Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 5 · Part 8
Certaine other Articles which were brought vntounto IOHN HVS in Prison.
1 THE first Article, Paul, according to present Iustice, was a Blasphemer, and none of the Church, and withall in Grace, according to Predestination of eternall life. Answer. This proposition is not in the Booke, but thus: as Paul was both a blasphemer according to present Iustice, and also a faithfull child of our holy Mother the Church according to Predestination; So Iscariot was both in Grace according to present Iustice, and withall, was neuer of our holy Mother the Church, because he lacked Predestination of life euerlasting.
2 Christ doth more louelove a predestinate Ban being sinfull, then any Reprobate, in what grace soeuer he be. Answere. The reason is, because the predestinate shall hauehave perpetuall blessednesse, and the Reprobate eternall fire; therefore GOD infinitely loueth them both as his Creatures, and much more because he giueth them greater graces, to wit; euerlasting life, which is far more excellent then onelyonly grace, according to present Iustice; and the predestinated cannot fall from Grace, for they hauehave a certaine redicall grace rooted in them, although they be depriued of the aboundance of grace for the time.
3 All the sinfull according to present Iustice are vnfaithfull, swaruing from the true Catholike faith, for none can commit deadly sinne, but in the point he swarueth from the faith. Answer. I acknowledge it to be my sentence: for if they did beléeue the punishment that shall be laid vponupon sinners, and had faith of the diuine vnderstanding, &c. then they would not so offend. This is verified by the Prophet Esay, Thy fellows are misbeleeuers, and fellowes of theeues, they louelove bribes, and are followers of rewards, so he calleth them Infidels for their offences: also in the first of Titus, They confesse they know God, but in workes they deny him.
4 Iohn 22. Math. 16. and the 18. Receiue the holy Ghost, whatsoeuer you shall binde in earth, shall be bound in heauen, &c. Many for lack of vnderstanding, shal be terrified by the Priests and be deceiued, presuming vponupon their power and authority. Answer. I allow this sentence, it is not possible for a Priest to binde and lose, except that binding and losing be in heauen: but many are made afraid, thinking whether they be iust or vniust, the Priests may at their pleasures bind them, and the ignorant Priests presume to hauehave such power, saying; they hauehave such power to absolue eueryevery man confessing himselfe, of what sinne soeuer it be, though many sins are forbidden thē. And an Hypocrite may confesse himselfe, that is not contrite for his sin, whereof proofe is often found, & is euident, because the Letter killeth, but the spirit quickneth.
5 The binding and losing of God is plainely the cheefe and principall. Answere. This is verie euident, for it were a blasphemous presumption, that a man may forgiue an offence to GOD, hee not allowing the same: for it is necessarie, that GOD doe first forgiue, before his Uicar can doe the same▪ and no Article of our Faith ought to be more common and knowne to vsus then this, and whosoeuer granteth this authority to the Pope, graunteth he is without sin, and that he is God, the fact of the Pope proueth this same: for alwaies in his Absolutions, h… presupposeth contrition and confession, but vntounto true Absolution there is required; first, contrition; secondly, the purpose to sin no more; thirdly, true confession; fourthly, stedfast hope of forgiuenes: the first appeareth by Ezechiel, If the wicked repent: the second in the 5. and 8. of Iohn, Sinne no more: the third by Luke, shew your selues to the Priests: the fourth, Christ saith, My Son beleeue, and thy sins shall be forgiuen.
