Fox's Book of Martyrs
Chapter VIII
The
disputes, however, soon broke out again, the succeeding popes exerting their
whole power to impose on the minds of the Bohemians; and the latter, with great
spirit, aiming to preserve their religious liberties.
In
A.D. 1375, some zealous friends of the Gospel applied to Charles, king of
Bohemia, to call an ecumenical Council, for an inquiry into the abuses that had
crept into the Church, and to make a full and thorough reformation. The king,
not knowing how to proceed, sent to the pope for directions how to act; but the
pontiff was so incensed at this affair that his only reply was, "Severely
punish those rash and profane heretics." The monarch, accordingly
banished every one who had been concerned in the
application, and, to oblige the pope, laid a great number of additional
restraints upon the religious liberties of the people.
The
victims of persecution, however, were not so numerous in Bohemia, until after
the burning of John Huss and Jerome of Prague. These two eminent reformers were
condemned and executed at the instigation of the pope and his emissaries, as
the reader will perceive by the following short sketches of their lives.
In
1398, Huss commenced bachelor of divinity, and was
after successively chosen pastor of the Church of Bethlehem, in Prague, and
dean and rector of the university. In these stations he discharged his duties
with great fidelity; and became, at length, so conspicuous for his preaching,
which was in conformity with the doctrines of Wickliffe, that it was not likely
he could long escape the notice of the pope and his adherents, against whom he
inveighed with no small degree of asperity.
The
English reformist, Wickliffe, had so kindled the light of reformation, that it
began to illumine the darkest corners of popery and ignorance. His doctrines
spread into Bohemia, and were well received by great numbers of people, but by
none so particularly as John Huss, and his zealous friend and fellow martyr,
Jerome of Prague.
The
archbishop of Prague, finding the reformists daily increasing, issued a decree
to suppress the further spreading of Wickliffe's writings: but this had an
effect quite different to what he expected, for it stimulated the friends of
those doctrines to greater zeal, and almost the whole university united to
propagate them.
Being
strongly attached to the doctrines of Wickliffe, Huss opposed the decree of the
archbishop, who, however, at length, obtained a bull from the pope, giving him
commission to prevent the publishing of Wickliffe's doctrines in his province.
By virtue of this bull, the archbishop condemned the writings of Wickliffe: he
also proceeded against four doctors, who had not delivered up the copies of
that divine, and prohibited them, notwithstanding their privileges, to preach
to any congregation. Dr. Huss, with some other members of the university, protested against these proceedings, and entered an appeal
from the sentence of the archbishop.
The
affair being made known to the pope, he granted a commission to Cardinal
Colonna, to cite John Huss to appear personally at the court of Rome, to answer
the accusations laid against him, of preaching both errors and heresies. Dr.
Huss desired to be excused from a personal appearance, and was so greatly
favored in Bohemia, that King Winceslaus, the queen, the nobility, and the
university, desired the pope to dispense with such an appearance; as also that
he would not suffer the kingdom of Bohemia to lie under the accusation of
heresy, but permit them to preach the Gospel with freedom in their places of
worship.
Three
proctors appeared for Dr. Huss before Cardinal Colonna. They endeavored to
excuse his absence, and said they were ready to answer in
his behalf. But the cardinal declared Huss contumacious, and
excommunicated him accordingly. The proctors appealed to the pope,
and appointed four cardinals to examine the process: these commissioners
confirmed the former sentence, and extended the excommunication not only to
Huss but to all his friends and followers.
From
this unjust sentence Huss appealed to a future Council, but without success; and, notwithstanding so severe a decree, and an expulsion in
consequence from his church in Prague, he retired to Hussenitz,
his native place, where he continued to promulgate his new doctrine, both from
the pulpit and with the pen.
The
letters which he wrote at this time were very numerous; and he compiled a
treatise in which he maintained, that reading the books of Protestants could
not be absolutely forbidden. He wrote in defence of
Wickliffe's book on the Trinity; and boldly declared against the vices of the
pope, the cardinals, and clergy, of those corrupt times. He wrote also many
other books, all of which were penned with a strength of argument that greatly
facilitated the spreading of his doctrines.
In
the month of November, 1414, a general Council was
assembled at Constance, in Germany, in order, as was pretended, for the sole
purpose of determining a dispute then pending between three persons who
contended for the papacy; but the real motive was to crush the progress of the
Reformation.
John
Huss was summoned to appear at this Council; and, to encourage him, the emperor
sent him a safe-conduct: the civilities, and even reverence, which Huss met
with on his journey were beyond imagination. The streets, and sometimes the
very roads, were lined with people, whom respect,
rather than curiosity, had brought together.
He
was ushered into the town with great acclamations, and it may be said that he
passed through Germany in a kind of triumph. He could not help expressing his
surprise at the treatment he received: "I thought (said
he) I had been an outcast. I now see my worst friends are in
Bohemia."
As
soon as Huss arrived at Constance, he immediately took logdings
in a remote part of the city. A short time after his arrival, came one Stephen
Paletz, who was employed by the clergy at Prague to manage the intended
prosecution against him. Paletz was afterwards joined by Michael de Cassis, on
the part of the court of Rome. These two declared
themselves his accusers, and drew up a set of articles against him, which they
presented to the pope and the prelates of the Council.
When
it was known that he was in the city he was immediately arrested,
and committed prisoner to a chamber in the palace. This violation of
common law and justice was particularly noticed by one of Huss's friends, who
urged the imperial safe-conduct; but the pope replied he never granted any
safe-conduct, nor was he bound by that of the emperor.
