In the year 1528, Brother Hans Schlæffer, formerly a Roman priest, but afterwards a teacher of the word and Gospel of Christ, a highly gifted man, was apprehended at Schwartz, in the valley of the Inn, and with him Brother Leonhard Frick. They tried him greatly with many severe tortures, and disputed with him, through the priests, about infant baptism; but he, orally as well as in writing, showed them his defense, as it is commanded, and as it will be found, throughout the entire New Testament, namely: That the word of God must first be taught, and that only those who hear, understand, believe, and receive it, are to be baptized. This is the true Christian baptism, and no anabaptism. The Lord has nowhere commanded to baptize infants; they are already the Lord’s, and as long as they are in their innocence and simplicity, they are not to be condemned at all. They also asked him, in what the foundation of these anabaptistic sects did properly consist. To this he replied: “Our faith, practice, and baptizing is founded on nothing else than the command of Christ: ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved’ (Mark 16:16; Matt. 28:19); and many other Scriptures.”
They also asked what design lay concealed under this anabaptism, since they had thus exhorted them to raise a new uproar and sedition. But he replied that it had never entered his heart, to make an uproar; neither had he ever approved of it in others; yea, he had fled from a house in which they lived in contention; which he could prove by all with whom he had ever lived. And there is no other design concealed under it, than to amend the life, and to forsake the vicious ways of the world; so that in the doctrine which he teaches, this is not the least commandment, that we are in duty bound to be subject to the authorities in all good things; how, then, should he raise and purpose uproar and sedition?
They also desired to know of him, who were the true authors and principals of these heretical and chief sects, as they falsely call them. He told them that he knew of no other principal of his faith, than the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who is the true Captain of the faith. Heb. 12:2. But as regards that they are called heretics and seditious sects, he referred them to the complaints of the Jews against Christ before Pilate, and the complaints against the apostle Paul, before Felix the Governor. Matthew 27:1; Acts 24:2.
He was likewise asked what had caused and induced him to forsake his office as priest. Concerning this he told them, that he had done it for conscience’ sake, because he knew that he was in the place of a prophet, and believed that God had sent him.
They would also know of him, who had told him to go into Germany, to plant the evil seed of Anabaptism. He told them, that no one had ordered him thither; but that, since he had no abiding place as yet, and had to go about in misery, he came there to one of his friends, with whom he staid, and thence came to Schwatz, where he was apprehended, according to and for the will of God. As to the evil seed of which they spake, he knew nothing at all; he intended nothing evil, but much rather the pure divine truth.
After this and other things, when he had been in prison for some time, and could not be moved, he and his fellow-prisoner and brother were condemned to death, and executed with the sword at Schwatz, thus testifying with their blood to the divine truth. He left the following admonitory thanksgiving to his brethren in Christ: