The History of the Bohemian Persecution/Chapter 56
Chap. LVI.
I. AT the length in the year 1624, in August the Kings decree went out, whereby all and every the Ministers of the Gospell, not omitting their crimes (to wit, because they were seditious men, and seducers of the common people) should be banished the Kingdome, a peremptory day of six weekes being prefixt for their abode there. But herein they used some deceit, for they did suppresse it for the space of one whole moneth, so that it could not come unto many of their hands untill the date therein mentioned was expired, and to ſome it came after the date; Hence it is that there is so generall a dispersion of them, some being scattered and dispersed into the neighbour Provinces, and some concealed themselves in caves and dens.
2. But many of them not unmindfull of their duties, either returned privately, and gave a visit to their auditors; or comforted such as came to them unto the mountaines and the woods with spirituall consolations, exhortations, and the administration of the Sacraments.
3. Which as soon as the enemies perceived, they produced a new Decree of Cæsars, in the yeare 1625 in July, wherein a punishment was to be inflicted on such as did conceale the Ministers, and a reward to such as would betray them. These things were arbitrary, and not fully determined, yet it pleased some to put this in practise, and to make it a capitall fault, and proportioned to the Traytors fifty pieces of silver, and for the betraying of a Minister, they would increase it to such a summe, as Judas could not reach unto, for the betraying of his Master.