6 The Priests heap vp out of the Scriptures, such things as serue the belly, but such as pertaine to the imitation of Christ, they reiect as impertinent to saluation. Answere. This Saint Augustine prooueth in his seuenteenth Homily, The Haruest is great, but there are few Haruest-folke; and speaking that, which I cannot without gréefe, though there be many that would heare good things, there lacks such as should declare the same vntounto them. The world is full of Priests, yet there are few Worke-men in the Haruest of the Lord: we would be willingly Priests, but we do not the office of Priest-hood; we are fallen into outward affaires, and take vponupon vsus an office for honor, and hire another to ease our labour; we leaue preaching, we are called Bishops to our paine; we retaine the name of honour, but not the vertue; we daily call for our stipend, but care not for our flocke; wee gape after earthly things and glory, and leaue the cause of God vndone; we take vponupon vsus the place of holinesse, and are wholy wrapped in cares and troubles. And S. Barnard saith in his 33. Sermon vponupon the Canonicals, all are friends, and all enemies, all kinsfolkes, and all aduersaries, all of an houshold, and no peace-makers, they are the Ministers of Christ, and serue Antichrist; they goe honorably, honoured with the goods of the Church, and yet they do no honor.
7 The power of the Pope, which doth not follow Christ, is not to be feared. Answere. Subiects are bound willingly to obay their good Rulers, and those which are wicked: yet if the Pope do abuse his power, it is not to be feared as by bondage: so his Cardinals as I suppose, did not feare Gregory the 12. before he was deposed, when as they resisted him; saying, He did abuse his power.
8 A wicked Pope is not the Successor of Peter, but of Iudas. Answere. If the Pope be humble, neglecting the honors and luker of the world: if he be a Shepheard, taking his name of féeding his shéepe, if as Christ commandeth, he feed the shéep with the word and good example, then is he the Uicar of Christ, but if he walke contrary, because there is no society betwixt Christ and Beliall: and Christ saith, He that is not with me, is against me. How is he the Uicar of Christ, and not rather the Uicar of Antichrist? Christ called Peter, Sathanas, when he contraried him but in one word, why should not any other then being more contrary to Christ, be called Sathanas, and Antichrist.
9 The Pope is the same beast, of whom it is spoken in the Reuelation, Power is giuen him to make warre vponupon the Saints.
10 It is lawfull to preach notwithstanding the Popes inhibition. Answere. The Article is euident, because the Apostles did preach contrary to the commaundement of the Bishop. And S. Hialry did the like, contrary to a Pope that was an Arian: and Cardinals, contrary to the commaundement of Pope Gregory the 12. sent throughout all Realmes such as should preach against him.
11 If the Popes commaundement be not agréeable to the word of God, it is not to be obayed. Answer. S. Isidore saith, He that ruleth and commaunds any thing contrary, or besides the word of God, he is honored as a false witnes, and a Church-Robber; therefore we are bound to obay no Prelate, but in case he commaunds the commaundements of Christ. And Saint Augustine speaking of the Chaire of Moses, saith; They teach in the Chaire of Moses the Law of God, therefore God teacheth by them: but if they will teach you any of their owne inuentions, heare them not, neyther doe as they commaund you; let therefore my Aduersaries and Slanderers learne, that there be not onelyonly twelue Councels in the Gospell, but as many Councels as there be Commaundements of God binding vsus thereunto, vnderunder the paine of deadly sinne.
12 It is lawfull for the Cleargy and Layty, to iudge by their iurisdiction of all thinges pertaining to saluation, and of the workes of Prelates. Answere. Subiects ought first to examine themselues. 1. Cor. 11. Secondly, to examine all thinges which appertaine to their saluation: for a spirituall man iudgeth all thinges; therefore I say a Lay man ought to iudge and examine the workes of his Prelate, and to bewar… of false Prophets, and they ought to examine their workes, that if they be good, they may reioyce in GOD, and if they be euill, be sory for them, but not to do the like, least they be damned with them, according to the saying: If the Blind lead the Blind, they shall both fall into the ditch.
13 God doth suspend eueryevery wicked Prelate from his Ministry whilst hee is in actuall sinne, because then he sinneth in whatsoeuer he doth. Answere. 1. Cor 11. Paul suspendeth all such as are in any greeuous crime, from the eating of the …odie of the Lord, and the drinking of his blood; and so consequently suspen…th all sinfull Prelats from the ministration of the Sacrament: and God doth suspend the wicked from the declaration of his righteousnesse. Psal. 49. To suspend, is to prohibite the ministry of any other good thing for the offence sake: or as the new law terms it, to interdict or forbid.
