The History of the Bohemian Persecution/Chapter 89
CHAP. LXXXIX.
I. THe enemies being every day puft up with the successe of their victories, set upon an action unlooked for, that all the Protestant stocks (of whom the Kingdom did partly consist) should altogether and at once be banished the Kingdome. For they hoped that when the Provinces of Germany round about were subdued, and the King of Denmark with Mansfeild, and Winariensis, and others were overcome, and upon that the hearts of many faint, it would come to passe that at length being struck with this thunderbolt, most would forsake Religion, which happened accordingly.
In the year therefore 1627. July 31. (a day consecrated to Ignatius Loyola, to witnesse that it was coined by the Loyolites, as the first inventers, a solemne Mandate of the Emperours camne forth, wherein he affirming heresie to be the sole cause of the so many miseries of the sometime flourishing Kingdome of Bohemia, whereby the minds of the inhabitants were as well divided among themselves as from their Magistrates, and diverse judgements of God drawn upon them, declares his will thus: We therefore, our conscience urging us, neither can nor will any longer tollerate any one of the inferiour, much lesse superiour States among all the subjects of our hereditary Kingdome of Bohemia of either sex, who is infected with hereticall Errors. And therefore we do grant unto the same superiour States the term of one six moneths to learn the holy and only saving Roman catholick faith. And that there may not want some from whom they may sufficiently draw saving instructions, and informations, we do upon our religious counsell, appoint certaine Commissioners of Reformation as well Civill as Ecclesiasticall men. It was our pleasure therefore by this publick act to assure all men of our Fatherly care, for the salvation of this Kingdome, as likewise to warn, that all and every person, making account both of his temporary and eternall salvation, would not fail to yield themselves obedient to our will, and to be diligently instructed by the afore-named Commissioners of Reformation, and unlesse any man shall obey our will, and agree with us in the same faith, hee shall not be licenced to carry in our Kingdome, much lesse to possesse his Goods. For wee Will, that all those who are obstinately stubborne, shall, telling their Goods among the Catholicks depart out of the Kingdome of Bohemia at the end of the terme, and never promise themselves any return, unlesse they turn Catholicks, &c.
3. Here one might see strange alterations of minds and diversities of Counsell. Those that loved Religion and constancy at their hearts, did instantly separate themselves by banishment, others were troubled and wavered seeking holes and hiding places, soliciting Cæsar by Petitions either to change the decree or grant them a longer time or else indeavouring by words to obtaine it, as much as was in any mans power. There were not some wanting who pretending the discomodities of banishment, poverty, age, sicknesse, duties, and every thing else, thought it best to satisfie the Emperours will. Others were found who thinking to deceive the Emperour and Pope did buy with their gold, false testimonies of the Priests, that they had performed confession and communicated in one kind. And it was so, that some did by those bought bills, make a shew of dissembled apostacy and by that means avoided banishment.
4. But such a Marchandize of soules did not prosper well with some. For Lawrence Niezburski, Pastor of Alberts in New-Prague, who did too freely use that imposture, and for such bills had scraped together a great summe of mony from the Citizens, Noblemen, and Barons: being betrayed was taken and with him above a hundred Citizens of Prague; who being all accused of Treason both to God and the Emperour, were adjudged to death. The Lay-men redeemed their lives with a pecuniary fine, and a true Apostacy: the false Priest was degraded and put to death in the market-place in old Prague, in the yeare 1631. the seventh of Aprill. But we must returne to those feares which did arise upon the first publication of the Act for banishment.
5. The enemies having understood so great wavering of minds, and conceiving some hope that more in tract of time would either be dashed against the rock of dispaire, or throwne downe headlong into the bottome of doubts: obtaine of the Emperour that another six moneths may be added to the end of that terme. A new decree is thereupon published (Decemb. the 6. of the same yeare 1627.) whereby a longer time of staying within the bounds of their country is granted, but yet sharper than before; for all were forced to imbrace the Romish religion, partly by promises, and partly by threats. Besides the said act of banishment is extended to Widows: Children onely are excepted, whether their mothers were alive or no, and commanded to be delivered to the care and instructions of Catholicks, or else to be shut up in Monasteries. And this was a cause of many groanes and teares to the godly, when their Noblemens Sonnes and Daughters (even marriageable mayds) we pulled from the lapp of their Mothers, Aunts and Uncles, and thrust into the Jesuites Colledges, or the Monkes cells: Their goods were taken out of the hands of their lawful tutors, and managed by Papists.
