Shortly afterward he was delivered into the hands of the executioner, who conducted him to the usual place of execution. The people were very sorrowful and compassionate; but brother Melchior began to speak to the people with great zeal, and exhorted them to think of their ungodly life in which they were sunk, and that they should no longer thus perversely boast themselves Christians. “O what woe” said he, “and eternal suffering will come upon such men that kill an innocent man because he has separated and turned from the ungodly, shameful life of the world. But I will commit this to God in heaven who will give such mouth-Christians their reward.” The priests also came, as he was being led out, and wanted to comfort him. But he said: “You priests are the serpents and scorpions, against whom Christ has warned us; that are full of abomination and destruction.” Thereupon, they commanded him to keep silence, if he wanted to speak so scornfully to them. Then he began to sing with a loud voice, till he arrived at the place where he was to be executed. He then again warned the people that they should beware of the false prophets who thus uphold, comfort and strengthen them in unrighteousness, and promise them liberty and life, in order that they should the less desist from wickedness. He spoke so earnestly and much to the people, that the sweat rolled from his face. The executioner dried off his face and said: “Speak freely, I shall not hurry you.” A little after the executioner said to him: “If you will consent to do according to the mind of the lords, and acknowledge their doings as right, power has been given me to release you.” Melchior replied: “I will not do this; hence go on, and do what you are commanded.” Thereupon, the executioner forthwith executed him with the sword and speedily cut off his head. Not far from there was a pile of wood, upon which he laid his body and burned it, after he had been imprisoned about twenty-six weeks. Thus he kept the confessed truth, as long as he was in life and had breath in him.
ANDRIES PIRCHNER, A. D. 1584.
On the 26th of May, in the year 1584, Andries Pirchner was apprehended at Laitsch, in Vintschgau, his fatherland, and thence taken to Soltrain, where he was thrice put upon the rack and severely tortured. For they wanted to know of him, where and with whom he had lived and had intercourse, and that he should mention them. But he answered: He would not be a Judas, to betray those that had done good to him, so that any harm would come to them; he would rather lose his life and body, yea, one member after another; nor were these matters that concerned the faith or any article of the same; but in regard to his faith, that he would willingly and gladly declare and not keep silence about what he had done or not done; he had made God in heaven a promise in Christian baptism, to which he would adhere, and not be found a liar before God. Moreover, he would (if it could not be otherwise) patiently suffer death, and also request nothing else, than that by his blood and suffering he might induce some poor souls to repentance and to the confession of the truth. Thereupon priests were sent to him, that they should dispute with him; but these, no matter what they commenced with him, accomplished nothing at all, for he forthwith upbraided them with their sinful and lascivious life, showing them, that they could not lead or point others to a virtuous life, because they were blind themselves. And he further said that they should consider their own ways and desist from their sinful life; he also presented to them several passages from the Old and New Testaments, so that they could accomplish nothing with him according to their will, but he constantly persevered firmly in his faith. He was also greatly admonished and entreated by many, privately in the house, and also in public, that he should desist from his faith, since he must see that there was nothing else left for him, or he should have to die. Thereupon he answered: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution, as the Scripture says. And to the same I will adhere, and I daily pray to God, my heavenly Father, that his will be done. Now if it be God’s will, he can order it that I shall be released; but if it is not his will, I will die patiently.” They entreated him, that he should only once renounce and recant, and they should let him go; he might then adopt it again. But he replied: “No, that cannot be; may God keep me from breaking my promise and being found a liar before him; for that were acting like the dog that swallows again that which he has once vomited. So it would also go with me; I would have to recant and stamp as a lie that which I have long known and confessed as the truth and the will of God; of which I should not be able for a long time truly to repent, and who knows whether I should be able to repent and obtain grace? Hence I neither will nor can do it, and I will rather die, and hope by the help of God to be a living martyr for his truth.” After that he was brought from Soltrain to Schlanders, and there, according to the princely and old imperial command and decree sentenced to death and delivered to the officer, who conducted him to the place of execution.
When he was led forth he spoke with a joyful heart: “God be praised, that it has come so near to the end with me, and since it is thus his will, I will also patiently die.” And thus he honored his end with many thanksgivings, Christian teachings and remarks to the people, after which he knelt down; and though it had on that day been cloudy weather until that hour, the sun commenced to shine brightly, right into his face, at which he rejoiced, and said: “God be praised, that he shows me his bright sun yet before my end.”
When the executioner had drawn out the sword, and was about to make a stroke, they called to him to hold still, and the brother was very earnestly entreated, that he should renounce, and they should let him live. But he would not; he valiantly lifted up his head, and thus the executioner beheaded him; joyfully offering up his spirit unto God. Afterwards his body was singed with a little fire of straw.
This occurred on the 19th of October of the aforesaid year, after he had been imprisoned for about twenty-two weeks.
LEONHART SUMERAVER, A. D. 1584.
In the year 1584, about eight days before Saint Martin’s day, brother Leonhart Sumeraver, from the country of Saltzburg, was apprehended, as he was about to leave the country and had embarked at Titmaing. The boatmen learned of it, and landed at Berckhausen, at the bridge, in order that they should not come to grief. There a rope was thrown them, and the matter became known, for the boatmen cried that they had an Anabaptist on board. The clerk, who stood there, went to the chancellor and told him that an Anabaptist had arrived. The chancellor had him apprehended, and he was forthwith brought to the rack and five times dreadfully tortured, also twice suspended by a rope; but they could obtain nothing from him, nor accomplish anything with him. Hence, he had to suffer much pain and sorrow during the time of his imprisonment, and also much temptation and conflict on account of his faith, and because he would not accept their doctrine.
After he had been in prison almost half a year, he was led to the place of execution. There went with him four priests, who tenaciously urged him to renounce: but he said that he had already renounced his unrighteous life, more than twenty years ago. When he was led through the town, they admonished him the second time to renounce. But he replied. “Should I depart from God? Christ does not teach me this when he says: Whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”
When he was led forth before the stone court, they said to him: “Behold, there is the image of our Lord; bow down before it.” But he replied that he dared not do it; that they should proceed with him. The priests asked him, why he had gone out from the Christian church, and betaken himself to this heresy (as they call it). But he said: “Not so; but I went out from ungodly idolaters, fornicators, blasphemers, and all the unclean, and have betaken myself to the good, to God and his church.” But they said: “He is possessed of the devil, who causes him to speak thus;” even as also the Jews accused Christ. Afterwards they entreated him thrice for God’s sake, that he should renounce; but he would not. The executioner also begged him the very best he could. But brother Leonhart said: “O dear, be silent, and do not beg me, but proceed, for I want to die as a good Christian; I stand in the true faith and upon the firm foundation, which is Christ my Lord, from which I shall never depart.” When they saw that all their efforts were in vain, the executioner took his collar from his neck and said to him: “If you would renounce but the two articles, they would release you.” But he said: “Let me alone and proceed as you please, for I want to die valiantly upon my faith.” Thereupon, the executioner said: “I do not like to execute you, but if I do not do it, another will.” And he drew out the sword before him, in order to frighten him; but he was not terrified in the least by it. Thus he was beheaded, and buried in the place of execution.