14 The Cleargy, for their owne preferment and exhaltation, doth vndermine the Lay people, and multiply their owne couetousnesse, cloaketh their malice▪ and prepareth a way for Antichrist. The answere which is made to the 25. Article in pri…on, sufficeth for this: the first part he proueth by the example of Peter de Luna, which named himselfe Benedict, and of Angelus Coriarius, who named himselfe Gregory the twelth: & of Iohn the 23. and by the 13. and 14. of Ezechiell, and out of Gregory, who saith, What shall become of the flocke when the Shepheards are become wolues? The second part is proued by Ierome & Gregory 17. Homily, and by Barnard vponupon the Canonicals: the third is proued by experience, for who defendeth the wickednes of any scisme, but only the Cleargy, alledging Scriptures, & bringing reasons therefore. They excuse symony, couetousnes in heaping together many benifices, luxuriousnes and fornication, how many now say it is no deadly sin, alleadging the saying of Genesis, Increase and multiply: heereby also the fourth part is verified, for Barnard vponupon the Canonicals, saith, wicked Priests prepare the way for Antichrist.
15 Iohn Hus openly teacheth, that these Articles are true. Answer. Some of these I did publish, and some mine enemies fained; now adding, then diminishing; now falsly imputing the whole proposition vntounto me, which the Commissaries did confesse before me, whom I desired that they might be punished for the false faining of those Articles.
16 All the foresaid conclusions be false, erronious, and seditious, and weaken the power of the Church, inuented contrary to the scriptures and the Church. Answer. If there be any such, I am ready most humbly to reuoke and recant the same.
17 They obiected against him to change the Treatise that hee wrote against Pallets, and Stanislaus de Zuoyma. Answer. I desired for Gods sake, that it might be openly read in the audience of the Councell, and that I would submit my selfe to th… iudgement of the whole Councell.
18 Iohn Hus preached he should go to Constance, & if he should be forced to recant that which he had taught, he neuer purposed to do it with his mind, because what he had taught was pure doctrine of Christ. Answer. This Article is full of lies, God saith to the inuenter thereof, All the day long thou hast imagined wickednes, and with thy tongue as with a sharp razor thou hast wrought deceit: thou hast delighted to talke of wickednes rather then of Iustice. I wrote an Epistle, & left it to be read vntounto the people, that they should pray for me, & perseuer stedfastly in the doctrine of Christ, knowing certainly that I neuer taught any such errors as mine enemies ascribe vntounto me, and if I should be ouercome with false wilnesses, they should not be troubled, but continue stedfastly in the truth. First the councell condemned all his bookes to be burned, and condemned al his Articles to be hereticall and himselfe to be an heretick, & when the sentence was ended, knéeling down on his knées he said, Lord Iesu Christ forgiue mine enemies, by whom thou knowest I am falsly accused, and that they hauehave vsed false witnesse and slanders against me, forgiue them for thy great mercy sake: and the chiefe of the Priests derided his prayer.
Seauen Bishops which were appointed to disgrade him, commanded him to put on his priestly garments, when he put on his white vesture hee remembred the Albe that Herod put on Christ to mocke him withall, and in all other thinges comforted hee himselfe by the example of Christ: when hee had put on his vestures, the Bishops exhorted him to change his mind, and prouide for his honor and safegard, and according to the manner of the Ceremony, going to the top of the scaffold, hee spake to the people in this sort.