6. The fawning craftinesse of these seducers, whereby they deceived unwary persons, and did more hurt then by their rigour and terrours. As often as any one that did well know the foundations of religion, came before these reformers to be examined, they granted many things, and permitted most of the foundations to be believed, yea even the Article concerning justification by faith: saying that this one thing was required of them, to give obedience to the Church, and to acknowledge the Roman Bishop to be a visible Head of the Church, seeing it was necessary for good orders sake; so the simpler sort supposing that they were not constrained to any other faith then that which they had learnt, thought they might with a safe conscience promise that outward obedience. If they saw any one sprung from a more noble family, or to be either the sole, or with a few others, remainder of the race, or in any otherwise delicate, and they suggested to them how much it grieved his Imperiall Majesty, that those ancient families which formerly were the ornaments and props of their Countrey, should run themselves into the danger of banishment through meer unadvisednesse, that it would be better for them to remain and flourish under the favour both of God and Cæsar. By these and the like Stratagems of Satan, there was a great ruine of the Protestant Nobility, all of them, who thought their earthly Countrey better then the heavenly; or whose consciences were stupified by their subtilties, sliding into apostasie or hypocrisie.
7. Notwithstanding about a hundred families of both Sexes that loved heavenly things above earthly, (and who did reverence that command of the heavenly Emperour, Come out of Babylon my people.) leaving their inheritances, and all their possessions went away. Some were dispersed through the neighbouring Provinces. Votland, Misnia, Lusatia, Silesia, Poland, Hungary; some who were more easily able to endure the troubles of banishment, went as farre as Prussia, Russia, and Transylvania. Among these was the goodly old man Charles de Zerotine: who only could obtain leave to stay in his Countrey all the dayes of his life, if he would deprive himselfe of the holy worship of God, or covertly use it: yet he would rather be afflicted with the people of God, then enjoy temporary profits. Having sold his possessions (but for halfe the price, a part of which also they extorted from him under colour of a certain Sute and Judgement, and other devices) he departed with Cæsars knowledge and leave to Presland in Silesia: but a little after a Declaration was annexed to the Imperiall letters, that if the Baron would depart from that City, it should be lawfull for him to go whither he would, so that he came not back into the Emperours Provinces, or went not to the Emperours enemies.
8. The Enemies in the mean time not vouchsafing such as had departed out of their Countrey, the name of banished persons, called them Departers, either in scorne, or else to upbraid their headinesse (as not being ejected by Cæsar, but being blinded by meer obstinacy, had passed out of their Countrey.) But when as they could not endure them in banishment, a proclamation came forth in the yeare 1628. August the 18th.) wherein the Emperour accusing the perversity of some, who had departed from Bohemia and Moravia, into Silesia, & Lusatia only, protested that it was not his intention to remove those obstinate persons out of Bohemia, and to suffer them in the accorporated Provinces. And therefore he commanded them to depart, otherwise they should be brought to punishment. Also by the same edict they were commanded to send back those children which they had carried with them, upon the penalty of loosing all the goods which any of them could require in his Countrey.
9. Presently after another Act is published, whereby the Non-Catholick wives of the Catholicks were commanded to be punished with banishment, unlesse they did repent. But when none (for no example is extant) would not suffer themselves to be frighted, and some of the prime and chiefe Officers of the Kingdome had Protestant wives, and could not endure divorces; leave was obtained for them to stay. And an edict came forth (the first of May, in the year 1629.) whereby they were tolerated till the death of their husbands, and then should be excluded from the inheritance, and sent into banishment; in the meane time they should be absent from all nuptiall and festivall solemnities, or else should take the lowest place after the Catholicks. This was to strike terrour into them.
10 But the Emperour had added expresly this clause to the first Act (1627. the 31. of July) Lest that any man should think these things to be done for money, or depriving any man of his goods, and not for the sole honour and glory of God, and the salvation of the soules of our Subjects; we declare in his part our clemency, that if any will be refractary to our gracious will (which we hope not) he shall have leave to depart quietly, and without any imbezlement of his goods. We do therefore promise, that if any one cannot sell his goods within the aforesaid terme of six moneths, or get in his debts (in the getting of which we wish that all the Courts be a help to him) he may choose any one of his kindred, or any other Catholick person, whom he may appoint and furnish with full power for the selling his goods, and recovering his debts, &c. Which thing had such a colour of justice, joyned with clemency, that not only the banished perſons did thankfully accept that moderation of the rigour, but also it did beguile forraigners, making them think that nothing had happened to the Bohemians worse then that departure. But these were but words.
