A General Martyrology, Text 1
The Delegates of these poor persecuted Protestant Churches coming over into England to move for a Contribution towards the relief of their distressed Brethren, Published this ensuing Narrative.
The utmost Fury of Antichrist against the Protestants or Reformed Church of the Bohemian Confession in Poland, set down in a brief (but faithful) Narrative, and according to the truth of the matter.
THe Spouse of Jesus Christ, she who in the Cradle was besprinkled with the blood of a Protomartyr, hath alwayes brought forth into the world men like Abel or Stephen, that so there might never be wanting to cry from the earth unto God, and that the wounds of that Rose which lies among the Thorns of Persecution might not be concealed. Every age, and every year in each age, and every monethmonth and day in each year, hath produced new inundations of blood unto this day; and yet the little flock of the Lord hath alwayes encreased under persecutions, one while here, another there, shifting their seats and habitations. While it pleased God by the means of Wicklef to kindle the light of the Gospel in Great Britain, John Huss asserted the truth of Jesus Christ in the midst of thick darknesse of Popery in Bohemia, many thousands being stirred up by God to receive it, who despising all the cruelty of Tyrants, received it with joy, untill by Gods assistance they took rooting in the Kingdom, and grew up into flourishing Churches. In a short time after, Antichrist breathing out his fury, the Truth was banished out of Bohemia, and the Confessors being driven out, transplanted the Gospel into Poland; where being favourably entertained by King Sigismond, they in a short time encreased to so great a number, that being little inferiour to the Papists, they were able to boast of an equal authority and priviledges with them. Hence it came to passe that the Kings at their Coronations were wont, not only to promise, but solemnly to swear protection to such as disagreed from the Roman Religion, and therefore they proceeded not to open persecutions, save only in those Cities where the Jesuits had seated themselves in power (to wit) Cracovia, Posen, Lublin, Vilna, &c. where, by their disciples, and by stirring up the common people to fury, the Churches of the Reformed Professors were a good while ago demolished, and divers Ministers cruelly massacred. Neverthelesse the malice of the Enemies being no whit allayed, they were many ways afflicted, first indirectly, afterwards by pretences under colour of Law, until those Churches being worn out by degrees, and overthrown, were not many years ago reduced to a very inconsiderable number, especially when as in the Reign of the late King, the Enemies being confident they might do any thing, brought things to this passe at length, that there were no more than twenty one Congregations remaining in the Greater Poland, and those also ready to perish. But among these twenty one remaining Churches, the chief, and as it were the Mother of them all, was that of Lesna, which was divided into three Congregations, the Bohemian, the Polonian and the German; each of which had their own Pastors, but the Communicants joyntly were about two thousand: Therefore it was that this Church was in the first place exposed to the Enemies malice, and of late designed to the slaughter, as well by reason of its being very much frequented and grown famous, as also because of the Synod there usually celebrated, as likewise a famous University and Printing-house, and books frequently published to the world. When therefore in the year 1655. the Swedish Army out of Pomerania drew near to the borders of Poland, and the Nobility were summoned to Arms, according to the custome of the Countrey, it came to passe that the Papists brake forth into many furious expressions, crying out, That the Hereticks had invited the Enemy, and therefore they were first of all to be put to the sword and extirpated; which reports, though most falsly scattered abroad (for the searcher of the heart and the reins knoweth, that we never so much as dreamt of it) yet they easily found credit among the sworn Enemies of the Gospel, who sought nothing more than our ruine. Hereupon they who first consulted to agree with the Swedish Army, being terrified by its power, concluded about the surrender of all Great Poland into the Kings protection, and namely, the Royal Cities of Posen, Calissen, Meserick, &c. to which also Lesna was expressely added: In a little time after they endeavoured to cast off the Swedish Yoke, and turned their Arms not against the Swedes, but first against our Evangelical Professors, as conspiring with the Swedes upon the account of Religion, and none of them scrupled to take revenge upon them. They first of all set upon those of Lesna, with resolution of putting all to the sword, and destroying that Heretical City by fire, and they had effected both, unlesse God had by sending some persons before, who by signifying the coming of the Enemy, and with what intent they came, had possest the Citizens with a Panick fear, so that leaving all their Estates, they every man fled; and thus within the space of one hour, a most populous City abounding with all manner of wealth, was left without Inhabitants, who in a miserable condition wandered then into the neighbouring Woods and Marishes into Silesia. But the Polish Nobility with their Army entring the City, did what they pleased, slaying a number of decrepit old people, and sick persons that were not able to save themselves by flight; then the City it self was first plundred, and afterwards so destroyed by fire for three dayes together, that no part of it remained beside rubbish and ashes. In what manner they would have handled the Citizens, especially their Pastors, they shewed by their heroick actions performed in other places, by the most savage slaughtering of divers Ministers of the Church, and other faithful Members of Christ, of both Sexes; for of all that they laid hold on, they gave not one man quarter, but very cruelly put them to death with most exquisite tortures. They endeavoured to force Master Samuel Cardus, Pastor of the Church of Czuertzinen, to renounce his Religion, after they had taken him, and miserably handled him with all manner of cruelty; but he stoutly resisting, they first put out his Eyes, and led him about for a spectacle, then they pulled off his Fingers-ends with pincers; but he not yet condescending to their mad