These Lords and Bishops exhort me, that I should confesse before you all that I hauehave erred, if it were a thing that might be done without the slander of any Man, they might easilie peraduenture perswade me, but I am in the sight of my Lord my GOD, without whose great ignominy, and the grudging of mine owne conscience, I cannot doe that which they require. I neuer taught the thing that they hauehave falfely alleadged against me; with what countenance should I behold the Heauens? With what face should I looke vponupon them whom I hauehave taught, Whereof there is a great number: if those things which they hauehave hitherto knowne most certaine, should now be made vncertaine by mee, should I by this example astonish so many consciences, indued with so certaine knowledge of the Gospell of Christ armed against all assaults of the Deuill, I will neuer commit such offence, more to esteeme this vile carkase appointed to death, then their health and saluation.
And being commaunded to come downe, one of the Bishoppes tooke away the Chalice from him, saying; O cursed Iudas! why hast thou forsaken the way of peace, and councelled with the Iewes? we take from thée this Chalice of saluation? He answered, I trust in my Lord Iesus, for whose sake I suffer these things, that he will not take away his Chalice of Red…mption, but hauehave a stedfast hope this day I shall drinke thereof in his Kingdome: then each of the Byshoppes tooke away a vestiment, and gaue him a curse; He answered, he willingly imbrased their curses for the Name of Christ. When they should raze off his shauing, they could not agree with what Instrument they should doe it, then hee turning to the Emperour, said; I maruaile being they are of like cruelty, they agree not in their kinde of crueltie: At length they agreed, to cut off the skinne of the crowne of his head with a paire of Sheares: Then they saide; Now hath the Church taken away all her Ornaments, then they made a Crowne of Paper, a cubit deepe, in which were painted three vgly Deuils, and this Tytle set ouer, Heresiarcha; Hee said, Christ for my sake ware a Crowne of Thornes, why should not … weare this light Crowne for his sake, be it neuer so ignominious? I will doe it willinglie, the Byshoppes when they had put it on, said: Now wee commit you to the Deuill; but hee said, Lord Iesus, into thy hands I commit my Spirit which thou hast redeemed: then they deliuered him to the Emperour, who caused one to receiue him, and deliuer him to b…e burned. When he saw his Bookes burned before his face, he smiled, he exhorted all that were by, that he died not for Heresie, but for the hatred of his Aduersaries: almost all the Cittie followed him in Armour. In his Prayers he often repeated; into thy hands I commit my Spirit, the standers by said, what this man hath done we know not, but hée prayeth very deuoutly and godly.
A Priest sitting on horsebacke in a greene gowne, draw no about with red Silke, said he ought not to be heard, because he is an Heretick: as he prayed his crown fell off, one of the Souldiours said, let vsus put it on againe, that it may be burned with his Maisters. When he rose from prayers, he said, Lord Iesus assist me, that with a constant mind I may beare this cruelty, and ignominious death whereunto I am condemned for preaching thy most holy Gospell: when he was fastned to the stake, being turned to the East, certaine cryed, he ought not to looke towards the East, because he is an Hereticke, so hee was turned to the West, then the Emperours master of his horses, exhorted him to repent of his errors, and be mindfull of his safegard; he answered he preached no errors: the principall end of my Doctrine was to teach all men repentance, and remission of sinnes, according to Christs Gospell and Exposition of holy Doctors, therefore with a cheerefull courage I am ready to suffer death: when the fire was kindled he began to sing with a loud voice, Iesu Christ the Sonne of the euerliuing God hauehave mercy on me, and when hee had said it thrice, the fire smothered him, they made a new fire and burned the part of his body, they cut the head into small gobbits that it might the sooner be consumed: his heart being found amongst his bowels, when they had well beaten it with staues, they pricked it vponupon a sharpe prick, and rosted it in another fire till it was consumed: they tooke the ashes and cast into the Riuer Rheyne that there might bee no dust of that man left vponupon earth: but they could neuer abolish his memory out of the hearts of the godly.
