The History of the Bohemian Persecution/Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII.
1. IN the year of our Lord 1421. & on the 23 of July, there was burned at Prague, one Wenceslaus, a Taylor by his trade, who was shut up in a tub. It was objected against him, that at Monstrance he dishonoured the Sacrament, not onely by refusing to rise, but afterwards by turning his back against it.
2. In the same yeare on the 26. of February, Martin Loquis, was apprehended being accused for renewing the error of the Waldenses, in the solemnity of the Sacrament, and foraffirming by a horrible prophanenesthat both the bread & the cup were to be given into the hands of the communicants, but by the intercession of the Taborenes, he was delivered from his bondage, and the better to give way to the envy & the madnes of the times he removed into Moravia, having taken with him Procopius Iednook for his associat: but being discovered as they travelled through Chrudim, they were taken by Captain Denis, & being both manacled and fettered with Irons, they were examined, what their Judgement was concerning the Sacrament, Martin made anſwer. The body of Christ is in heaven, for he hath but one body, not many. The Captain not enduring (forsooth) so great a Blasphemy, out of the liberallity of his choller, did give him a boxe on the ear, and called for the hangman to devour the Hereticks with fire, but Ambrose the Pastor of Hrada being happily present, he desired that these two men might be bestowed on him, who for fifteen dayes kept them prisoners at Hrada, indeavouring to make them acknowledge, and to cant their errors: but when he found them more resolute in their opinion, he sent them to Raudnice where beiug thrust into a dark Dungeon, he detained them for two moneths, none of the people being suffered to come unto them. They were elabourately tormented with variety of executions, for they were consumed with fire untill their bowells came forth to confesse, from whence they derived their errours, and who were their accomplices at Prague, insomuch that by the unadvisednesse of the pain, they were inforced to discover the names of some of their friends. Howsoever being advised to return from the maze of their errors into the path of truth, they smiling answered, not we but you must think of returning, for you are drawn aside from the Word of God to the impostures of Antichrist, and you do worship the creature for the Creator.
2. Being therefore brought to the punishment of the fire, when they were admonished by the shavelings that they would desire the peoples prayers, they replied. We do not need their prayers, pray for your selves O Christians, and for those who do seduce you, that the everliving Father of Light, may bring you out of darknesse. Being brought to the place of punishment, they were shut up in a tub both together, and so committed to the fire. This was done on the 21 day of August, in the year of our Lord 1441.
4. Not long after there were taken at Prague some other men addicted to the same opinion, amongst whom were three Divines, with one Casca a Citizen, and George de Clatowe, and a certaine man called Abraham, it was laid to their charge that they forbad the torches to be lighted, at the Altar before the taking of the Sacrament.