On a cold winter's night, (February, 1535), seven men and five women, inspired by the Holy Ghost, threw off their clothes and rushed naked and raving through the streets, shrieking "Wo, wo, wo! the wrath of God, the wrath of God!" When arrested, they obstinately refused to put on clothing.

"We are," they observed, "the naked truth." In a day or two, these furious lunatics, who certainly deserved a madhouse rather than the scaffold, were all executed.

The numbers of the sect increased with the martyrdom to which they were exposed, and the disorder spread to every part of the Netherlands.

Many were put to death in lingering torments, but no perceptible effect was produced by the chastisement.

Meantime the great chief of the sect, the prophet John, was defeated by the forces of the Bishop of Munster, who recovered his city and caused the "King of Zion" to be pinched to death with red-hot tongs.
Unfortunately the severity of government was not wreaked alone upon the prophet and his mischievous crew.