Maister Ierome of Prage greeuously lamenting the false repro…h of the glorious Kingdome of Boheme,1415. and the manifold iniuries of Iohn Hus, of his owne accord came to Constance: and seeing Iohn Hus was denyed to be heard, and that hee himselfe was laide waite for, he departed a mile off that night, and writ vntounto the King of Hungary and the Councell earnestly, for safe conduct to come and goe, and hee would answere before the Councell to eueryevery one that could lay any thing against him: The said King denied him safe conduct: the Lords of Boheme moued the deputies of the foure Nations of the Councell therein, who answered, they would giuegive him a safe conduct to come, but not to depart: hee hearing hereof writ certaine intimations, and caused them to be set vponupon the gates of the Citie, and of the Churches and Monast…ries, and of the houses of the Cardinals, and other Nobles & Prelates to this effect: To the most Noble Prince Sygismond, by Gods grace King of Romanes, and Hungary alwaies Augustus &c. Ierome of Prage, Master of Art of the Uniuersities of Paris, Collein, Heidelberg, and Prage, doe notifie to all men I am ready to come to Constance, openly to declare to the whole Councell, the purity of my true Faith: wherefore if there be any slanderers, which will obiect any error or heresie, let them come openly before me in the presence of the Councell, and I will be ready to answere for mine owne innocencie, and declare the sinceritie of my true faith▪ and if I shall be found culpable to suffer such punishment as shall be méet: wherefore I desire a safe conduct, that all the world may know, that if I hauehave any violence or imprisonment offered me, this generall Councell doth not proceeds according to equitie: or if they put me back from this profound Iustice, beeing com… hither freely of mine owne accord; the which thing I suppose to be far banished from so sacred a Councell of wise men, when yet he could not obtaine a safe conduct, the Nobles and Knights, specially of Boheme, gaue him their Letters, Patents vnderunder their Seales, witnessing the premisses: with the which Letters, the said Maister Ierome returning to Bohem, but by the conspiracie of his enemies, he was taken in the Dukedome of Horrissaw, and sent again by the Duke to the Councell: the chéefe Priests, Scribes and Pharisies, vnderstanding thereof assembled and sent for him, and they led him in chaines, making a great noise, one going a great way before, leading him by the same chaine, with which chaine they kept him bound in the Cloister: when he was before them, the whole rabble rising vp alledged sundry accusations & testimonies against him, with a great noise and tumult: when they held their peace the Chancellor of Paris said; Ierome when thou wast at Paris tho… thoughtest thy selfe an Angell by thine owne eloquence, alledging in the Schooles many erroneous conclusions, and consequences: Answere. I put them philosophically, teach mee that any of them be erroneous and I will amend them.
Then said the Maister of the Uniuersitie of Colleyn: when thou wast at Colleyn thou didst propound many erroneous matters: then he said, shew mee one errour: he said I remember them not now, but they shall bee obiected against thee: Then said the Maister of the Uniuersitie of Heidelberge, when thou wast with vsus, thou didst propound many erroneous matters, and compared the Trinity to Water, Snow, and Ice; That which I taught there, I will teach heere, and teach me that they be erroneous and I will recant: then certaine cried out let him be burned: he answered, if my death doe delight you let it be so: the Archbishop of Rygen sent some of his seruants which led away Maister Ierome, bé…ing fast bound in chaines both by the hands and neck, and when it was night they carried him into a …ower of the Citie, tying him to a great block, his féet in the stocks, his hands being made fast vponupon them: the block was so high he could not sit thereon, but his head must hang downward: thus he lay two daies & two nights reléeued only with bread and water, & one M. Peter hearing thereof, got leaue to giuegive him meat: hanging thus by the héels 11. daies he fell sore sick euen to death, he lay in that prison a yéere lacking but seuen daies: after they had put Iohn Hus to death, they threatned him with death, and what with feare of death, and hope of deliuery, they made him recant, yet they sent him to prison againe, but not so straitly chained as before: but when his Aduersaries plainly perceiued that he did not recant of pure mind, but to the intent to scape there hands: and also certaine Friers of Prage put vp new accusations against