While
Huss was in confinement, the Council acted the part of inquisitors.
They
condemned the doctrines of Wickliffe, and even ordered his remains to be dug up
and burned to ashes; which orders were strictly
complied with. In the meantime, the nobility of Bohemia and Poland strongly
interceded for Huss; and so far prevailed as to
prevent his being condemned unheard, which had been resolved on by the
commissioners appointed to try him.
When
he was brought before the Council, the articles exhibited against him were
read: they were upwards of forty in number, and
chiefly extracted from his writings.
John
Huss's answer was this: "I did appeal unto the pope;
who being dead, and the cause of my matter remaining undetermined, I appealed
likewise unto his successor John XXIII: before whom when, by the space of two
years, I could not be admitted by my advocates to defend my cause, I appealed
unto the high judge Christ."
When
John Huss had spoken these words, it was demanded of him whether he had
received absolution of the pope or no? He answered, "No." Then again,
whether it was lawful for him to appeal unto Christ or
no? Whereunto John Huss answered: "Verily I do affirm here before you all,
that there is no more just or effectual appeal, than that appeal which is made
unto Christ, forasmuch as the law doth determine, that to appeal is no other
thing than in a cause of grief or wrong done by an inferior judge, to implore and
require aid at a higher Judge's hand. Who is then a higher Judge than Christ?
Who, I say, can know or judge the matter more justly, or with more equity? when
in Him there is found no deceit, neither can He be deceived; or,
who can better help the miserable and oppressed than He?" While John Huss,
with a devout and sober countenance, was speaking and pronouncing those words,
he was derided and mocked by all the whole Council.
These
excellent sentences were esteemed as so many expressions of treason,
and tended to inflame his adversaries. Accordingly, the bishops
appointed by the Council stripped him of his priestly garments, degraded him,
put a paper miter on his head, on which was painted devils, with this
inscription, "A ringleader of heretics." Which when he saw, he said:
"My Lord Jesus Christ, for my sake, did wear a crown of thorns; why should
not I then, for His sake, again wear this light crown, be it ever so
ignominious? Truly I will do it, and that willingly." When it was set upon
his head, the bishop said: "Now we commit thy soul unto the devil."
"But I," said John Huss, lifting his eyes towards the heaven,
"do commend into Thy hands, O Lord Jesus Christ! my spirit which Thou has
redeemed."
When
the chain was put about him at the stake, he said, with a smiling countenance,
"My Lord Jesus Christ was bound with a harder chain than this for my sake,
and why then should I be ashamed of this rusty one?"
When
the fagots were piled up to his very neck, the duke of Bavaria was so officious
as to desire him to abjure. "No, (said Huss;) I never preached any
doctrine of an evil tendency; and what I taught with my lips I now seal with my
blood." He then said to the executioner, "You are now going to burn a
goose, (Huss signifying goose in the Bohemian language:) but in a century you
will have a swan which you can neither roast nor boil." If he were
prophetic, he must have meant Martin Luther, who shone about a hundred years
after, and who had a swan for his arms.
The
flames were now applied to the fagots, when our martyr sung a hymn with so loud
and cheerful a voice that he was heard through all the cracklings of the
combustibles, and the noise of the multitude. At length his voice was
interrupted by the severity of the flames, which soon closed his existence.
Then,
with great diligence, gathering the ashes together, they cast them into the
river Rhine, that the least remnant of that man should not be left upon the
earth, whose memory, notwithstanding, cannot be abolished out of the minds of
the godly, neither by fire, neither by water, neither by any kind oof torment.
On
his return to Prague, he professed himself an open favorer of Wickliffe, and finding that his doctrines had made
considerable progress in Bohemia, and that Huss was the principal promoter of
them, he became an assistant to him in the great work of reformation.
On
the fourth of April, 1415, Jerome arrived at
Constance, about three months before the death of Huss. He entered the town
privately, and consulting with some of the leaders of his party, whom he found
there, was easily convinced he could not be of any service to his friends.
Finding
that his arrival in Constance was publicly known, and that the Council intended
to seize him, he thought it most prudent to retire. Accordingly, the next day
he went to Iberling, an imperial town, about a mile from Constance. From this
place he wrote to the emperor, and proposed his readiness to appear before the
Council, if he would give him a safe-conduct; but this
was refused. He then applied to the Council, but met
with an answer no less unfavorable than that from the emperor.
After
this, he set out on his return to Bohemia. He had the precaution to take with
him a certificate, signed by several of the Bohemian nobility, then at
Constance, testifying that he had used all prudent means in his power to
procure a hearing.
Jerome,
however, did not thus escape. He was seized at Hirsaw
by an officer belonging to the duke of Sultsbach,
who, though unauthorized so to act, made little doubt of obtaining thanks from
the Council for so acceptable a service.
The
duke of Sultsbach, having Jerome now in his power,
wrote to the Council for directions how to proceed.
The Council, after expressing their obligations to the duke, desired him to
send the prisoner immediately to Constance. The elector palatine met him on the
way, and conducted him into the city, himself riding on horseback, with a
numerous retinue, who led Jerome in fetters by a long chain; and immediately on
his arrival he was committed to a loathsome dungeon.
Jerome
was treated nearly in the same manner as Huss had been, only that he was much
longer confined, and shifted from one prison to another. At length, being
brought before the Council, he desired that he might plead his own cause, and
exculpate himself: which being refused him, he broke out into the following
exclamation:
"What
barbarity is this! For three hundred and forty days have I
been confined in a variety of prisons. There is not a misery,
there is not a want, that I have not experienced. To my enemies you have
allowed the fullest scope of accusation: to me you deny the least opportunity
of defence. Not an hour will you now indulge me in
preparing for my trial. You have swallowed the blackest calumnies against me.
