The History of the Bohemian Persecution/Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
The first persecution of the sayd Brothers.
1. THe beginning of this new Church displeased the Divell, he therefore raised a sudden and a violent Tempest to overwhelme it, for the same thereof being spread abroad, the Priests in every Pulpit did stirre up the hatred of the people against them, crying out, Blow out their sparkes, blow them out before they grow into a flame. Rokizane him self (who would belive it) did put on again the mind of an Enemy, and did accuse them of wicked rashnesse, for there were not wanting who informed the King and Consistory, against them in divers accusations.
2. It came to passe therefore, in the year, 1461. when Father Gregory with some others did come to Prague, to give a visite to his friends that they were betrayed, and taken in a house to which they came to supper. At which time this was observeable, The Officers stood on the threshold, and speaking to them in the scripture phrase, said, all who will live godly in Jesus Christ must suffer persecution. You therefore that are here, come forth and follow me to Prison. He was himself an honest man, and thought not evill of the Brotherhood, but being commanded by his superiors, he could not but put his charge in execution.
3. The King believing the flanderous accusations of these evill men, that the Brothers attempted some sedition, as the Thaborites before them, he commanded the holy man Gregory to be tortured, who being transported into an extasie, did feele no sence of paine at all, and being believed by the Tormentors to be dead, he was taken downe from the Rack. His Unckle Rokizane comming to him (for he heard he dyed on the Rack) did with many teares lament him, repeating againe, and againe, O my Gregory, would I had bin in thy place, but he after some houres comming againe to himselfe, revealed the Vision which he had seene, which was, that he was brought into a most pleasant field, in the middle whereof, there stood a tree loaden with fruit, on which divers Birds of severall kinds, sitting on the branches, did feed, and in the middest of them there stood a young man, who did so rule them with his rod, that not one of them did move or stirre out of order. No doubt but by this Revelation, God shewed him the Image of that little Church, of which he was as Patriarck. He saw also three, other men who seemed to be keepers of the said tree, whom sixe yeares afterward, when by suffrages they were chosen to be over-seers in his Church, he witnessed that in this Vision he had seene, and knew them to be the same, by their Physiognomy, and the linaments of their Countenance.
4. Gregory by the intercession of Rokizane being dismissed, there came forth by the Kings command Edicts from the Consistory, forbidding all Pastors to administer holy things without Ceremonies, and whosoever should administer to the Brothers (being now notorious by the infamous Name of Piccardins) the losse of life was denounced to him. The Brothers therefore being brought into grear extreamities, and like sheepe forsaken by their shepheards, wandering up and downe, they at last againe and againe, came to Rokizane, beseeching him, if he doth respect the glory of God, or his owne salvation, that he would not desert that cause in which the cause of God was interested, and that by his owne example, he would not hinder the conversion of so many men, to which they were so happily prepared, nor for any cause whatsoever, detaine the acknowledged Truth in unrighteousnesse. They told him that he was the head of all the Clergy in the Kingdome, and was to give an account of them all to God; and other words were used to this purpose. But when they found him obstinate, they bad him farewell, those words being inserted to the latter end of the Episte. Thou art of the world and shalt perish with it.
5. With which being much provoked, he againe exasperated the King against them, and new Edicts were published in the Name of the King and Consistory, that these pernitious men should no where be suffered, either in Bohemia or Moravia, some were not wanting who gave advice to have them all apprehended and put to death, but Jodocus Rosenburgh Bishop of Wratislove did disswade from it, & gave this reason, that Martyrdom was but a kind of boyling which was halfe raw, from whence Magots would easily proceed, intimating thereby, that the Faithfull did increase by Martyrdome, he says that more easily they might be recalled, if they were every where proscribed, For if they knew not where to turne themselves, they would soone returne to a better minde.
6. This so severe an inquisition against the Brodthers being instituted, It came to passe that many, especially the chiefest of them being dispersed amongst the woods and mountains, did dwell in Caves, where they were scarce secure enough, wherefore they dressed not their meat, nor made any fire but in the night time only, for fear the smoak ascending should betray them, and in the extreamity of the cold in winter nights sitting neare the fire, they gave themselves to the reading of the Bible and to holy discourses. When in the depth of the snow they went forth to provide them necessaries, they wentclose together, least they should be discovered by their footsteps, and the hindermost of them did draw behinde him a great bough of Beech, to cover the print which their feet had made in the snow, that nothing might be seen but the impression of some Country lad drawing a bush behind him. From which their dwelling in Caves, they were afterward in scorn called by their enemies Jamnices (that is tosay) livers in the holes of the earth.