him, & certain Cardinals, being appointed to heare his answer, he refused to answere in prison, desiring open audience: they thinking hee would renew his recantations granted him open audience: at which time hee answered all their arguments profoundly▪ & subtilly disputing of many matters, at last he much praised the blessednes of Iohn Hus: affirming that he knew him from his youth vpward, & that he was neither Fornicator, drunkard, or any vicious person, but a chast & sober man, and a iust true preacher of the Gospel, and whatsoeuer thing Maister Iohn Hus had holden or written against the enormities, pomp, and disorder of the Prelates, he would defend vntounto the death: and added that all his sinnes did not so much gnaw and trouble his Conscience, as that sinne which hee committed in that pestiferous seat which in his recantation he had spoken against that man, and his Doctrine: concluding that he vtterly reuoked and denied that wicked recantation, and that he did it throgh weaknes of heart, and feare of death: when hee had spoken these and many other things touching the praise of Iohn Wickliffe, and Iohn Hus, then was he caried again vntounto prison, and greeuously fettered by the hands, armes, and feete, with great chaines and fetters of Iron: and when he was brought againe to his Iudgement, they exhorted him againe to recant: he answered, I take God to my witnes I hold all the Articles of the Catholick Faith, but I shall be condemned, because I will not consent vntounto the condemnation of those most holy & blessed men aforesaid, whom you hauehave most wickedly condemned, for certaine Articles abhorring your abominable life: then hee confessed his beliefe, and vttered many things profoundly, and eloquently, that all that were present could not sufficiently commend his great eloquence, and profound learning, and by no meanes could they perswade him to recant: he said further you will condemne mee vniustly and wickedly: but I after my death will leaue a remorce in your consciences, and a naile in your hearts, and I cite you all to answere mee b…fore the most high and iust Iudge within a hundred yeeres: when sentence was giuen they brought vntounto him a great long miter of paper, painted about with red Diuels: then hee throwing away his hood, he put the Miter on his head; saying, Christ when he suffered death for mee wore a crowne of Thornes, and I for his sake will willingly weare this Miter: when he was led to execution with a loud voice he sung, Credo in vnum Deum: after he sung other Canticles of the Church: hee was tyed to a stake like the picture of Iohn Hus: whilst hée was praying the tormenters tooke him vp, and lifted him vp from the ground, stript him naked, and girded him about the lomes with a linnen cloth: and so bound him to the Image: when they beganne to lay the wood to him hee sung, Salue festa dies, then they cast his Garments on the Woode, and set them on fire, and when hee was fired hee sung, In manus tuas domine commendo Spiritum meum, when hee vehemently burn…d hee said, Lord hauehave merciemercy vppon mee, for thou knowest how sincerely I hauehave loued thy truth: after hee was dead they burned his bedding, Bootes, Hood, and all things he had in prison, after they gathered his ashes, and cast them into the Riuer.
Thus endeth the tragicall Historie of Iohn Hus, and Ierome of Prage faithfully collected by a Bohemian, being a present beholder of the same: Iohn Hus beeing a Minister at Bethelem, had a vision by night, that he had pictured in his Church of Bethelem, pictures of Christ and his Apostles: and the Pope and his Cardinals came and defaced them, and that a while after other Painters renued the said pictures, much more fairer then before: and that there was so many Painters that they gloried against the Pope and his Cardinals, bidding them put them out if they could, which with all their power they were not able to doe: this vision he thus expoundeth, applying the pictures to the preaching of Christ and his Apostles, which though the Pope and Cardinals should extinguish in him, yet the time would come that Doctrine should be renued by other preachers, so plentiously that the Pope with all his power should not be able to preuaile against it: wherevnto the prophesie of the said Hus, a little before his death, and printed in the Bohemian come called Moneta Hu…sa, hauing this superscription, Centum reuolutis annis Deo respondebitis & mihi, this was Anno 1415. if wee count from this yeare vntounto the yeare one thousand fiue hundred and sixtéene: in which yéere Martine Luther first began to write against the Pope, wee shall finde the number of an hundred yéeres fully complete.
