The History of the Bohemian Persecution/Chapter 44
CHAP. XLIV.
I. THose of the League being provoked by this, are hurried into furie, and raising greater forces, rush againe into Bohemia under Maximilian of Bavaria, and taking by storme Pracatice and Pisek, (Protestant townes) put the Citizens to the sword for a terror to others, and every where make great slaughters of the Protestants. At length they came as farre as Prague the Metropolis of the Kingdome, which being struck with a Pannicke feare, after the overthrow of their forces in a set battell before the Walls (in 1620, the 8 of November) and the flight of their new King, is delivered unto them, and all Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. The Conquerour promising to keep articles, but afterwards performing them according to the manner of the Councell at Constance.
2. And now began the face of the Bohemian Church to appeare in sadnesse, at the raysing that most cruell persecution, which hath brought an utter ruine and destruction of the Protestants. They now carried on their designes otherwise than they formerly did in England, the Low-Countries and France: doing more mischiefe by their milde (as they would have it seem) proceedings, than lately by their outragious furie, when the sword, and fire, and wheele, were the instruments of their rage against the faithfull. Which was a new policy of the Whoreof Babylon, to appear couretous that she might scare fear from her by her cruellty. For that their Privie Councel is open and manifest, wherein, when it was debated at Rome, about the time of the preparation for the war, in the year 1617. how they should deale with the Bohemians and other Germanes after the Conquest; it was agreed That seeing those strong purges, which had bin administred for the expelling hereticall humors had wrought weakely, they would try whether they could be cured by a temperate diet. And therefore it was not commodious to put the Hereticikes to death (wherein they did glory as in Martyrdome) but to use some other meanes whereby to weary them and reduce them to their obedience. And to change the hatefull and rigid name of Inquisition, into the milder name of Reformation.
3. And according to this decree they proceeded aganist the Moravians, Bohemians and Silesians, to that all that professed the pure doctrine of the Gospell were oppressed, and had onely the favour of not being utterly extinguished, few among them obtaining the glory of Martyrdome. Don Martine de Huerda (by Nation a Spaniard, by trade a Taylor, but being brought up from his youth in Bohemia, had enobled himselfe by the stealing away the Countesse of Serivia of the house of Kolowrat, and afterwards for hs valour advanced to a Barons degree, end enriched with a great estate) was often heard to boast to the Protestants faces, that when he brought the newes of the victory to Vienna, standing at Cæsars side, he advised him to command them to be slaughtred without distinction of sex or age, that there might not be any remainders of to rebellious and Hereticall a Nation. To whom Cæsar answered, that hope of favour was given them by the Duke of Bavaria, but there would not afterwards want meanes whereby to quell the Hæresie and rebelions desires of so barbarous a nation. What those meanes were is manifest, by the event and practice: which shall now be declared but compendiously and briefly.
4. For if all the cunning Imposters and deceits, or the cruell pressures and vexations which they used should be reckoned up: it would require a sharper wit than the Dove-like simplicity of our nation is capable of, and vaster volumnes should be then written, than our present purpose permitts. That which the Evangelist spake, If the workes of Christ should every one be written, the world would not contain those bookes, may be also said of Antichrist, that his evill actions have beene managed with so much craft and malice, that the world can hardly containe them. This we protest in the sight of God, that we have had good proofe for those things which we have gathered and shal now relate cleerly though every thing is not demonstrated by particular inftances, partly because of my designed brevity, and partly because all examples cannot be gathered while the persecution remains.
We shall speake distinctly,
- How they proceeded in generall?
- How they proceeded against the Ministers of the word?
- How against the Governors and Nobility?
- How against the free Cities?
- How against the Common People?
- What they did about the Churches, Bookes, Hospitalls and Burying places?
- Wee shall adde fome examples of those judgements and prodigies, wherewith God did often affright the enemies.
- Wee shall lastly joine something concerning the reliques of the Bohemians, who in this sharpe persecution undauntedly maintained their faith.