You have represented me as a heretic, without knowing my doctrine; as an enemy
of the faith, before you knew what faith I professed: as a persecutor of
priests before you could have an opportunity of understanding my sentiments on
that head. You are a General Council: in you center all this world can
communicate of gravity, wisdom, and sanctity: but still
you are men, and men are seducible by appearances. The higher your character is
for wisdom, the greater ought your care to be not to
deviate into folly. The cause I now plead is not my own cause: it is the cause
of men, it is the cause of Christians; it is a cause which is to affect the
rights of posterity, however the experiment is to be made in my person."
This
speech had not the least effect; Jerome was obliged to hear the charge read,
which was reduced under the following heads: 1. That he was a derider of the
papal dignity. 2. An opposer of the pope. 3. An enemy to the cardinals. 4. A
persecutor of the prelates. 5. A hater of the Christian religion.
The
trial of Jerome was brought on the third day after his accusation and witnesses
were examined in support of the charge. The prisoner was prepared for his defence, which appears almost incredible, when we consider
he had been three hundred and forty days shut up in
loathsome prisons, deprived of daylight, and almost starved for want of common
necessaries. But his spirit soared above these disadvantages, under which a man
less animated would have sunk; nor was he more at a loss of quotations from the
fathers and ancient authors than if he had been furnished with the finest
library.
The
most bigoted of the assembly were unwilling he should be heard, knowing what
effect eloquence is apt to have on the minds of the most prejudiced. At length,
however, it was carried by the majority that he should have liberty to proceed
in his defence, which he began in such an exalted
strain of moving elocution that the heart of obdurate zeal was seen to melt,
and the mind of superstition seemed to admit a ray of conviction. He made an
admirable distinction between evidence as resting upon
facts, and as supported by malice and calumny. He laid before the assembly the
whole tenor of his life and conduct. He observed that the greatest and most
holy men had been known to differ in points of speculation, with a view to
distinguish truth, not to keep it concealed. He expressed a noble contempt of
all his enemies, who would have induced him to retract the cause of virtue and
truth. He entered upon a high encomium of Huss; and declared he was ready to
follow him in the glorious task of martyrdom. He then touched upon the most
defensible doctrines of Wickliffe; and concluded with observing that it was far
from his intention to advance anything against the state of the Church of God;
that it was only against the abuse of the clergy he complained; and that he
could not help saying, it was certainly impious that the patrimony of the
Church, which was originally intended for the purpose of charity and universal
benevolence, should be prostituted to the pride of the eye, in feasts, foppish
vestments, and other reproaches to the name and profession of Christianity.
The
trial being over, Jerome received the same sentence that had been passed upon
his martyred countryman. In consequence of this, he was, in the usual style of
popish affectation, delivered over to the civil power: but as he was a layman,
he had not to undergo the ceremony of degradation. They had prepared a cap of
paper painted with red devils, which being put upon his head, he said,
"Our Lord Jesus Christ, when He suffered death for me a most miserable
sinner, did wear a crown of thorns upon His head, and for His sake will I wear
this cap."
Two
days were allowed him in hopes that he would recant;
in which time the cardinal of Florence used his utmost endeavors to bring him
over. But they all proved ineffectual. Jerome was resolved to seal the doctrine
with his blood; and he suffered death with the most distinguished magnanimity.
In
going to the place of execution he sang several hymns,
and when he came to the spot, which was the same where Huss had been burnt, he
knelt down, and prayed fervently. He embraced the
stake with great cheerfulness, and when they went behind him to set fire to the
fagots, he said, "Come here, and kindle it before my eyes; for if I had
been afraid of it, I had not come to this place." The fire being kindled,
he sang a hymn, but was soon interrupted by the
flames; and the last words he was heard to say these, "This soul in flames
I offer Christ, to Thee."
The
elegant Pogge, a learned gentleman of Florence, secretary to two popes, and a
zealous but liberal Catholic, in a letter to Leonard Arotin, bore ample
testimony of the extraordinary powers and virtues of Jerome whom he
emphatically styles, A prodigious man!
Winceslaus was
succeeded by Sigismond, his brother, who rendered himself odious to the
reformers; and removed all such as were obnoxious to his government. Zisca and his friends, upon this, immediately flew to arms,
declared war against the emperor and the pope, and laid siege to Pilsen with
40,000 men. They soon became masters of the fortress, and in a short time all
the southwest part of Bohemia submitted, which greatly increased the army of
the reformers. The latter having taken the pass of Muldaw,
after a severe conflict of five days and nights, the emperor became alarmed,
and withdrew his troops from the confines of Turkey, to march them into
Bohemia. At Berne in Moravia, he halted, and sent despatches
to treat of peace, as a preliminary to which Zisca gave up Pilsen and all the fortresses he had taken.
Sigismond proceeding in a manner that clearly manifested he acted on the Roman
doctrine, that no faith was to be kept with heretics, and treating some of the
authors of the late disturbances with severity, the alarm-bell of revolt was
sounded from one end of Bohemia to the other. Zisca
took the castle of Prague by the power of money, and on August 19, 1420,
defeated the small army the emperor had hastily got together to oppose him. He
next took Ausea by assault, and
destroyed the town with a barbarity that disgraced the cause in which he
fought.
