The Marrow of Ecclesiastical History Part 2, Book 2 · Biography 2
ZISCA
The Life of Zisca, who dyed Anno Christi, 1424.
ZIsca was born in Trosnovia, in the Kingdome of Bohemia, of an ancient, and noble family, and from his youth was brought up in the Kings Court, and was much imployed in Military affairs; wherein he profited so well, that he became an able, and skilfull Captain: and fighting valiantly in a battell against his enemies, he lost one of his eies; but it pleased God to recompence that outward loss by enlightning his mind with the knowledge of the truth, by the help of Wickliffs Conversion.books (at this time rife in Bohemia) and by the Ministery of John Hus; and when John Hus, and Hierom of Prague were so cruelly, and unjustly burned by the Councell of Constance, to the dishonor of the Bohemian Nation, and King Wencheslaus, that had permitted it, dying shortly after: Zisca resolved to revenge the wrongs which the Councell had done to them, upon their complices, and adherents, and for that end he raised an Army of fourty thousand Protestants, by whose help he subverted the Monasteries, and their Idolatrous Popery destroyed.Temples, pulling down, and breaking in pieces their Images, and Idols, driving away the Priests, and Monks, which he said were kept up in their Cloisters, like Swine in a stie to be fatted; then he attempted to take the Castle of Wisgrade, and being not able presently to carry it, he left part of his Army before it, and marched with the rest to Pelzina, where were many Protestants, which town he took in, and fortified the same very strongly, and in the mean tim… his party that he left behind him, took in the Castle of Wisgrade: Hereupon the Queen sent to the Emperor, and to Sigismund.other nobles adjoining to her, for help. But the Emperor being preparing to go against the Turk, that had lately taken some Castles from him, could not assist her. She therefore taking all the Kings treasure, fortified the Castle of Prague, and the lesser City adjoining unto it; making Gates, and Towers upon the bridge over the river, to stop the passage of the Protestants that way; in the mean time the number of Protestants encreasing in Prague, they fought for the bridge so furiously, A fight.that many were slain on both parts, but at length the Hussits woon the bridge, and the neither part of the lesser Prague; the Popish party for the Queen flying into the upper part, & then turning again, the battel was renewed, where they fought continually, day, and night, for five dayes together; But during this bickering Ambassadors came from the Emperor, which made a truce amongst them, and agreed that certain places being by Zisca delivered back into their hands, they should send Ambassadors to the Emperor Sigismund to treat with him about the setling of their estate. This both sides consented to, and thereupon peace ensued for the present: But the Emperor being now at better Blind zeal.leasure, that he might shew his zeal for the Popish cause, and perform his promise to the Fathers at the Councell of Constance, raises a great Army, wherewith he resolved to root out all the Hussites in Bohemia, but before he enters into that Kingdom, he goes with his Army to Ʋratistavia, the chief City in Silesia, where he banished some, imprisoned others, seised upon the estate of others, and Popish cruelty.many he put to cruell deaths, and all this (as himself gave out) that he might strike a terror into the Bohemians, and make them obedient to the Church of Rome; this coming to the ears of the Bohemians, and they shortly after meeting with some of the Emperors Letters, wherein he wrote, that he would come speedily, and rule them after the same order, and manner as his Father Charls had done before him. Thereupon they seeing that their Religion, Liberty, and all that was dear unto them, lay at stake, resolve to arm for their own defence, and to repell unjust Tyranny by lawfull force, and chose this noble Zisca for their generall; and drawing the Governor of the Castle of Prague, called Cencho, to their part, they sent Letters into all the Realm, that no man should suffer the Emperor to enter, who was an enemy to Bohemia, seeking nothing else but to destroy the Kingdom, and one that had put by the Marquess of Brandenburg, whom they had chosen for their King, and had not only suffered John Hus, and Hierom of Prague to be burned at the Councell of Constance, contrary to his Faith given, but had also procured the same, and