11. For first, what could they sell when as all things had been taken from them under the name of fines? Besides, if any had retained any lands, whom should they sell it to in this fury of warre, and almost a universall departure? For those who remained were reduced to extreme poverty, and the Papists, although well monied, did not do this that they might furnish the banished persons with provision, but drive them by despaire to apostasie Besides, if any offered to buy, they would scarce give halfe the price. And lastly, there was scarce any one who would offer ready money, but papers and bonds, whereby no man could expect to avoid hunger among forraigners. Most therefore who had any villages, farmes, vineyards, or other grounds remaining, took this course, to commit their goods to the care of some friend (such as could be got) who should lay title to those things as bought by them, and should send something every year to the true possessour out of the revenue. But as every one gathers sticks from the fell’d oak, so in so great a liberty to commit any thing against those that were condemned and banished, it was easie to become malepart, and most knew by experience that those to whom they had committed the managing of their affaires, were perfidious and false.
12. Some therefore privately returning labour’d divers wayes to order their businesse for themselves: but as soon as that was known, commands were issued out to the Captains of severall Divisions, that whomsoever of the Non-Catholicks they could apprehend (either those who were not already departed, or who had returned) any where staying, gathering corn, exporting it out of the Kingdom, or selling it, and receiving monies, they should take care, to seize on them, and arrest them, sending them into the chiefe Towns of their Divisions, taking notice of every one his name, Christian-name, and family. And they should warne those that had nourished such on their allegiance, and honour, to appear before the chiefe Officers of the Kingdome, in the Castle of Prague, &c. These were given at Prague the 11th. of September, in the year 1628. the said commands were reiterated to divers divisiõs the second of November, and sometimes also in the year following, being 1629. At length the 20. of July in the year 1630. instruction was given, That knowing where any lay hid they should secretly and suddenly attach them, and bring them prisoners: adding the reason, because they obstinately resisted Gods will, and the Emperours.
13. But this was granted that whosoever had any businesse to dispatch in the Kingdome, should desire leave to come back of the Commissioners of reformation: but what that leave was, and with what conditions it was limitted, will appear from the form which was this, The most illustrious and honourable Lords, the Lords Commissioners being appointed for the worke of reformation in the Kingdom of Bohemia, by his Imperiall Majesty, our most mercifull Lord: understand by letters for what end N.N. craves leave to return for a time into this Kingdom. Seeing therefore he hath afforded a good hope of himselfe (but thus to others:) Seeing the Lords Commissioners conceive good hope of him) they grant his Petition, and give leave, and permit him with safe conduct to come hither freely and quietly, and safely to dispatch his businesse, being molested by no man upon the account of Religion, within the space of six weeks. But with this expresse condition that presently upon his entrance into the Kingdom, he appear before the most illustrious Lords Commissioners, and recite what businesse he hath to do, and within that time admit of instruction by spirituall men, pious and learned, that so being made a member of the Catholick Church by an humble confession of sins, and receiving the Sacrament in one kind, he might also be received at the end of the terme, as a member of the Kingdome. There could be no longer time of stay granted to any that did otherwise. For this was the unchangeable will of his Imperiall Majesty. These were given from the Commission of reformation at Prague, N. N. N &c. With which kindnesse (forsooth) most being affrighted, had no desire to return into their Countrey, and give up themselves to such dangerous snares, but commended their and the Churches cause with sighes to God.
14. The Emperour in the mean time, that he might preserve his Kingdome in a flourishing condition, or else increase his glory, fill’d the empty places of those that departed with spirituall persons: to whom (being advanced to the dignity of State) he assign’d the first place, and commanded that they should go and sit before Princes, Counts, and Barons: which thing was never till that day heard of in Bohemia.
15. He also abrogated the ancient Statutes of the Kingdom, and established new ones (which were printed) declaring that he did confirme all the priviledges of the Kingdom, except those; Concerning Religion: Of the free election of a King: Of the use of the Bohemian language in publick Courts: (that he might by little & little extinguish the language with the Nation) Of the goods of persons that can make no wils, falling to the Commonwealth; Of not alienating the lands from the male-stock by marriage. That by the marriages of Bohemian maides, with forraigners, or new persons, the ancient families might be thrust from their possessions, or else more easily rooted out, which was manifest by the effect, when some were thrust out by others from fine inheritances, whether they would or not; As if it had been on purpose desired to oppresse every where the Kingdoms priviledges, and to appoint a Government not over men, but over beasts.