Winter
approaching, Zisca fortified his camp on a strong
hill about forty miles from Prague, which he called Mount Tabor, whence he
surprised a body of horse at midnight, and made a thousand men prisoners.
Shortly after, the emperor obtained possession of the strong fortress of Prague,
by the same means Zisca had before done:
it was blockaded by the latter, and want began to
threaten the emperor, who saw the necessity of a retreat.
Determined
to make a desperate effort, Sigismond attacked the fortified camp of Zisca on Mount Tabor, and carried
it with great slaughter. Many other fortresses also fell, and Zisca withdrew to a craggy hill, which he strongly
fortified, and whence he so annoyed the emperor in his approaches against the
town of Prague, that he found he must either abandon
the siege or defeat his enemy. The marquis of Misnia
was deputed to effect this with a large body of
troops, but the event was fatal to the imperialists; they were defeated, and
the emperor having lost nearly one third of his army, retreated from the siege
of Prague, harassed in his rear by the enemy.
In
the spring of 1421, Zisca commenced the campaign, as
before, by destroying all the monasteries in his way. He laid siege to the
castle of Wisgrade, and the emperor coming to relieve
it, fell into a snare, was defeated with dreadful slaughter, and this important
fortress was taken. Our general had now leisure to attend to the work of
reformation, but he was much disgusted with the gross ignorance and
superstition of the Bohemian clergy, who rendered themselves contemptible in
the eyes of the whole army. When he saw any symptoms of uneasiness in the camp,
he would spread alarm in order to divert them, and draw his men into action. In one of these
expeditions, he encamped before the town of Rubi, and while pointing out the
place for an assault, an arrow shot from the wall struck him in the eye. At
Prague it was extracted, but, being barbed, it tore the eye out with it. A
fever succeeded, and his life was with difficulty preserved. He was now totally
blind, but still desirous of attending the army. The emperor, having summoned
the states of the empire to assist him, resolved, with their assistance, to
attack Zisca in the winter, when many of his troops
departed until the return of spring.
The
confederate princes undertook the siege of Soisin,
but at the approach merely of the Bohemian general, they retreated. Sigismond
nevertheless advanced with his formidable army, consisting of 15,000 Hungarian
horse and 25,000 infantry, well equipped for a winter campaign. This army
spread terror through all the
east of Bohemia. Wherever Sigismond marched, the magistrates laid their keys at
his feet, and were treated with severity or favor, according to their merits in
his cause. Zisca, however, with speedy marches, approached, and the emperor
resolved to try his fortune once more with that invincible chief. On the
thirteenth of January, 1422, the two armies met on a
spacious plain near Kremnitz. Zisca
appeared in the center of his front line, guarded, or rather conducted, by a
horseman on each side, armed with a pole-axe. His troops having sung a hymn, with a determined coolness drew their swords, and waited for a signal. When
his officers had informed him that the ranks were all well closed, he waved his
sabre round his head, which was the sign of battle.
This
battle is described as a most awful sight. The extent of the plain
was one continued scene of disorder. The imperial army fled towards the
confines of Moravia, the Taborites, without intermission, galling their rear.
The river Igla, then frozen opposed their flight. The enemy pressing furiously,
many of the infantry and in a manner the whole body of the cavalry, attempted
the river. The ice gave way, and not fewer than two thousand were swallowed up
in the water. Zisca now returned to Tabor, laden with
all the spoils and trophies which the most complete victory could give.
Zisca now
began again to pay attention to the Reformation; he forbid
all the prayers for the dead, images, sacerdotal vestments, fasts, and
festivals. Priests were to be preferred according to their merits, and no one
to be persecuted for religious opinions. In everything
Zisca consulted the liberal minded,
and did nothing without general concurrence. An alarming disagreement
now arose at Prague between the magistrates who were Calixtans,
or receivers of the Sacraments in both kinds, and the Taborites, nine of the
chiefs of whom were privately arraigned, and put to death. The populace,
enraged, sacrificed the magistrates, and the affair terminated without any particular consequence. The Calixtans
having sunk into contempt, Zisca was solicited to
assume the crown of Bohemia; but this he nobly
refused, and prepared for the next campaign, in which Sigismond resolved to
make his last effort. While the marquis of Misnia penetrated into Upper Saxony, the emperor proposed to enter
Moravia, on the side of Hungary. Before the marquis had taken the field, Zisca sat down before the strong town of Aussig, situated on the Elbe. The marquis flew to its
relief with a superior army, and, after an obstinate engagement, was totally
defeated and Aussig capitulated. Zisca
then went to the assistance of Procop, a young
general whom he had appointed to keep Sigismond in check, and whom he compelled
to abandon the siege of Pernitz, after laying eight weeks before it.
Zisca,
willing to give his troops some respite from fatigue, now entered Prague,
hoping his presence would quell any uneasiness that might remain after the late
disturbance: but he was suddenly attacked by the people; and he and his troop
having beaten off the citizens, effected a retreat to his army, whom he
acquainted with the treacherous conduct of the Calixtans.
Every effort of address was necessary to appease their vengeful animosity, and
at night, in a private interview between Roquesan, an
ecclesiastic of great eminence in Prague, and Zisca, the latter became
reconciled, and the intended hostilities were done away.