with all his endeavor sought to extirpate the Doctrine, and Faith which they taught, and followed: In the mean time Zisca was set upon by the Imperialists, who were all horsemen, and Zisca's souldiers were all on foot; the place where they fought was rough, and rugged, so that the horsmen were fain to alight, and fight on foot; hereupon Zisca commanded all the women that followed his Army, to throw their Kerchiefs on the A Stratagemground, wherein the horsemen being intangled by their spurs, were slain before they could unloose their feet; and by this policy he got a great victory A great victory.over them; then he went to Ausca, out of which Town, Ʋlricius, a Papist, had cast out the Protestants: This place Zisca took by Storm, set it on fire, and razed it: he took also a Castle which was a mile off, whither Ʋlricius was fled, putting him, and all his family, save one, to the sword; Then considering that he had no walled, or fenced Town to inhabite, he chose out a mountain that was fenced Thabor built.by nature between two Rivers; This place he compassed in with wals, commanding his followers to build them houses, where they had pitched their Tents, and named the City Thabor, and the inhabitants his followers, Thaborites; the way to it by Land was scarse thirty foot broad, in which neck of Land, he made a deep trench, and a triple wall of such thickness, that it could not be broken with any Engine. At this time the Thaborites had no horsemen, but the Emperor sending one of his officers with a thousand horsemen into Bohemia to A victory.resist Zisca, he fel upon them in their Quarters in the night, took away all their Horses, and Armor, and set the Town on fire where they lay; and then he taught his souldiers to mount on Horseback; to leap, run, turn, cast in a ring, so that after this, he never led Army without his wings of horsemen: In the mean time the Emperor Sigismund gathering together the Nobles of Silesia, entred into Bohemia with a great Army, marched to Prague, and entised Cencho that kept the Castle, to surrender it to him; Hereupon the Citizens of Prague sent for Zisca, who came with his Thaborites to assist them, and received the City under his government. His first design was to besiege the Castle, which was so strongly fenced, that it could not be forced but by famine, whereupon he blocked up all the passages to it; But the Emperor coming with a very great Army, opened them again, and laid siege to the City of Prague, and assaulted it often for six weeks space; he sent out also part of his Army to seize upon the Tents of the Thaborites, against whom Zisca sent forth some power under the A victory.command of Nich. Hus, who beat the Imperialists, and took in Grecium, the Queens City also. Neer to Prague there is an high hill, on the top whereof Zisca planted a strong Garrison, that it should not come into the power of his enemies: against this garrison the Emperor sent the Marquess of Misnia, with many souldiers, who getting to the top of the hill, were so lustily set upon by Zisca's men, that they were beaten into a corner, where the rock was very craggy, and steep, and there they set so fiercely upon them, that when the Misnians could no longer resist, they were driven down the steep rock, where they were broken to peeces. Hereupon the Emperor, raising his siege, departed, and Zisca with his men returned to Thabor. But considering that the Popish Clergy in Bohemia were the procurers of the cruell burning of John Hus, and Hierom of Prague at Constance, and that now also they had set on the Emperor against the Hussites, helpt to pay his Army, and had joyned with him in murthering the innocent servants of Jesus Popish cruelty.Christ, drowning some, roasting others before a soft fire, thrusting others into the mettall-mines; yea that their malice, and hatred was grown to that height, that they sold them like cattel, giving a Florene for an ordinary Christian, and five Florens for a Minister, whom they excrutiated with all maner of Torments; he thereupon resolved to pay them back in their own coin, and in prosecution thereof, he burnt, destroyed, and overthrew three hundred Monasteries, and amongst the rest the Just revenge.famous Monastery called the Kings Court, a mile from Prague, in the wals whereof the whole Bible was most exquisitely written in letters of Gold; the Monks, and Friers he drave out, and caused either to betake themselves to labor, or to seek to other places for shelter.
