afterwards that he had only written part of the book, but the most recent critics state that the author of the book was Jacob Bilek, a member of the Brotherhood and Bishop Augusta’s companion in prison, but that the book was written under the supervision of Blahoslav.
After the national rising of 1546 and 1547, the always clear-headed policy of King Ferdinand I had endeavoured to divide the Bohemians. The nobles and knights had to a large extent been restored to the royal favour, while the townsmen had lost a large part of their former rights. Similarly the king was lenient to the Utraquists, but relentless in his attitude towards the members of the Brotherhood. That community was then entirely under the direction of John[1] Augusta, whom it afterwards chose as its bishop. When after the speedy collapse of the Bohemian movement severe measures were taken against the Brethren, Augusta and his secretary were treacherously seized and conveyed to the Hradčany castle at Prague, where they were examined judicially and suffered torture. They were then conveyed to the castle of Türglitz or Křivoklat, where Augusta remained up to 1564, while Bílek obtained his liberty in 1561.
Bílek’s book which, though entitled The Life of Augusta, is really only an account of his imprisonment, is very touching and pathetic. The little incidents of prison-life that appear so great to the captive are recorded in a manner which as I wrote some time ago occasionally reminds the reader of Silvio Pellico’s Prigioni.
It is not very clear what the exact accusation
- ↑ In Bohemian, ‘Jan.’