Mutually
tired of the war, Sigismond sent to Zisca, requesting
him to sheath his sword, and name his conditions. A place of congress being
appointed, Zisca, with his chief officers, set out to
meet the emperor. Compelled to pass through a part of the country where the
plague raged, he was seized with it at the castle of Briscaw,
and departed this life, October 6, 1424. Like Moses, he died in view of the
completion of his labors, and was buried in the great Church of Czaslow, in Bohemia, where a monument is erected to his
memory, with this inscription on it-"Here lies John Zisca, who, having
defended his country against the encroachments of papal tyranny, rests in this
hallowed place, in despite of the pope."
After
the death of Zisca, Procop was defeated, and fell
with the liberties of his country.
After
the death of Huss and Jerome, the pope, in conjunction with the Council of
Constance, ordered the Roman clergy everywhere to excommunicate such as adopted
their opinions, or commiserated their fate.
These
orders occasioned great contentions between the papists and reformed Bohemians,
which was the cause of a violent persecution against the latter. At Prague, the
persecution was extremely severe, until, at length, the reformed being driven
to desperation, armed themselves, attacked the senate-house, and threw twelve
senators, with the speaker, out of the senate-house windows, whose bodies fell
upon spears, which were held up by others of the reformed in the street, to
receive them.
Being
informed of these proceedings, the pope came to Florence, and publicly
excommunicated the reformed Bohemians, exciting the emperor of Germany, and all
kings, princes, dukes, etc., to take up arms, in order to extirpate the whole
race; and promising, by way of encouragement, full remission of all sins
whatever, to the most wicked person, if he did but kill one Bohemian
Protestant.
This
occasioned a bloody war; for several popish princes undertook the extirpation,
or at least expulsion, of the proscribed people; and the Bohemians, arming
themselves, prepared to repel force by force, in the most vigorous and
effectual manner. The popish army prevailing against the Protestant forces at
the battle of Cuttenburgh, the prisoners of the
reformed were taken to three deep mines near that town, and several hundreds
were cruelly thrown into each, where they miserably perished.
A
merchant of Prague, going to Breslau, in Silesia, happened to lodge in the same
inn with several priests. Entering into conversation
upon the subject of religious controversy, he passed many encomiums upon the
martyred John Huss, and his doctrines. The priests taking umbrage at this, laid
an information against him the next morning, and he was committed to prison as
a heretic. Many endeavors were used to persuade him to embrace the Roman
Catholic faith, but he remained steadfast to the pure doctrines of the reformed
Church. Soon after his imprisonment, a student of the
university was committed to the same jail; when, being permitted to converse
with the merchant, they mutually comforted each other. On the day appointed for
execution, when the jailer began to fasten ropes to their feet, by which they
were to be dragged through the streets, the student appeared quite terrified,
and offered to abjure his faith, and turn Roman Catholic if he might be saved.
The offer was accepted, his abjuration was taken by a priest, and he was set at
liberty. A priest applying to the merchant to follow the example of the
student, he nobly said, "Lose no time in hopes of my recantation, your
expectations will be vain; I sincerely pity that poor wretch, who has miserably
sacrificed his soul for a few more uncertain years of a troublesome life; and,
so far from having the least idea of following his example, I glory in the very
thoughts of dying for the sake of Christ." On hearing these words, the
priest ordered the executioner to proceed, and the merchant being drawn through
the city was brought to the place of execution, and there burnt.
Pichel,
a bigoted popish magistrate, apprehended twenty-four Protestants, among whom
was his daughter's husband. As they all owned they
were of the reformed religion, he indiscriminately condemned them to be drowned
in the river Abbis. On the day appointed for the
execution, a great concourse of people attended, among
whom was Pichel's daughter. This worthy wife threw herself at her father's
feet, bedewed them with tears, and in the most pathetic manner, implored him to
commisserate her sorrow, and pardon her husband. The
obdurate magistrate sternly replied, "Intercede not for him, child, he is
a heretic, a vile heretic." To which she nobly answered, "Whatever
his faults may be, or however his opinions may differ from yours, he is still
my husband, a name which, at a time like this, should alone employ my whole
consideration." Pichel flew into a violent passion and said, "You are
mad! cannot you, after the death of this, have a much worthier husband?"
"No, sir, (replied she) my affections are fixed upon this, and death
itself shall not dissolve my marriage vow." Pichel, however, continued
inflexible, and ordered the prisoners to be tied with their hands and feet
behind them, and in that manner be thrown into the river. As soon as this was
put into execution, the young lady watched her opportunity, leaped into the
waves, and embracing the body of her husband, both sank together into one
watery grave. An uncommon instance of conjugal love in a wife, and of an
inviolable attachment to, and personal affection for, her husband.
The
emperor Ferdinand, whose hatred to the Bohemian Protestants was without bounds,
not thinking he had sufficiently oppressed them, instituted a high court of
reformers, upon the plan of the Inquisition, with this difference, that the
reformers were to remove from place to place, and always to be attended by a
body of troops.
These
reformers consisted chiefly of Jesuits, and from their decision, there was no
appeal, by which it may be easily conjectured, that it was a dreadful tribunal
indeed.
This
bloody court, attended by a body of troops, made the tour of Bohemia, in which
they seldom examined or saw a prisoner, suffering the soldiers to murder the
Protestants as they pleased, and then to make a report of the matter to them
afterward.
The
first victim of their cruelty was an aged minister, whom they killed as he lay
sick in his bed; the next day they robbed and murdered another, and soon after
shot a third, as he was preaching in his pulpit.
