CHAPTER VII.
AN endless army of peasants, all of lean forms, clothed in ragged garments, with walking-sticks in their hands and bags of bread on their backs, were pouring from: the northeast over all the roads and paths toward Prague. It was not the pilgrimage of St. John, nor yet that of St. Václav, for it was early in the spring of 1775.
The Empress, with her son, had issued a decree that lightened the service; the rest of the promised privileges, however, were not granted, but the peasants were permitted to arrange those matters themselves with their masters. In order to do so, the peasants were now advancing toward Prague to their lords. On their way they had said that the Emperor intended to do much more for
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