Louis de Berquin

Louis de Berquin (c. 1490 – 17 April 1529) was a French lawyer, civil servant, linguist, lapidary, and Protestant reformer in the 16th century.

Coming into contact with Christian humanists such as Erasmus and Jacques Lefèvre d'Étaples he began to study the Bible for himself and to advocate reform of the French Catholic Church from within.

[3] Marguerite especially defended him, writing to the constable, Anne de Montmorency after Berquin was released from one arrest, "I thank you for the pleasure you have afforded me in the matter of poor Berquin whom I esteem as much as if he were myself; and so you may say you have delivered me from prison, since I consider in that light the favor done me.

[5] On the 16 of April, 1529, the French Parliament condemned him to watch as his books were burned, to have his tongue pierced, and then to be imprisoned without reading material for life.

When Berquin refused, even by silence, to condone the condemnation of truth, he was returned to prison.