A
nobleman and clergyman, who resided in a Protestant village, hearing of the
approach of the high court of reformers and the troops, fled from the place,
and secreted themselves. The soldiers, however, on their arrival, seized upon a
schoolmaster, asked him where the lord of that place and the minister were
concealed, and where they had hidden their treasures. The schoolmaster replied
that he could not answer either of the questions. They then stripped him naked,
bound him with cords, and beat him most unmercifully with cudgels. This cruelty
not extorting any confession from him, they scorched him in various parts of
his body; when, to gain a respite from his torments, he promised to show them
where the treasures were hid. The soldiers gave ear to
this with pleasure, and the schoolmaster led them to a ditch full of stones,
saying, "Beneath these stones are the treasures ye seek for." Eager
after money, they went to work, and soon removed those stones, but not finding
what they sought after, they beat the schoolmaster to death, buried him in the
ditch, and covered him with the very stones he had made them remove.
Some
of the soldiers ravished the daughters of a worthy Protestant before his face, and then tortured him to death. A minister and his wife they tied back to back and burnt. Another minister they
hung upon a cross beam, and making a fire under him, broiled him to death. A gentleman they hacked into small pieces, and they filled a
young man's mouth with gunpowder, and setting fire to it, blew his head to
pieces.
As
their principal rage was directed against the clergy, they took a pious
Protestant minister, and tormenting him daily for a month together, in the
following manner, making their cruelty regular, systematic, and progressive.
They
placed him amidst them, and made him the subject of
their derision and mockery, during a whole day's entertainment, trying to
exhaust his patience, but in vain, for he bore the whole with true Christian
fortitude. They spit in his face, pulled his nose, and pinched him in most parts
of his body. He was hunted like a wild beast, until ready to expire with
fatigue. They made him run the gauntlet between two ranks of them, each
striking him with a twig. He was beat with their fists. He was beat with ropes.
They scourged him with wires. He was beat with cudgels. They tied him up by the heels with his head downwards, until the blood
started out of his nose, mouth, etc. They hung him by
the right arm until it was dislocated, and then had it
set again. The same was repeated with his left arm. Burning papers dipped in
oil were placed between his fingers and toes. His flesh was torn with red-hot
pincers. He was put to the rack. They pulled off the nails of his right hand.
The same repeated with his left hand. He was bastinadoed on his feet. A slit
was made in his right ear. The same repeated on his left ear. His nose was
slit. They whipped him through the town upon an ass. They made several
incisions in his flesh. They pulled off the toe nails of his right foot. The
same they repeated with his left foot. He was tied up by the loins,
and suspended for a considerable time. The teeth of his upper jaw were
pulled out. The same was repeated with his lower jaw. Boiling lead was poured
upon his fingers. The same was repeated with his toes. A knotted cord was
twisted about his forehead in such a manner as to force out his eyes.
During
the whole of these horrid cruelties, particular care was taken that his wounds
should not mortify, and not to injure him mortally until the last day, when the
forcing out of his eyes proved his death.
Innumerable
were the other murders and depredations committed by those unfeeling brutes, and shocking to humanity were the cruelties which
they inflicted on the poor Bohemian Protestants. The winter being far advanced,
however, the high court of reformers, with their infernal band of military
ruffians, thought proper to return to Prague; but on their way, meeting with a
Protestant pastor, they could not resist the temptation of feasting their
barbarous eyes with a new kind of cruelty, which had just suggested itself to
the diabolical imagination of one of the soldiers. This was to strip the
minister naked, and alternately to cover him with ice and burning coals. This
novel mode of tormenting a fellow creature was immediately put into practice,
and the unhappy victim expired beneath the torments, which seemed to delight
his inhuman persecutors.
A
secret order was soon after issued by the emperor, for apprehending all
noblemen and gentlemen, who had been principally concerned in supporting the
Protestant cause, and in nominating Frederic elector Palatine of the Rhine, to
be king of Bohemia. These, to the number of fifty, were apprehended in one
night, and at one hour, and brought from the places where they were taken, to
the castle of Prague, and the estates of those who were absent from the kingdom
were confiscated, themselves were made outlaws, and their names fixed upon a gallows, as marks of public ignominy.
The
high court of reformers then proceeded to try the fifty, who had been
apprehended, and two apostate Protestants were appointed to examine them. These
examinants asked a great number of unnecessary and impertinent questions, which
so exasperated one of the noblemen, who was naturally of a warm temper, that he
exclaimed, opening his breast at the same time, "Cut here, search my
heart, you shall find nothing but the love of religion and liberty; those were
the motives for which I drew my sword, and for those I am willing to suffer
death."
As
none of the prisoners would change their religion, or acknowledge they had been
in error, they were all pronounced guilty; but the sentence was referred to the
emperor. When that monarch had read their names, and an account of the
respective accusations against them, he passed judgment on all, but in a
different manner, as his sentences were of four kinds, viz. death, banishment,
imprisonment for life, and imprisonment during pleasure.
Twenty
being ordered for execution, were informed they might send for Jesuits, monks,
or friars, to prepare for the awful change they were to undergo; but that no
Protestants should be permitted to come near them. This proposal they rejected, and strove all they could to comfort and cheer
each other upon the solemn occasion.
On
the morning of the day appointed for the execution, a cannon was fired as a
signal to bring the prisoners from the castle to the principal market place, in
which scaffolds were erected, and a body of troops were drawn up to attend the
tragic scene.
The
prisoners left the castle with as much cheerfulness as if they had been going
to an agreeable entertainment, instead of a violent death.
Exclusive
of soldiers, Jesuits, priests, executioners, attendants, etc., a prodigious
concourse of people attended, to see the exit of these devoted martyrs, who
were executed in the following order.
