Hans Peltner, A. D. 1574.
In the year 1574, Hans Peltner, a tailor, at Rottenhosen in Imtal, was apprehended for his faith, and the divine truth, who had to endure many disputations and temptations, from the priests as well as others, all of which he very valiantly resisted, and with the word of God testified to the truth, to which he by the help of God would adhere unto death. On this account he was finally sentenced to death, and conducted forth to the place of execution, where he exhorted the people to desist from sin and repent. He then kneeled down, turning his face to the east, or the rising of the sun, lifted up his hands to heaven, and poured out an earnest prayer to God his heavenly Father, thanking and praising him for all the grace and benefits shown him and that he had made him worthy to suffer for his name: He also prayed for all men who were worthy, that God would put repentance and amendment into their hearts. Finally he commended his spirit into the hands of God, for whose name he was willing to offer up again his life and body (which he had received from him), and to testify to his truth even to his last drop of blood, as he had promised him in baptism, and would thus expect to be received of him into his gracious arms.
This prayer was too long for the executioner’s patience, for he wanted him to shorten it; but the judges said that he should let him pray to his heart’s content, since it was his last time.
When he had finished praying, he rose and went boldly toward the executioner, so that neither his face nor his color changed, but he knelt down again so intrepidly, that the executioner was consternated by his valiant praying and undaunted mind, and became afraid to execute him.
When the executioner removed the collar from his neck, previous to seizing his sword, he asked him once more, whether he would renounce; but he would not. Thereupon the executioner proceeded, beheaded him, and then burned his dead body. Thus this Christian hero freely testified to the truth with his blood, and in no wise suffered himself to be separated from the way of eternal life in Christ. Hence the Lord, the Judge of the living and the dead, who holds in his hand the judgment and the souls of them that have died for the faith, shall raise him up at the last day, and cause him to appear before him, where he shall inherit a martyr’s crown and all that God has promised his own.
REYTSE AYSESS OF OLDENBORN PUT TO DEATH FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST, AT LEEUWAERDEN, ON THE 23D OF APRIL, IN THE YEAR 1574, TOGETHER WITH VARIOUS LETTERS WRITTEN BY HIM WHILE IMPRISONED AT THAT PLACE.
The first letter of Reytse Aysess, written in his prison, how he was betrayed, apprehended and put into bonds by the Bailiff, called Andries Grief, and boldly and fearlessly acknowledged and confessed his faith.
It happened in the year 1573, the 18th of September, that I came to Oldenborn, where I met the Bailiff, who requested me to go with him, saying that he had something to tell me. When we had entered his house, he asked me where I lived. I replied: “In Bechsterswaegh.” He then asked me how old I was; I said that I did not know it accurately. He further asked me where I had stayed over night. I said: “In my father’s house.” He asked me whether H. had not been there; to which I made no reply. Then he urged me so hard in regard to it, that I finally said, “Yes.” He then asked me concerning many others. I kept silence for a long time. Finally, after many temptations, I said that W. had also been there, and that formerly we had been very intimate friends; and after some other conversation which we had together I was silent. He then put fetters on me, and wanted to instruct me from the ancient fathers of fifteen hundred years ago, and from other writings not contained in the New Testament. I said that I would accept no other writings than the New Testament.
The next day, in the morning, the substitute of Leeuwaerden came, who tempted me very much, to tell who all had been at my father’s house; but the almighty God kept my lips. Hence they took me to Leeuwaerden, and cast me into a dungeon, in which there were eight who cared nothing for God. There I at first became very sorrowful, and day and night called upon the almighty God, that he would keep me; and he enlightened my heart, for which I praise and thank the eternal Father for his great benefits shown me. After I had been confined there five days, they brought me into another prison, to a lord, for which I praised and thanked God.