The Bloody Theatre, 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 savior, from the time of Christ to the year A.D. 1660

by Thieleman J. van Braght

Which surely indicates God’s wrath.”

He who composed this little hymn,

Received his death in prison dim,

A sinful mob to please.

They brought him pen and ink to write,

And thus he bade us all “Good night.”

Note.—At the close of the German edition of the Martyrs Mirror an extract was received and inserted which Hans Lœrsch had copied out of the Tower Book at Berne, and which has been preserved by Christian Kropff; the same reads as follows:

At Berne the following persons were executed for the faith: In the year 1528: Hans Seckler, a joiner, and hatter, at Aarau. In the year 1529: Conrad Eicher of Staffisburg; two believers from the Seignioralty Bix; a tinker from the Emmenthal; Ulrich Schneider, of Luetzgenpfluehe; a young lad from Wallis; Hagerly, from the Seignioralty Alburg. In the year 1536: the 2d of May, Moritz Losenegger. In the year 1537: Bernhard Waelty of Ruederswil, on the 7th of July; Hans Schweitzer of Ruegsau, Juerg Hoffser of Obergallbach, from the Seignioralty Siegnau on the 28th of August, Ulrich Bichsel; Barbeli Willher of Hassli; Barbeli zur Studen of Summiswald; Catharina Friedli Imhoff; Verena Issoli of Schuelbah from the Seignioralty Seignau; Ulrich of Ruegsau. In the year 1538: Cunas Seidenkohen of Constance, on the 28th of March; Peter Stucki, at Wimmis on the 16th of April; Ulrich Huben of Rietenbach, from the Seignioralty Seignau; Hans Willer, in August; Elsbeth Kuepfer of Summiswald; two women, on the 28th of May, the one of Summiswald, the other of Hoestetten; Peter Wessenmiller of Wimmis, on the 7th of September; Stephen Ruegsegger, on the 8th of December, who was executed at Einygen; one from the Seignioralty Seignau; one of Summiswald; Rudolph Isolly from the Tannenthal. In the year 1539: Lorenz Aeberly of Gruenau, on the 3d of June; Hans Schumacher from the Aargau, of Wuemistern. In the year 1532: one of Oberbip, on the 1st of May; Peter Ancken from the Siebenthal. In the year 1543: Christian Oberlen, on the 17th of September; Hans Ancken of Ausseldingen; Waelty Gaerber on the Striethalter, from the Seignioralty Seignau. In the year 1571, on the 20th of December: Hans Haslibacher, from the Seignioralty Summiswald, who was executed at Haslibach.

AN EDICT PUBLISHED BY THOSE OF BERNE AGAINST THOSE CALLED ANABAPTISTS, THE 9TH OF AUGUST, IN THE YEAR 1659.

The persecution did not cease with the imprisonment of the above mentioned seven friends at Berne but they proceeded still further with their constraint of conscience, and consequently with the exercise of their fury; insomuch that they also aimed at those that were dispersed and wandered about as sheep having no shepherd.