When as the Newes of the barbarous cruelty exercised against Iohn Hus, and Ierome of Prage, was reported in Boheme: their Disciples assembled, and celebrated a memoriall of their deaths, decréeing it to be holden yéerely, and after they obtained certaine Churches of the King to preach and minister the Sacraments in: then they suppressed diuers Monasteries, and Pharasaicall and Idolatrous Temples, driuing the vicious Priests and Monkes out of them, or compelling them to a better order, whereby their number augmented vnderunder the conduct of one Nicholas a Noble man, and comming againe to the King for more Churches, the King told Nicholas thou hast begun a Web to put me out of my Kingdome, and I will make a rope of it wherewith I will hang thée: Wherevpon Nicholas departed, and the king went to a new Castle which he had builded, and sent Ambassadours vntounto the Emperour his brother for ayde.
The Protestants being assembled at Prage, the King sent his Chamberlain with thrée hundred horsemen to run vponupon them, but he was faine to fly for fears of his life: at this newes the King and all about him were amazed; but his Cup-bearer said, I knew these things would thus come to passe, the King in a rage caught him & threw him downe, and would hauehave slaine him with his Dagger: but béeing let with much ad…e he pardoned him, immediately the King fell sick of a Palsie, and within eightéene daies died: when he had marked the names of them which hée would hauehave put to death, & before the Princes which he had sent to for ayde were come, when he had raigned 55. yeares, and was 57. yéere old.
Immediatly after whose death, a Noble man named Zischa, minding to reuenge the iniuries of Iohn Hus, and Ierome of Prage, gathered a number of men of Warre, and subuerted the Monasteries and Idolatrous Temples, breaking in péeces the Images, driuing away the Priests and Monkes, which hée said were kept vp in their Cloisters like Swine in their fat sties a fatting: his army increased to fortie thousand men: hée went to Pelzina where hee knew hée had many friends of his faction, and tooke the Towne and fortified it strongly, and some of his company tooke the Castle of Uissegard: then the Quéene sent Letters to the Emperour Sygismond, and other Nobles, requiring ayde: in the meane time the Quéene raised an armie with the treasure of the King which could not preuaile against them.
Then the Protestants sent Letters throughout the whole Realme, that they should not let the Emperour enter, who was an enemy to Boheme, had bound the ancient Citie of the Prutenians vntounto order by pledges, put the Marques of Brandenburge from the Bohemian Crowne, and not onelyonly suffred but procured Iohn Hus, and Ierome of Prage to be burned, and with all his endeuour doth impugne the Doctrine which they taught: Zisca was twise assaulted of his enemies, but was alway victor: after he went to Ausca, a towne, out of which the Papists had cast many Protestants, he tooke the towne and set it on fire: the chéefe Papists fled to the Castle Lytius, but he took the Castle, and put them all to sword saue one: then he chose a place by a riuer which was fenced by nature, this place he compassed in with walles, and commanded eueryevery man to build them houses, and named it Thaber, and his companions Thabarites, as if they had seene the transfiguration of Christ in the mount: the way to it by land was scarse thirty foot broad, for it is almost an Iland, they had no horsemen vntill the Emperour sent Nicholas, Maister of the Mintes, with a thousand horsemen, to withstand the Thaborites, vponupon whome Zisca came in the night, and tooke away all his horses and armour.