Lord
Schilik was about fifty years of age, and was
possessed of great natural and acquired abilities. When he was told he was to
be quartered, and his parts scattered in different places, he smiled with great
serenity, saying, "The loss of a sepulchre is
but a trifling consideration." A gentleman who stood by, crying,
"Courage, my lord!" he replied, "I have God's favor, which is
sufficient to inspire any one with courage: the fear of death does not trouble
me; formerly I have faced him in fields of battle to oppose Antichrist; and now
dare face him on a scaffold, for the sake of Christ." Having said a short
prayer, he told the executioner he was ready. He cut off his right hand and his
head, and then quartered him. His hand and his head
were placed upon the high tower of Prague, and his quarters distributed in
different parts of the city.
Lord
Viscount Winceslaus, who had attained the age of seventy years, was equally
respectable for learning, piety, and hospitality. His temper was so remarkably
patient that when his house was broken open, his property seized, and his
estates confiscated, he only said, with great composure, "The Lord hath
given, and the Lord hath taken away." Being asked why he could engage in
so dangerous a cause as that of attempting to support the elector Palatine
Frederic against the power of the emperor, he replied, "I acted strictly
according to the dictates of my conscience, and, to this day, deem him my king.
I am now full of years, and wish to lay down life, that
I may not be a witness of the further evils which are
to attend my country. You have long thirsted for my blood, take it, for God
will be my avenger." Then approaching the block, he stroked his long, grey
beard, and said, "Venerable hairs, the greater honor now attends ye, a
crown of martyrdom is your portion." Then laying down his head, it was
severed from his body at one stroke, and placed upon a
pole in a conspicuous part of the city.
Lord
Harant was a man of good sense, great piety, and much experience gained by
travel, as he had visited the principal places in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Hence he was free from national prejudices and had collected
much knowledge.
The
accusations against this nobleman, were, his being a Protestant, and having
taken an oath of allegiance to Frederic, elector Palatine of the Rhine, as king
of Bohemia. When he came upon the scaffold he said, "I have travelled
through many countries, and traversed various barbarous nations, yet never
found so much cruelty as at home. I have escaped innumerable perils both by sea
and land, and surmounted inconceivable difficulties, to suffer innocently in my
native place. My blood is likewise sought by those for whom I, and my
forefathers, have hazarded our estates; but, Almighty
God! forgive them, for they know not what they do." He then went to the
block, kneeled down, and exclaimed with great energy,
"Into Thy hands, O Lord! I commend my spirit; in Thee have I always
trusted; receive me, therefore, my blessed Redeemer." The fatal stroke was
then given, and a period put to the temporary pains of this life.
Lord
Frederic de Bile suffered as a Protestant, and a promoter of the late war; he
met his fate with serenity, and only said he wished well to the friends whom he
left behind, forgave the enemies who caused his death, denied the authority of
the emperor in that country, acknowledged Frederic to be the only true king of
Bohemia, and hoped for salvation in the merits of his blessed Redeemer.
Lord
Henry Otto, when he first came upon the scaffold, seemed greatly confounded,
and said, with some asperity, as if addressing himself to the emperor,
"Thou tyrant Ferdinand, your throne is established in blood; but if you
will kill my body, and disperse my members, they shall still rise up in
judgment against you." He then was silent, and having walked about for
some time, seemed to recover his fortitude, and growing calm, said to a
gentleman who stood near, "I was, a few minutes since, greatly discomposed,
but now I feel my spirits revive; God be praised for affording me such comfort;
death no longer appears as the king of terrors, but seems to invite me to
participate of some unknown joys." Kneeling before the block, he said,
"Almighty God! to Thee I commend my soul, receive it for the sake of
Christ, and admit it to the glory of Thy presence." The executioner put
this nobleman to considerable pain, by making several strokes before he severed
the head from the body.
The
earl of Rugenia was distinguished for his superior abilities, and unaffected
piety. On the scaffold he said, "We who drew our swords fought only to
preserve the liberties of the people, and to keep our consciences sacred: as we
were overcome, I am better pleased at the sentence of death, than if the
emperor had given me life; for I find that it pleases God to have his truth
defended, not by our swords, but by our blood." He then went boldly to the
block, saying, "I shall now be speedily with Christ," and received
the crown of martyrdom with great courage.
Sir
Gaspar Kaplitz was eighty-six years of age. When he came to the place of
execution, he addressed the principal officer thus: "Behold a miserable
ancient man, who hath often entreated God to take him out of this wicked world,
but could not until now obtain his desire, for God reserved me until these
years to be a spectacle to the world, and a sacrifice to himself; therefore
God's will be done." One of the officers told him, in consideration of his
great age, that if he would only ask pardon, he would
immediately receive it. "Ask pardon, (exclaimed he) I will ask pardon of
God, whom I have frequently offended; but not of the emperor, to whom I never
gave any offence; should I sue for pardon, it might be justly suspected I had
committed some crime for which I deserved this condemnation. No, no, as I die
innocent, and with a clear conscience, I would not be separated from this noble
company of martyrs:" so saying, he cheerfully resigned his neck to the
block.
Procopius
Dorzecki on the scaffold said, "We are now under the emperor's judgment;
but in time he shall be judged, and we shall appear as witnesses against
him." Then taking a gold medal from his neck, which was struck when the
elector Frederic was crowned king of Bohemia, he presented it to one of the
officers, at the same time uttering these words, "As a dying man, I
request, if ever King Frederic is restored to the throne of Bohemia, that you
will give him this medal. Tell him, for his sake, I wore it until death, and
that now I willingly lay down my life for God and my king." He then
cheerfully laid down his head and submitted to the fatal blow.
