The History of the Bohemian Persecution/Chapter 10

by Johan Amos Comenius

Chap. X.

The Martyrs of Tabor.

 

1 BUt some things are to be discoursed of more briefly in respect of places and persons and distinctly it must be opened, how the Roman faction being incited by the Antichristian alarum of Martine did persecute the faithfull.

2 When after the death of Wensislaus in the yeare 1419, Sygismund took the Kingdom, and by his Delegates (he not being present there, till he came after with an army) ordered severall things which did streighten the liberty of their consciences, some thousands of those that imbraced the pure Religion, gathered together to a stony mountaine, ten miles from Prague, which they named Tabor, that mountaine they compassed about with a wall, and constituted a common-wealth determining to defend it by armes if need were.

3. The Papists and those that were called Calikstins, being enraged against them, persecuted them all manner of ways: & first when they sent their Embassadors, Gallus Perstenus, and Mathias Blacils, for peace sake, to Cuttenburg, thess men were cast headlong into the most deepe mines of mettall, but the Cuttenburghians, who were devoted to the Emperor, and for the most part the Germaine nation, because of the working in the mines; not long after John Codeck Minister of Gurim, which had admitted the Emperors party and many others, both Priests and Lay people were thus served, for they bought those of Tabor, giving five florence for a Priest and one for a Laick, which was the cause of horrid butchery.

4. Thurmenus does witnesse that which followes to be found in a certaine manuscript, in the year 1420, ther were cast in at Cuttenburg in the first mine about 1700. in the second 1038, in the third 1334. therefore every year in the 18. of April there was a solemne meeting at that place, (where a Church as yet stands) and commemorations were usually made of the Martyrs to the year 1613. which Woresowetz the chiefe master of the mint did in vaine endeavour to hinder, at length it seased, in yeare 1621. when persecution prevailed.