It continued to be a common custom to let people die in prison. This appeared also in the case of a godfearing brother, named Henry Boller,[358] from the Seignioralty Wadischwyl, a man of very great age, and very infirm according to the body.
[358] In the last tract he is called Hans Boller, but in the first, Henry, which we have followed in our account. It must also be noticed, that in the Swiss manuscript the time of this occurrence is not expressly noted for the year 1644; but from the circumstances we have inferred, that it took place about said year, as we have also noted.
He was apprehended, and taken to the aforementioned prison Othenbach at Zurich, and there put in bonds.
But as they treated him most unmercifully and without the least compassion, his many years and natural infirmity were not able to bear up under it; hence, having commended his spirit into the hands of God, he died there in prison: but he shall be rewarded for this in the day of resurrection, when there will be fulfilled what the prophet says: “Thy dead men (O God!) shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs.” Is. 26:19. _Compare Tract, Jer. Mang., fol. 16, A., with the account of M. Meyli, fol. 6, B._, though, through a mistake in copying, instead of Henry, it reads Hans.
NOTE.--On the 11th of June of the year 1644 there was apprehended an old brother from the Horgerberg, named Conrad Stricke, who, though he had been apprehended outside of the Zurich jurisdiction, was nevertheless imprisoned at Zurich, in the place Othenbach, and put in chains every night.
So was also his wife apprehended, and imprisoned in the same place; however, she, through a certain means, keeping her faith, escaped again; but the aforementioned Conrad, her husband, was not so successful, so that he remained in severe imprisonment until the close of the year 1645, after which time we have learned nothing of him or of his deliverance. _See Jer. Mang. Tract, edit. 1645, on the name Conrad._
OF A CERTAIN WRITING FROM SWITZERLAND, TOUCHING THE THREATS MADE BY THOSE OF BERNE AGAINST THE ANABAPTISTS IN THOSE PARTS, A. D. 1645.
Now when some brethren and sisters in the Swiss dominions had died in prison, of misery, want, hunger and grief, but five still lived in confinement, the remaining ones who were yet out of bonds, when they were threatened, especially by those of Berne, that they should expel them all from the country, and seize their goods, and sell them, had recourse, next to God, with an humble and friendly letter, to their fellow believers in Holland and elsewhere in the Netherlands, requesting that they should everywhere fervently call upon God the Lord in their behalf, for comfort and grace, to the end that they might patiently endure that which might come upon them according to the flesh, for his holy name’s sake.
This letter was written the 22d of July, old style, in the year of our Lord 1645, and was signed by
Hans Duster, at Baltzen, an elder } in the word of the Lord. } From the Berne Ruth Kunstel, at Muchem, a minister } jurisdiction. in the word of the Lord. }
Ruth Hagen, an elder. } From the Hans Mully, a minister. } Zurich Hans Stuss, a minister. } jurisdiction.
What followed therefrom, and how it subsequently went with those who were imprisoned, can be seen in a subsequent account, in a marginal note, in connection with Ully Wagman.
But as to how the poor wanderers that were not imprisoned managed in their misery and poverty, we have received no clear information, but it can be sufficiently inferred from the sad condition of affairs.
AN EDICT PUBLISHED BY THOSE OF SCHAFFHAUSEN AGAINST THOSE CALLED ANABAPTISTS, ABOUT THE YEAR 1650.