RAIDS ON PROTESTANTS, LEUVEN  1542

Franciso de Encinas' translation of the New Testament

When Francisco de Encinas came to Leuven in 1542, his friends were reluctant to receive him. He had studied in Wittenberg, the citadel of the devilish Luther, and smelled of sulphur. They were afraid of associating with him, and for good reason. There had been a raid on suspected Lutherans on the day of Enzinas’ arrival:

Twenty-eight citizens, who had no prior record whatsoever, had been arrested. An armed band stormed their houses at 10pm and rifled through everything in their homes in case they had suspect books. They pounded on the doors, and if the inhabitants were sleeping and did not immediately open up, they broke down the door and rushed right up to the beds of the sleepers. They seized them with unprecedented violence, and sometimes, depending on their command, arrested both husband and wife. The innocent children cried out as if they understood the miserable lot of their parents.

If the parents tried to comfort their children, they were beaten and gagged, so that the neighbours would not be alerted by their laments, realize the sad fate of their friends, and escape the danger threatening themselves.

The suspects were imprisoned and prevented from writing or reading anything or communicating with anyone.

And what crime did they commit? They  are guilty of heresy, they say.

If you dare to criticize even one of their superstitions or godless actions, they immediately cry out: You heretic!
(Source: Francisco Enzinas, Denkwürdigkeiten, German trans. H. Boehmer)

 

TRICKING THE AUTHORITIES IN 1542

Antonius Schorus (b. 1525 in Hoogstraten)  sympathized with the Protestant reformers. This did not go over well with the Catholic authorities. He narrowly escaped being arrested. In a letter to his friend Franciscus de Encinas he described his flight.

You may have heard about my exile or rather my escape from Babylonian captivity, he wrote.He was forced to flee to Strasbourg because he had professed the pure faith more freely than the tyrants could stand.

One night, during a heavy downpour an officer was sent by the Margrave. He left his fellow officers at the gate of the building so he could lure me outside more easily. I asked him what he wanted. He said the Margrave had told him to call me. I was quick on the uptake and asked him to wait a little so I could put on my coat which I had left behind in the bedroom, for I had already undressed to go to bed.  He gave me permission, and I escaped out the backdoor, since I had the opportunity.

The officer waited some time, then harangued Schorus’ wife, but to no avail.

The Margrave immediately sent seven guards to keep an eye on the house all night to prevent anyone from taking anything away…Afterwards they carefully inspected my books , but they found nothing.

They claimed however that my flight showed that I was conscious of having committed a crime and confiscated my household goods.

Schorus’ wife and child eventually joined him in Protestant Strasbourg.

(Source: Encinas, Epistolario, Span. Trans. I. Garcia Pinilla)