they steadfastly died with a firm hope; so that doubts were entertained among their adversaries, as to whether they themselves were not in greater error before God, than these young girls, though they were Anabaptists.

TWO YOUNG GIRLS, ABOUT A. D 1550 (Page 500)

GEORGE WANGER, A. D. 1591

Engraving by Jan Luiken, Martyrs Mirror, courtesy Mennonite Library and Archives.

“And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; Of whom the world was not worthy…” (Hebrews 11:36-38).

… Having been confined in the castle of Michelsberg about two weeks, he was, on the sixteenth day of the month of September, taken to Brixen, and there put in chains in the tower, in which there was much vermin; scorpions also crawled about his head, on his bed and on the walls; he could not well turn over, and always had to keep his head covered, on account of the vermin…. The priests at Brixen often pestered him in prison with their visits, and also had him summoned before the vicar or provost of the cathedral, twice before the commander, ten times also before monks and priests, nobles and others, and wanted to lead him back to the true church. But he said, "I have not forsaken the true doctrine, faith, or church of Christ, but through the grace of God have obtained it, and want to adhere to it…."

… when'he was again brought to Lorenzi into the judgment hall, where the priests held judgment over him, first trying whether they could not make him apostatize; but when they could not accomplish that, he was sentenced to death upon the imperial mandate, and it was read to him, that he had apostatized from the Catholic, Roman Church, and been baptized again, and had afterwards also sought to bring others to it, and to seduce them to his heretical sect, as they called it. But Brother George said, "It is no heretical sect, but it is -the divine truth and the true way to the kingdom of Gad." He was then led out to the place of execution….

There were also many people present, some of whom wept. He also requested that his hands be released a little, that he might lift them up to God, to thank and praise Him, and to ask Him, that He would give him strength to resist the false prophets and evil spirits. Finally. he commended his spirit into the hands of God, and was thus beheaded 'for the Word of God, and His truth.


GEORGE WANGER, A. D. 1591

HANS BRET, A. D. 1576

Engraving by Jan Luiken, Martyrs Mirror, courtesy Mennonite Library and Archives.

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:17).

... Thus he (Hans Bret) was brought back from the court into prison, and confined and held there till the following day, which was Saturday; then, in the morning, the executioner came to him into prison, in order to screw fast his tongue, close his mouth, and prevent his speaking. O miserable work!

Murderers, and the very worst criminals have the privilege and permission of freely using their tongue; but, behold here a follower, of Christ, a child of trod, a servant of faith, one separated from the world, in whom dwells righteousness and no cause of death is found-behold, how he is prepared for death by closing his mouth and screwing fast his tongue, that the truth may not be proclaimed, righteousness not heard, nor any testimony be given of the name of Christ. O Christ, look down, and succor Thy saints.

When the executioner had come to him, he commanded him to put out his tongue, which he (faithful and pious servant of God), willingly did, since he had not a member on his body, which he was not willing to deliver up to suffering for the name of Christ, being well assured that all the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the joy and glory which God has promised them that overcome. Matt. 10:22; Romans 8:18; Rev. 2:7.

And when he put out his tongue, the executioner fastened it with a piece of iron, and screwed it very tight with a vise or screw, and then touched the end of the tongue with a hot iron, that swelling, the screw might not slip off or become loose. O bitter cruelty and great tyranny.

When they had thus closed his mouth, and screwed fast his tongue, the fire with which he was to be offered up being already prepared in the market place, they led him forth, with his hands tied together, from prison, and placed him into a wagon, to convey him to the marketplace, to the spot where his sacrifice for the Word of truth was to take place....

HANS BRET, A. D. 1576

WALDENSIANS A. D. 1591

Engraving by Jan Luiken, Martyrs Mirror, courtesy Mennonite Library and Archives.

... As regards the persecutions that occurred in this century, against the Waldenses and Albigenses, they by far surpass all other persecutions of which we read in the preceding centuries; for it seemed now as if the very furies of hell, so to speak, had broken loose, to destroy all believers, yea, almost the whole earth....

WALDENSIANS A. D. 1591 (Page304)

AUTHOR'S INVOCATION

... this offering, O God, was accompanied with many tears, caused partly by my distress… on account of the weakness of my nature, called upon Thee for help, partly through joy, as I found and experienced Thy comfort and help. Yet that which more than all else caused my tears to flow was the remembrance of the sufferings and the death of Thy martyrs, who altogether innocent, as defenceless lambs, were led to the water, the fire, the sword, or to the wild beasts
Not only oxen and sheep, but also turtle doves and young doves were formerly acceptable offerings to Thee. O my God, and how much more the blood and death of Thy Saints. in the arena, there to suffer and to die for Thy name's sake. However, I experienced no small degree of joy as I contemplated the living confidence they had in Thy grace, and how valiantly they fought their way through the strait gate.
Ah! how often did I wish to have been a partaker with them; my soul went with them, so to speak, into prison; I encouraged them in the tribunal, to bear patiently, without gainsaying or flinching, their sentence of death. It seemed to me as though I accompanied them to the place of execution, scaffold or stake, saying to them in their extremity, Fight valiantly dear brethren and sisters; the crown of life awaits you. I almost fancied that I had died with them; so inseparably was my love bound up with them; for Thy holy name's sake….

AUTHOR'S INVOCATION (Page 5)

THE BLOODY THEATER

THE

BLOODY THEATER

OR

MARTYRS MIRROR

OF THE

DEFENSELESS CHRISTIANS
Who Baptized Only Upon Confession of Faith, and Who Suffered and

Died for the Testimony of Jesus, Their Saviour, From the Time of Christ

to the Year A.D. 1660
COMPILED FROM VARIOUS AUTHENTIC CHRONICLES,

MEMORIALS, AND TESTIMONIES, BY
THIELEMAN J. van BRAGHT