Shortly after he took in many places, and then besieged the Castle of Visgrade; the besieged were brought to great straits, insomuch as they were forced to live upon their horses; at length they came to composition, that if they were not relieved by the Emperor by a certain day, they should surrender the Castle to him; the Emperor hearing hereof, marched to the relief of it with a strong Army, but entering into a narrow passage neer the Castle, he was suddenly set upon by the Protestants, who A great victory.gave him a great overthrow, which caused him to depart without effecting his purpose, and so the Castle was surrendred to Zisca; presently after he took one of the Imperiall Captains in a strong Town; he also took, and burned down five Monasteries, and then sate down before the strong Monastery of Saint Clare. Thither also came the Emperor with a great Army, but when Zisca Popish cowardise.drew forth his power against him, he most cowardly fled, and departed out of Bohemia: From thence Zisca went with his Army to the famous City of Commitavia, which he took by storm, burning all the Priests therein; then he besieged the strong Town of Raby, where he was stricken with an Arrow in the eye, and so was carried to Prague to the Physicians, who cured him of his wound, but he lost his sight, and so was stark Zisca loseth his eye.blind, yet would he not leave his Army, but still took the charge of them; After this the Protestants took many of the Emperors Garrisons, which caused him to send to all the Princes Electors to raise forces, and to joyn with him for the subduing of the Bohemians: Himself with an Army of Hungarians entred on the East part of Bohemia, and he appointed the Electors to enter on the West; the Emperor at his first coming took in some Towns. But when Zisca (although he was blind) came towards him, he was in a great fear, yet a battel was fought, wherein Zisca slew many of his Nobles, and common souldiers, insomuch as the Zisca overcomes the Emperor.Emperor fled, and Zisca pursuing of him a daies journey, got great and rich spoils; in his return he took the strong Town of Broba by force, and burned it down, so that it lay desolate for fourteen Gods judgement on the Papists.yeers after; the Emperor in his flight made such hast, that himself passing over a Bridge, Piso, a Florentine, that had brought fifteen thousand horse out of Hungary to these wars, adventuring to pass the River upon the Ice, the Ice breaking by reason of the number and weight of the horsmen, most of them were there drowned, at which time and place perished a great part of the Hungarian Nobility. Zisca having obtained this victory, would not suffer any Images, or Idols to continue in the Churches, neither would he suffer the Priests Zeal.to wear Copes, and vestments; After this Zisca marched with a great Army into Austria, where the husbandmen drave, and carried a great number of their Cattell into an Island in the river Danubius, but leaving, for hast, some Calves, and Swine behind them, Zisca caused his souldiers to A stratagem.drive them to the rivers side, where they made them roar, and bleat, which the Cattell in the Island hearing, swam over to them, whereby Zisca got a great booty, and so returned home. Then the Emperor delivered to the Marquess of Misnia, the bridge, and Town of Asca upon the river Albis, to plant a strong Garrison in; Thither Zisca went, and besieged it; whereupon the Marquess raised a great Army out of Saxony, Thuringia, Misnia, A great victory.and both the Alsatia's to relieve the besieged: Zisca fought a great battell with them, the victory remaining doubtful for a great while, but it pleased God at last to make the Protestants conquerors, in which battell Zisca slew many Noblemen, and nine thousand of the common souldiers, and thereupon Asca was surrendred to him, which he utterly razed: At last there arose some dissention between them of Prague and Zisca; whereupon they Contention.raised a great Army against him, and he knowing himself to be too weak to withstand them, retreated into certain mountains, but when his enemies pursued him into a narrow Plain, he knowing that they could not spread out their Army in that place, commanded his Standard to stand stil, exhorting, & encouraging his men to give them battell, which accordingly they did; the battell was very fierce, and cruell on both sides, yet at last Zisca had the A victory.upper hand, and slew three thousand of them, puting the rest to flight, and strait he took the City of Cuthna by force, which they of Prague had garrisoned, and burnt it down, and so with all speed