Fury, they found out a new kinde of torment, poured molten Lead into his mouth, and at length while he was yet half alive, they clapt his Neck between folding Doors, and violently pulling them together, severed his Head from his Body. They took John Jacobides, Pastor of the Church of Dembnick, and Alexander Wartens his Colleague, and another that was in company with them, as they passed through the Toun of LUBIN, and hurrying them up and down for divers hours, and grievously handling them after the manner of Tyrants, then last of all cutting their Throats with a Razor, threw them headlong, while they were yet breathing, into a great pit, which had been before-hand prepared for their Martyrs, and stifled them by casting down Dung and Dirt upon them. They a great while pursued Andrew Oxlitius a young man designed for the Ministery, whom after long seeking, they at last found in the open field, and in the end having taken him, they cut off his Head with a Sithe, chopping it into smal pieces, and the dead carcase also they slasht in a barbarous manner. The same fate befell Adam Milta, a Citizen of Lesna; but they more grievously handled an old man of above seventy, whose name was Simon Priten, and many others, whose names it were too tedious to relate. Of that barbarous execution which they did upon the weaker Sex, there were besides other examples, horrid Trophies of Cruelty erected in the said City of Lesna: a pious Matron there, who was the mother of three children, not being able quick enough to leave the City, and being slain in the open street, they cut off her hands, & feet, & cutting off her childrens heads, they laid two of them at her breasts, and the third by her side. In like manner, another woman having her hands and feet cut off, and her tongue cut out, being inclosed and bound in a Sack, lived the space of two dayes, making most miserable lamentation. Grief forbids us to adde more; for they behaved themselves so furiously towards us, that there remains not an example of any one man saved of all those that happened to fall into their hands. It is notoriously known how that fury of theirs tyrannized also over the dead; some they dragg'd out of their graves, and cut in pieces, as at Zichlin; others they exposed naked for a publick Spectacle, as at Lesna; of which outragious action we had an example, even in the dead body of the most Serene Landgrave of Hassia, which was drawn out of the grave, who was heretofore slain in a most barbarous and tyrannical manner at Koscian, but buried by our Friends at Lesna. The like was acted also upon the Body of the most Noble Arciszevius, heretofore the valiant Admiral of the Hollanders in Brazile, which was likewise dragg'd out of the grave, and being stript of the grave-clothes, was found after the firing of Lesna. There are divers other examples, which the Christian Reader may finde in the Book, Entituled, Lesnae Excidium, faithfully written, and lately set forth in print; but they are such examples onelyonly as are commonly known; for who is able to relate all things in particular? as burning men alive, drowning others with stones tied about their necks, &c.
Now Lesna being destroyed, the fury of the Enemy proceeded to the persecutions of others; they in a short time utterly demolished all our Congegations, not onelyonly driving away the Pastors, but also either burning or leaving most of the Temples desolate, as at Karmin, Dembnick, Skochy, Czriuczin, &c, yea and the Auditories themselves were either slain (as in the Town of Skochy, where there was a very flourishing Church of the Bohemian Exiles; Sixty persons, both men and women were cruelly put to death) or else they were scattered abroad, so that there remained not one place wherein the Worship of God may be celebrated. Lo, this is the most miserable state and condition of our Churches; moreover our Countrey-men, to the number of five thousand, besides youths and children, being dispersed in banishment (which hath now befallen most of us the second time) especially throughout Silesia, as also through the Marck, Lusatia, Hungary, &c. find no comfort, but much misery, and are there exposed to the hatred and envy of men. We that are Pastors dare not openly minister to our Auditories with the Word and Sacraments, but onelyonly in private Meetings, or in Woods among Fenny places, God onelyonly seeing us, who is witnesse of these calamities, and our comfort in extremities. Indeed being thus destitute of all things, we lead a wretched life in banishment, being afflicted with hunger and nakednesse, and are become next to the most miserable Waldenses, the greatest spectacle of calamity to the Christian world; for so it hath seemed good to that Soveraign Wisdome that governs all things, that we should be inheritors of the Crosse and persecution of those men from whom we have derived the original of our Doctrine and external Succession: For truly we are the remaining Progeny even of the Waldenses, with whom being raised from the ashes of blessed Huss, and with whom combining into the same holy Fellowship of the Faith and afflictions of Christ, we have for two whole ages and more, been perpetually subject to the like storms of Calamities, until at length we fell into this calamity, greater than ever was known in the memory of our Fathers, and which threatens us with utter destruction, unlesse God prevent it. The truth is, this businesse constrains us to amazement and tears, greater than can be exprest in words, to set forth our affliction and sorrow: If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, we desire that this affliction of Joseph may be recommended, especially to all that are of the houshold of Faith. Let them not suffer those to perish whom the same Faith, and the same Spirit of Christ hath joyned with them in so near a relation; we beseech them in the name of Christ, that they would rather make haste to relieve those who are ready to perish, we being assured that we suffer this persecution upon no other account, than for the confession of the Truth, from those Enemies who have acted such things as these are against us in times past, and are now at length by Gods permission, pouring out their fury upon us.
Signed in the name of the said distressed Churches, by their Delegates and now Exiles for the Cause of Christ;
Adam Samuel Hartman, Pastor of the Church of Lesna in Poland, and Rector of the famous University there.
Paul Cyril a late Member of the University of Lesna.