Dionysius
Servius was brought up a Roman Catholic, but had
embraced the reformed religion for some years. When upon the scaffold the
Jesuits used their utmost endeavors to make him recant, and return to his
former faith, but he paid not the least attention to their exhortations. Kneeling down he said, "They may destroy my body, but
cannot injure my soul, that I commend to my Redeemer"; and then patiently
submitted to martyrdom, being at that time fifty-six years of age.
Valentine
Cockan, was a person of
considerable fortune and eminence, perfectly pious and honest, but of trifling
abilities; yet his imagination seemed to grow bright, and his faculties to
improve on death's approach, as if the impending danger refined the
understanding. Just before he was beheaded, he expressed himself with such
eloquence, energy, and precision as greatly amazed those who knew his former
deficiency in point of capacity.
Tobias
Steffick was remarkable for his affability and
serenity of temper.
He
was perfectly resigned to his fate, and a few minutes before his death spoke in
this singular manner, "I have received, during the whole course of my
life, many favors from God; ought I not therefore cheerfully to take one bitter
cup, when He thinks proper to present it? Or rather, ought I not to rejoice
that it is his will I should give up a corrupted life for that of
immortality!"
Dr.
Jessenius, an able student of physic, was accused of having spoken
disrespectful words of the emperor, of treason in swearing allegiance to the
elector Frederic, and of heresy in being a Protestant. For the first accusation
he had his tongue cut out; for the second he was beheaded; and for the third,
and last, he was quartered, and the respective parts exposed on poles.
Christopher
Chober, as soon as he stepped upon the scaffold said, "I come in the name
of God, to die for His glory; I have fought the good fight,
and finished my course; so, executioner, do your office." The
executioner obeyed, and he instantly received the crown of martyrdom.
No
person ever lived more respected or died more lamented than John Shultis. The
only words he spoke, before receiving the fatal stroke, were, "The
righteous seem to die in the eyes of fools, but they only go to rest. Lord
Jesus! Thou hast promised that those who come to Thee shall not be cast off.
Behold, I am come; look on me, pity me, pardon my
sins, and receive my soul."
Maximilian
Hostialick was famed for his learning, piety, and
humanity.
When
he first came on the scaffold, he seemed exceedingly terrified at the approach
of death. The officer taking notice of his agitation, Hostialick
said, "Ah! sir, now the sins of my youth crowd upon my mind, but I hope
God will enlighten me, lest I sleep the sleep of death and lest mine enemies
say we have prevailed." Soon after he said, "I hope my repentance is
sincere, and will be accepted, in which case the blood of Christ will wash me
from my crimes." He then told the officer he should repeat the Song of
Simeon; at the conclusion of which the executioner might do his duty. He accordingly, said, "Lord,
now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace,
according to Thy word: For mine eyes have seen Thy
salvation;" at which words his head was struck off at one blow.
When
John Kutnaur came to the place of execution, a Jesuit said to him,
"Embrace the Roman Catholic faith, which alone can save and arm you
against the terrors of death." To which he replied, "Your
superstitious faith I abhor, it leads to perdition, and I wish for no other
arms against the terrors of death than a good conscience." The Jesuit
turned away, saying, sarcastically, "The Protestants are impenetrable
rocks." "You are mistaken," said Kutnaur,
"it is Christ that is the Rock, and we are firmly fixed upon Him."
This
person not being born independent, but having acquired
a fortune by a mechanical employment, was ordered to be hanged. Just before he
was turned off, he said, "I die, not for having committed any crime, but
for following the dictates of my own conscience, and defending my country and
religion."
Simeon
Sussickey was father-in-law to Kutnaur, and like him,
was ordered to be executed on a gallows. He went
cheerfully to death, and appeared impatient to be executed, saying, "Every
moment delays me from entering into the Kingdom of Christ."
Nathaniel
Wodnianskey was hanged for having supported the
Protestant cause, and the election of Frederic to the crown of Bohemia. At the
gallows, the Jesuits did all in their power to induce him to renounce his
faith. Finding their endeavors ineffectual, one of them said, "If you will
not adjure your heresy, at least repent of your rebellion?" To which Wodnianskey replied, "You take away our lives under a
pretended charge of rebellion; and, not content with that, seek to destroy our
souls; glut yourselves with blood, and be satisfied; but tamper not with our
consciences."
Wodnianskey's own
son then approached the gallows, and said to his father, "Sir, if life
should be offered to you on condition of apostasy, I entreat you to remember Christ, and reject such pernicious overtures." To this
the father replied, "It is very acceptable, my son, to be exhorted to
constancy by you; but suspect me not; rather endeavor to confirm in their faith
your brothers, sisters, and children, and teach them to imitate that constancy
of which I shall leave them an example." He had so sooner concluded these
words than he was turned off, receiving the crown of martyrdom with great
fortitude.
Winceslaus
Gisbitzkey, during his whole confinement, had great hopes of life given him,
which made his friends fear for the safety of his soul. He, however, continued
steadfast in his faith, prayed fervently at the gallows, and met his fate with
singular resignation.
Martin
Foster was an ancient cripple; the accusations against whom were, being
charitable to heretics, and lending money to the elector Frederic. His great
wealth, however, seemed to have been his principal crime; and that he might be
plundered of his treasures was the occasion of his
being ranked in this illustrious list of martyrs.
Chapter 9 - Life and Persecutions of Martin Luther