he marched with his Army to besiege Prague; But his souldiers being not pleased with it, began to murmur, saying, that it was not reasonable that the Regall City should be suppressed, especially not dissenting from them in opinion; that the Emperor would make great advantage of these their divisions, &c. These speeches coming to Zisca's ears, he called together his Army, & speak thus unto them. Brethren, blame not me that have sought your health, Zisca's speech to his Army.and safety; the victories that you have obtained under my conduct are yet fresh in memory, neither have I at any time brought you to a place from which you have not gone conquerors: you are become famous, and rich, and I for your sakes have lost my sight, and dwell in darkness: I have got nothing to my self but a vain name; for you have I fought, and vanquished, &c. I do not persecute them of Prague for mine own cause: its your blood that they thirst after, it would availe them little to destroy me, an old, and blind man; its your valor, and courage which they fear; either you, or they must perish; Civill sedition is dangerous, let us subdue Prague, and banish the seditious Citizens before the Emperor hear of it, and then when but few of his faction are left, we may fear him the less; But because you shall accuse me no more, I give you free liberty to do what you will. If you will let them of Prague alone, I will not be against it, so there be no treason wrought; If you determine of war, I am also ready; Look which part you incline to, Zisca will be your aid and helper; Upon this speech, the souldiers minds were changed, so that speedily betaking themselves to their Arms, they ran to the City wals, to provoke their enemies to fight: Zisca in the mean time provided all things ready for the assault: But it pleased God to stir up one of the City Ministers, called Johannes de Rochezana, famous for his life, & learning, by the consent of the Citizens to go out to Zisca, and he dealt so Peace made.effectually betwixt them, that he reconciled them each to other, and so put an end to that discord. The Emperor considering the wonderfull success that God gave to Zisca in all his undertakings, and that the whole State of Bohemia did depend upon him alone, he sent to him, promising him the government of the whole Kingdom, & making many other large promises if he would come to him, &c. Hereupon Zisca began his journy towards the Emperor, but it pleased God by the way that he fell sick at the Castle of Priscovia, where he also dyed, 1424.
Aeneas Silvius (afterwards Pope) complains, that to the great dishonor of the Imperiall Majesty, and disgrace to the Catholick Religion, Sigismund, born of an Emperor, & himself an Emperor, whose name was so famous, and so much feared in Italy, France, & Germany, yea amongst the very Turks themselves, should thus basely, & unworthily truck with an old blind man, by promising him gold, government, and what not, if he would but submit unto him.
In the time of his sickness, his attendance demanded of him, where he would be buried, whom he commanded to pull the skin from his dead corps, and to make a Drum of it, which they should use in their battels: affirming, that as soon as their enemies should hear the sound of that Drum, they would not abide, but presently flie away: He was buried honorably at Caslavia by his Thaborites; But Anno Christi 1623. the Popish Army under the Emperor Ferdinand, two hundred yeers after wanting one, coming into the Church, and seeing the Epitaph upon his Tomb-stone, they Popish malice.brake it in pieces, & digging up the dust of his grave, they carried it out, and scattered it abroad in the wind, raging against him so long after his death, whom they could never overcome in his life.
In the life time of King Wenceslaus, he had a purpose of disarming the Citizens of Prague for some offence that he took against them, which Zisca hearing of, called together the Citizens, bidding them arm themselves and follow him; which they doing, he went presently with them to the King in his Castle, who being astonished at their so sudden coming in that manner, Zisca said to Policy.him, Sir, where are those enemies which your Majesty fears; for these your faithfull subjects, and Citizens of Prague are resolved to spend their blood in the defence of their King; whereupon the King dismissed them, and the Citizens kept their Arms, and were freed from their fears.
Collected out of the book of Martyrs, and out of a book called Historia persccutionum Eccles. Bohemicae; and out of another book called Lachrymae Bohemicae, written by Samuel Martin.