In this time one Picardus comming out of the Low Countries into Boheme, by inchantments got credit with the people, and allured a number of men and women vntounto him, whom hee commanded to goe naked, calling them Adamits, and possessing a certaine Iland, he called himselfe the Sonne of God: they had no respect of marriage, yet it was against the Law for any man to know a woman without the leaue of Adam: but when any desired a woman, hee must leade her in his hand to him, and say, I am inflamed to this woman, and he answereth goe and multiply and replenish the earth, he affirmed that they and their posteritie were free and all other bondmen: on a time forty of this sect came out of the Iland an… slew two thousand husbandmen, whom they called the children of the diuell: Zisca hearing hereof and detesting their abominable doings let his army against them, and subdued the Iland, and slew them all sauing two, of whom hee might vnderstand the superstition of the people.
In the meane time the Emperour with a great armie entered Boheme, and got Cencho, with large gifts and promises, to render vp vntounto him the Castle of Prage, and there placed himselfe to anoy the towne: the Cittizens of Prage sent for Zisca, who speeded thether with his Thaborites, and receiued the Citie vnderunder his gouernance, the Castle was so strong it could not be conquered, but by famine, therefore they stopped all the passages, that no victuals should bee carried in: but the Emperour opened the passages by force, and gaue them in the Castle all things necessarie, and besieged the Citie, and was crowned in the Metropolitane house in the Castle.
Zisca planted a strong Garrison vponupon a high hill, neere the Towne of Prage, with whom the Emperours host skermishing, hauing gotten the top of the hill, were driuen back into a corner: Some were slaine, and some falling headlong from the hill were destroyed: wherevpon the Emperour raised his siege, and Zisca and his company returned to Taber: they of Prage strongly besieged the Castle, then they were compelled to eate horse-flesh, and except the Emperour did ayde them by such a day they promised to yeeld it vp: the Emperour was present before the day: but entering into a strait vnderunder the Castle, was sodenly set vponupon by the Souldiers of Prage, had a great ouerthrow, and so leauing his purpose vndone returned back againe, and the Castle was deliuered vntounto them.
Zisca subuerted and burned fiue Monasteries in Pel…na, and pitched himselfe at the Monastery of Saint Clare: thither came the Emperour with his army: but when Zisca brought his armie against him, hee fled; and shortly after left Boheme: Then Zisca wonne Commitauia a famous Citie, and burnt all the Priests therein: and hauing but one eye in the siege of Raby hee lost that eye and was blind, yet still he tooke the charge of his army.
After the Garisons of Prage went to Uarona, where was a great garison of the Emperours, and tooke it by force, and tooke many other townes and holds.
After the Emperour and the Princes electors appointed a day when they and their armie should inuade the West part of Boheme: and the Emperour with an other Host would enter the East part, and many Princes and Bishops came to his ayde: when the Emperour was entred Boheme, Zisca although he was blind set vponupon him, and he being afraid and many of his Nobles slaine f…ed: Zisca pursuing the Emperour a dayes iourney, got great riches and spoile: The Emperour passing by a Bridge ouer a Riuer, one Piso which had brought fiftéene thousand horsemen out of Hungary to these warres passing ouer the Ice, which brake and deuo… red a great number: Zisca hauing obtained this victory would not suffer any Idol to be in the Churches, nor Priests to Minister in Copes and vestures: the Consuls of Prage being agreeued at this, called Iohn Premonstrensis, & nine others, which were principals of this faction into the Councell house, as though they would confer, and slew them, but the blood of them seemed to be washed through the sinkes and Channels: wherefore the Councell house was ouerthrowne, and eleuen of the principall authors thereof slaine, and diuers houses spoiled. About the same time the Castle Purgell, wherein the Emperour had a garison, whether many Papists with their wiues and children were fled, was through negligence burned.
When the Emperour perceiued that all things came to passe according to Zisca his minde, and that the state of Boheme depended on him, he sought meanes to g…t Zisca into his fauour, promising him the gouernment of the whole Kingdome, and great yearely reuenues, if he would proclaime him King, and cause the Citties to be sworne vntounto him: wherevpon Zisca going to the Emperour died by the way.