A. D. 1513.-William Budaeus, a very learned man in France, wrote at this time in a book: 1. The popes and bishops originate war between princes and potentates; while they by rights ought to advise and help to peace. 2. They fill the world with pride, avarice, gluttony, drinking, lasciviousness, whoredom, adultery, and other shameful things, surpassing in these vile deeds the laity. 3. They are Epicures, who do not care for eternal life, as they show by their works; and they are to their hearers the cause of eternal damnation. As to the end or death of this man, however, we have likewise found no account. Compare P. J. Twisck, Chron., page 949, col. 1, with Catal. Test., fol. 908. Joh. Munst., fol. 208.
A. D.1520.-John Bugenhagius, surnamed Pomeranus, a remarkably kind and moral man, was at this time very well known through his writings. Among other things he says, in a little book, treating of Unborn Infants, that men erred for twelve centuries with regard to infants, whom (by rights) they could not, yet greatly desired to, baptize. Two days before his death there was an eclipse of the sun. He died at Wittenberg, aged 73 years. Compare the last-mentioned chronicle, page 985, col. 1, with Leonh., lib. 7. Jac. herh. A f b., fol. 28, 30, 32.
The time now draws near, when the account of the last of those who suffered death, in our old Book of Martyrs begins. We speak of those who gave their lives for the truth since the great Reformation, or, at least, since the establishment of the worship of God in the year 1524, and from that time forward. In the meantime it will be well for us to notice that the martyrs of whom we shall speak were of the profession of the Waldenses, even as were the preceding ones, of whom we have previously spoken. All the labor which we took upon ourselves from the middle of the twelfth century, tended to follow the line of these people. This has been our aim continually up to the present time, and, in this, as we hope, we have not been unsuccessful; yea, we trust that we have shown this to a certainty. In the meantime the intelligent, to whom we gladly submit the matter, may judge with regard to it. The first work which is now before us, is to unite the first martyrs with the last, and to follow up what we have written with that which was written before. In order to give no offense to any one, we intend to leave the old accounts unchanged, excepting a few discrepancies and typographical errors; as well as what we shall add of our own from the testimonies of old writers; which shall be plainly distinguished. By following this method, we hope to accomplish our purpose successfully.
