Seb. Frank, in his Chron. der Rom. Kett. letter L., gives the following account of this matter:
“Having been brought a prisoner to Scharding, he was taken to the fire by three executioners, bound cross-wise on a ladder, and thrust into the fire. When he called upon Christ Jesus the ropes fell from his body and were burned; and as he was still alive, he rolled out of the fire at one side. The executioners instantly thrust him back into the fire, with hop-poles, that happened to be there, so that he rolled out on the other side. There the executioners cut him alive into pieces, which they cast into the fire, without being able, however, to burn them, as I have read,” etc. Concerning this, see also P. J. Twisck, Chron., fol. 1020, col. 2.
THOMAS HERMANN, AND SIXTY-SEVEN OTHERS, A. D. 1527.
A. D. 1527, Thomas Hermann, a minister of the Gospel and word of God, was executed. Some persons had been apprehended at Kitzbuehl, and, through the tyranny of the authorities, had been brought to apostatize from the truth. The latter furthermore brought them into a public place before a great multitude of people, where the others reviled them shamefully, and said: “Ah, how finely your teachers and pastors now give their lives for you!” John 10:11; 1 John 3:16. Then the beforementioned Thomas Hermann made his way through the people, stepped forth and boldly said: “It is the truth which I have taught you, and I will testify to it with my blood.” He was immediately apprehended, tortured, sentenced to the fire, and burned. On his way to the place of execution, he composed and sang a hymn, which is still extant. They could not burn his heart; hence, they threw it into the lake which was near the place of execution. After him sixty-seven of his fellow-believers were executed in the same place. The judge of Kitzbuehl, who assisted in condemning and putting to death many of them, and who because of their faith, both before and after, called them heretics was afterwards suffered by God to come to such awful disgrace, that he was himself found to be a heretic, and justly regarded as such by all men; which nevertheless, occurred not at all on account of the faith, but because God permitted him to fall into such disgrace, that he came to reproach and great infamy, also before the world.
The vengeance of God also came upon the town-clerk of Kitzbuehl, who had likewise been instrumental in this shedding of innocent blood, and had declared that he would not lay down his head in peace until he had helped to exterminate these people. For, as he was out riding in a sleigh in the town, and about to make a turn, the horse threw him against a wall, and an oak tree in the street, so that his brains were dashed out, and thus he did not lay down his head in peace, but came to a terrible end, as the brethren Hans Kitzbuehl and Christian Haring have testified concerning it.
WEYNKEN, A WIDOW, DAUGHTER OF CLAES, OF MONICKENDAM, BURNT TO DEATH IN THE HAGUE, THE 20TH NOVEMBER, A. D. 1527.
On the 15th of November, 1527, Weynken, daughter of Claes, was brought prisoner from the castle of Woerden to the Hague, whither on the 17th day of the same month, came also the count of Hooghstraten, Governor in Holland. On the 18th, the aforesaid Weynken was arraigned before the governor and the full council of Holland. There a woman asked her:
“Have you well considered the things which my lords proposed to you?”
Ans. “I abide by what I have said.”
Ques. “If you do not speak differently, and turn from your error, you will be subjected to an intolerable death.”