rauia, and cōtinued the siege by þ^e space of iij. monthes. There was at that tyme a certayn knight at Prage surnamed Aqua, which was very riche and of great authority. This man, for so muche as he had no childe of hys owne, adopted vnto hym hys sisters sonne, named Procopius: whom when he was of meane stature and age, he caryed wyth hym into Frannce, Spayne, and Italy, and vnto Ierusalem, and at hys retourne caused hym to bee made priest. Thys man when the Gospell began to florish in Boheme, tooke part wyth Zisca, and forsomuche as he was strong and valiannt, and also paynefull, he was greatly esteemed.

MarginaliaProcopius Magnus.Thys Procopius for hys valiaunt actes was afterwarde called Procopius Magnus, and hadde committed vnto hym the whole charge of the prouince of Morauia, and the defence of the Lotemperges: MarginaliaThe valiant courage of Procopius.who receyuyng a greate power by force (maugre all the whole power whiche laye in the siege) caryed vitayles into the towne whiche was besieged, and so dyd frustrate the Emperours siege. The Emperour before this had delyuered vnto the Marquesses of Misnia the bridge and towne of Auska, vppon the ryuer of Albis, that they should fortifye them wyth their garrisons. Wherupon Zisca besieged Ausca, and Friderike the Marques of Misnia, with hys brother the Lantzgraue of Turing, gatheryng together a great army out of Saxonia, Turing, Misnia, and both the Lusaces, determyned to rescue and ayde those which were besieged.

MarginaliaThe victorye of the protestantes.There was a great battayle fought before the city, and the victory depended long vncertayne, but at last it fell on the Protestantes parte. There were slayne in that battayle, the Burgraues of Misnia or Chyrpogenses, the Barons of Glychen, and many other nobles, besyde ix. thousand common souldiours, and the towne of Auska was taken and vtterly rased.

At the last dissension rysing betwene Zisca and them of Prage, they of Prage prepared an army agaynst him, wherewith he perceiuyng him selfe ouermatched, fled vnto the riuer of Albis and was almost taken, but that he had passage through þ^e towne of Poggiebras, but they of Prage pursuyng the tayle of the battaile, slue many of his Thaborites. MarginaliaThe battail betwene the citie of Prage and Zisca.At the length they came vnto certaine hilles, wheras Zisca goyng into the valley, knowyng the straights of the place, that his enemies could not spread theyr army, he commaunded his standerd to stand still, and exhortyng and encouragyng his souldiours, hee gaue them battaile.

MarginaliaThe noble victorye of Zisca.This battaile was very fierce and cruell: but Zisca hauyng the vpper hand, slue. 3000. of them of Prage, and put the rest to flight, and straightwayes tooke the Citie of Cuthna by force (whiche they of Prage had repaired) & set it on fire: then withall spede he went with his army to besiege Prage, and incamped within a bowe shote of the towne. There were many both in the Citie, and also in his host which grudged sore at that siege: some accusing Zisca, other some them of Prage. There was great tumultes in the camp, the souldiours saying þ^t it was not reasonable, þ^t that Citie should be suppressed, which was both the head of the kyngdome, and did not dissent from them in opinion: saying that the Bohemians power would soone decay, if their enemies should know that they were deuided within them selues: also that they had sufficient warres agaynst the Emperour, and that it was but a folish deuise to moue warres amōgest them selues. This talke came vnto the eare of Zisca, who callyng together his army, standyng vpon a place to be heard, spake these wordes.

MarginaliaA notable oration of Zisca to his souldiours.BRethrē be ye not agreued against me, neither accuse hym whiche hath sought your health and sauegard. The victories whiche ye haue obtained vnder my conduict, are yet freshe in memory, neither haue I broughtyou at any tyme vnto any place, from whence you haue not come victours. You are become famous and riche, and I for your sake haue lost my sight & dwell in darkenesse. Nothing haue I gotten by all these fortunate battailes, but onely a vayne name. For you haue I fought, and for you haue I vanquished, neither do I repent me of my trauailes, neither is my blyndnesse greuous vnto me, but onely that I can not prouide for you accordyng to my accustomed maner: Neither do I persecute them of Prage for mine owne cause, for it is your bloud that they thirste and seeke for, and not myne. It were but small pleasure for them, to destroy me beyng now an old man and blinde: it is your valiauntnes and stout stomackes whiche they feare. Either must you or they perishe: who whilest they seme to lye in wayte for me, do seke after your lyues. You must rather feare ciuill warres then foreine, and ciuill sedition ought first to be auoyded. We will subdue Prage, and banishe the seditious Citizens, before the Emperour shall haue any newes of this sedition. And then hauyng but a fewe of his faction left, we may with the lesse feare looke for it: better then if these doubtful Citizens of Prage were still in our campe. But because ye shal accuse me no more, I geue you free libertie to doo what you will. If it please you to suffer them of Prage to lyue in quietnesse, I will not be agaynst it, so that there bee no treason wrought. If you determine to haue warre, I am also ready. Loke whiche parte you will decline vnto, Zisca will be your ayde and helper.

MarginaliaThe hartes of the souldiours altered by the oration of Zisca.When he had spoken these woordes, the souldiours mindes were chaūged, and wholly determined to make warres, so that they ran by and by to take vp theyr armour and weapon, to runne vnto the walles to prouoke theyr enemies to fight for the gates of the Citie. Zisca in þ^e meane tyme prepared all thynges ready for þ^e assault. There is a litle frō Pelsina a certain village named Rochezana. In this place, there was a child borne of poore & base parentage, whose name was Iohn: he came vnto Prage and got his liuing there by beggyng, and learned Gramer and Logicke. Whē he came to mans state, he became the Scholemaster of a noble mās child: and for somuch as he was of an excellent wyt and ready tōgue, he was receiued into the colledge of the poore, and last of all beyng made priest, he began to preache the worde of God to the Citizēs of Prage, and was named Iohannes de Rochezana, by the name of the towne where he was borne. MarginaliaPeace betwene Zisca & Prage by the meanes of Ioan de Rochezana.This man grewe to be of great name and authoritie in the towne of Prage. Wherupō when as Zisca besieged Prage, he by the consent of the Citizens went out into the Campe, & reconciled Zisca agayne vnto the city.

MarginaliaThe Emperour glad to be reconciled with Zisca.When as the Emperour perceyued that all thinges came to passe accordyng vnto Zisca his will and mynde, and that vpon him alone the whole state of Boheme did depēd, he sought priuy meanes to recōcile and get Zisca into his fauour, promising him the gouernaunce of the whole kyngdome, the guidyng of all his hostes and armies, & great yearely reuenues, if he would proclaime him kyng, and cause the Cities to be sworne vnto hym. Vppon whiche conditions, when as Zisca for the performaunce of the couenauntes went vnto the Emperour beyng on his iorney at the Castle of Priscouia, hee was stricken with sickenesse and dyed.

MarginaliaThe death of Zisca.It is reported, that when he was demaunded beyng sicke, in what place hee would be buryed, MarginaliaThe wordes of Zisca at hys death.he commaunded the skinne to be pulled of from his dead carkase, and the fleshe to bee caste vnto the foules and beastes, and that a drumme should bee made of hys skinne, whiche they should vse in their battailes, affirmyng that assone as theyr enemyes should heare the sound of that drum, they would not abyde, but take theyr flight. The Thaborites despising all other Images, yet set vp the Picture of Zisca ouer the gates of the Citie.