Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 5 · Part 9
The Epitaph of IOHN ZISCA.
IOhn Zisca not inferiour to any Emperour or Captaine in warlike policy, a seuere punisher of the pride & auarice of the Clergy, and a defender of my country lie heere: That with Appius Claudius in Councell, and Marcus Furius Camillus by valiantnes did for the Romans, I being blind hauehave done for the Bohemians: Eleuen times in ioined Battell I went victor out of the field: I worthily defended the cause of the miserable against the delicate, fat, and gluttonous Priests, and for that cause receiued help of God: notwithstanding my bones lye heere in this hollowed place in despite of the Pope.
Pope Martin perceiuing the Gospell to increase more and more, sent a Cardinall into Germany to moue them to warre against the Bohemians: wherevnto the Emperor assisted: there were three armies: in the first were the Dukes of Saxony, the second was vnderunder the conduct of the Marques of Brandenburge, the third was led by the Archbishop of Treuers.
They entred Boheme, and set vponupon a Towne which the Protestants the night before had woon from the Papists: The protestans hearing thereof gathered an army and came towards them: they fled leauing behinde them their warlike Engi…es, with a great prey: they followed them, and destroyed many Citties, and returning back againe, they had great summes of money sent them that they should not destroy the Countries of Bamberge, and Norenberge, whereby the host of the Bohemians was greatly enriched.
After this Newes the Emperour gathered a new ayde, and Pope Martin sent an other Cardinall to Germany to stirre them to make warre against the Bohemians: so there was a new expedition decreed. Many Bishops allowing a great ayd… thereto: the number of the horsem…n was forty thousand, but the footmen were not full so many.
A Cardinall entred into Boheme with this huge army, destroying many of the protestant townes, killing Men, Women and Children, sparing none: the Protestants hearing thereof gathered their host, besieged a Towne and woon it: so that there fell such a suddaine feare amongst the Papistes throughout the whole Campe, that they ran away: the Cardinall marueiling thereat, went to the Captaines, exhorting them to order the batta…l…s, and couragiously to abide their enemies, saying; they fought for the religion of Christ, and saluation of soules, notwithstanding, they did all fly, and the Cardinall with them; the Protestants couragiously pursued them, and had a great prey and spoyle of them.
The Emperour going to Rome to bee …rowned Emperour, wrote Letters to the Nobles of Boheme, how he was borne a Bohemian, & that he was not more affected vntounto any Nation then his owne, and that he went to Rome for no other cause but to be crowned: the which honour should be also to the Bohemians, whose renowne hath béene alwaies his care, and that through his indeuour the Councell of Basill is begunne, exhorting all such as were destrous to be heard touching Religion, that they should come thither, and that they should not maintaine any quarrell against the holy Mother the Church, and that the Councell would louingly and gently heare their reasons, and that they should indeuour themselues to agrée with the Synode touching Religion, and to reserue a peaceable kingdome for him against his returne, neither should the Bohemians thinke to refuse his Empire, whose Brother, Father, and Unckle had raigned ouer them.
The Councell of Basill also wrote their Letters to the Bohemians, to send their Ambassadours to shew a reason of their Faith, promising safe conduct to goe and come, and free liberty to speaks what they would. Whereupon an Ambassage of thrée hundred Horses was sent to Basill: the chéefe were William Cosca a valiant Knight, and Procopius, sir-named Magnus, for his manifold victories, Iohn Rochezana, Preacher of Prage, Nicholas Galicus, Preacher of the Thaborits, and one Peter, an English-man, of an excellent prompt wit: all the stréets were full as they came to see them, and maruelling at their strange kind of apparrell, stout couragious countenances, saying; it was not vntrue that was reported of them. These Ambassadours were gently receiued: the next day Cardinall Iulianus sent for them to the Councell-house, and made a gentle, long, and eloquent Oration vntounto them, exhorting them to vnity and peace, saying, the Church was the spouse of Christ, the Mother of the faithfull, and hath the Keyes of binding and los…ng, and is white and faire without spot or wrinckle, and cannot erre in necessary points of saluation: and that he which contemneth her, is prophane, an Eth…icke, and Publican, and that the Church cannot bee better represented then by the Councell, and that they should giuegive no lesse credit to the Councell, then to the Gospell, by whose authority the Scriptures themselues are receiued and allowed, and that the Bohemians, which call themselues the Children of the Church, ought to heare their Mother, which is neuer vnmindfull of her Children; and how that of late they hauehave liued apart from their Mother, but that was no new or strange thing: for there hauehave beene many in times past hauehave forsaken their Mother, and yet seeking saluation hauehave returned againe. All without the Arke in Noahs floud perished, the Lords Passeouer is to be eaten in one House, there is no saluation out of the Church; she is the Garden and famous Fountaine of Water, whereof whosoeuer shall drinke, shall not thirst euerlastingly. That the Bohemians hauehave done as they ought, in that they hauehave sought the Fountaines of this water at the Councell, and now at length giuen eare to their Mother: now ought hatred to cease, Armor be laid aside, and warre reiected; the Fathers would louingly heare them in their owne cause, requiring them that they would willingly receiue the Councels of the sacred Synod, whereunto all faithfull Christians ought to consent and agree, if they will be partakers of eternall life. This Oration was commended of the Fathers.
The Bohemians answered: they had neither contemned the Church nor Councels, and that they are come to manifest their innocency before the whole Church, and required open audience, where the Laity may bee present, their request was graunted them: and being demanded in what points they did differ from the Church of Rome, they propounded foure Articles.
1 First, all such as would be saued, ought of necessity to receiue Communion vnderunder both kinds of Bread and Wine.
2 All ciuill rule and dominion to be forbidden to the Cleargy by the Law of God.
3 That the preaching of the Word of God is free for all men and in all places.
4 Open crimes are in no wise to bee suffered for the auoiding of greater euill.
One affirmed hee heard sundry things of the Bohemians offensiue to Chrstian eares: one of them was, that they should preach that the inuention of begging Friers was diabolicall. Then Procopius said, it is not vntrue: for if neither Moses, nor the Partriarcks before him, nor after him the Prophets, nor in the new Lawe Christ nor his Apostles, did institute the orders of begging Friers, who doubteth but the Diuels inuented them, and that they are the worke of darknesse, all the Councell derided him, and Cardinall Iulianus laboured to prooue that not onelyonly the Decrees of the Patriarcks, Prophets, Christ and his Apostles: but also the Decrees which the Church should ordaine to be the workes of God; yet the order of begging Fryers may seeme to be taken out of some part of the Gospell: the Bohemians chose foure Ministers to dispute for them, and the Councell chose foure, the disputation continued fifty daies, many things were alledged on both parts, which we will discourse more at large when we come to the Councell of Basill.