The History of the Bohemian Persecution/Chapter 9
Chap. IX.
All Bohemia condemned.
1. THe adversaries were not satisfied with their blood, but suddainly took bloody Councell for the destruction of the whole nation: for when the chiefe nobles of bohemia 58 in number, in the name of the whole Comonalty in the yeare 1416 the 2 of September, sent letters from Prague subscribed with their own hands, ard signed with their own seals, to the Councel, complaining & expostulating that their Pastor, an innocent and holy man, a faithfull teacher of the truth was unjustly condemned, the Synod did not answer them, neither did they answer the Nobility of Moravia, which complained of like matters in letters of their own, but the Councell writ to the persons who were besotted with the Romish superstition men in eminency namely Iohn of Mecklesburg, Alsiscopeck of Dubba, Alburt of Colditz, intreating and obtesting them, that they would regard the Romish-Caholick Church, and that they would helpe the Legate of that councell, Iohn Letmislenia bishop, in oppressing Heresie and Hereticks; these letters were dated at Constance in the yeare 1417, the 22 of March.
2 Thus the bohemians being incited to mutuall dissentions by the Councell, contensious brawlings, and hatred were exasperated every day, more and more. The Pristes did divulge from the Pulpit, excommunications against the Husites, and devoted them with direfull execrations, and that they might render them the more hated, used certaine lying signes, amongst the rest, they cast some dirt into the lamps of the wax candles, and when the flame had burnt the waxe candle to the moistnesse of the dirt, it was extinguished: then cryed they out, that God did by miracles declare, that the wicked Hereticks were unworthy to enjoy the light, they drove them therefore out of their society, and persecuting them all manner of wayes, breaking open their churches, wheresoever they could, which businesse in the yeare 1419, the 13 of Iuly, raised such a tumult at Prague, that the common people inraged, threw 12 Senators of old Prague, with the City Magistrate out of the windows, of the Senate house, who fell upon the points of speares.
3 There was a new Pope elected of the Synod, who was named Martine the 5, who with kind letters, dated at Constance in the yeare 1413, invited the Bohemians to renounce the errors of Wicklif & Husse. But afterward in the year 1420, he publickly excommunicated them at Florence, and excited the Emperor, Kings, Princes, Dukes, Marquesses, Earles, Barons, Governours, Cityes, Common-wealths, to take up armes against them, and did intreat them by the wounds of Christ, and their owne salvation, unanimously fall upon them, and quite extirpate that sacrilegious and cursed nation, and promised a universall remission of sinnes to the most wicked person that should kill but one bohemian.
4 Sygismund the Emperour being inflamed by this incentive, with all Germany and the neighbouring Kingdomes, yeelded himselfe a servant to Antichristian Tyrany and in the same yeare he enters Bohemia with a strong army, and wearies them with 13 years continued warre, and this was called the Husite warre, concerning which Eneas Sylvius writes they would rather be admired than believed of posterity, in regard Siska the Bohemian Captaine and his successours did alwaies vanquish the contrary party.
5 But the state of the bohemian affaires were very confused at home, when some of them stood for the Emperor and Pope, others defended the use of the cup, from whence they were called Calikstiles upon this ground, with horrible cruelty they were inflamed to destroy each other.