horsemen beyng broke, deuoured and destroyed a great nūber. MarginaliaZisca destroyeth images & idolls in churches.Zisca hauyng obtayned this victory, would not suffer any image or idoll to be in the Churches, neyther thought it to be borne wyth all, that Priestes should minister wyth copes or vestimentes: for the which cause he was much the more enuied amongest the states of Boheme. MarginaliaIoannes Premonstratensis.And the Cōsuls of Prage being agreued at the insolēcy of Iohn Premonstratensis, called hym and. ix. other of hys adherentes, whom theyMarginaliaThe martyrdome of certaine godly Bohemians falsely circumuented and killed with sworde.supposed to be the principalles of this faction, into the coūsell house, as though they would conferre with them as touching the common wealth: and whē they were come in, they slew them, and afterward departed home euery man to hys owne house, thinking the Citie had bene quiet, as though nothyng had bene done: MarginaliaPriuie murther at length commeth out.But their seruantes beyng not circumspect inough, washing downe the court or yarde, washed out also the bloud of those that were slayne, through the sinkes or canels: the which being once sene, the people vnderstood what was done. By and by there was a great tumult: the councell house was straight way ouerthrowne, and a. xi. of the the principall Citizēs, which were thought to be the authours therof, were slayne, and diuers houses spoyled.

About the same tyme the Castle of Purgell, wherein the Emperour had left a small garrison (whether as also many Papistes with their wiues and children were fled) was throughe negligence burned, and those which escaped out of the fire, went vnto Pelsina. After this, diuers of the Bohemian Captaines and the Senate of Prage sent Ambassadours to Vitolde Duke of Lituania, and made hym their kyng. This did Zisca and his adherentes gayne say. This Vitold sent Sigismund Coributus with two thousand horsmen into Boheme, who was honourably receiued of the inhabitantes of Prage. At his commyng they determined to lay siege vnto a castle situate vpō a hill, which was called Charles stone.

Here Sigismundus had left for a garrison foure Centurions of soldiours. The tentes were pitched in. iij. places. The siege continued. vi. monethes, and the assault neuer ceased day and night. Fiue great slynges threw continually great stones ouer the walles, and about two thousand vessels, tubs, or basketes, filled with dead carcases and other excrementes, were cast in amongest those which were besieged: MarginaliaStench very hurtfull for the teeth.whiche thyng did so infect them with stench, that their teeth did either fall out, or were all lose. Notwithstandyng they bare it out with stout courage, & continued their fight vntill the winter, hauyng priuily receiued medicine out of Prage, to fasten their teeth agayne.

In the meane tyme Friderike the elder, prince of Brādenburge entryng into Boheme with a great power, caused them of Prage to raise the siege. And Vitoldus at the request of Vladislaus kyng of Pole, which had talked with the Emperour in the borders of Hungary, called Coributus his vncle with his whole army out of Boheme. Wherupon the Emperour supposed that the Protestantes being destitute of foreine ayde, would the sooner do his cōmaūdement: but he was farre deceiued therein, for they leadyng their armyes out of Boheme, subdued the borderers therupō adioyning. It is also reported that Zisca went into Austrich, and when as the husbandmen of the countrey had caried away a great number of their cattell by water into an Ily of the riuer called Danubius, and by chaunce had left certaine calues and swyne in their Villages behynde them: MarginaliaAn other warlike policiy of Zisca.Zisca draue them vnto the riuer side, and kept them there so long, beatyng them, and causing them to roare out and cry, vntill that the cattell feeding in the Iland, hearyng the lowyng and gruntyng of the cattell on the other side the water, for the desire of their lyke, did swimme ouer the riuer: MarginaliaStratagema.by the meanes wherof he got and draue away a great booty.

About the same time the Emperour Sigismundus gaue vnto his sonne in law Albert Duke of Austrich, the countrey of Morauia because it should not want a ruler. At the same tyme also Ericius kyng of Dēmarke, and Peter Infant, brother to the kyng of Portingall & father of Iames, Cardinall of S. Eustachius, came vnto the Emperour, beyng both very expert men in the affaires of warre: which did augment the Emperours host with their aide and power. Wherupon, they straightway pitched their campe before Lutemperge, a towne of Morauia, and continued the siege by the space of iij. monthes. There was at that time a certaine knight at Prage surnamed Aqua, which was very rich and of great authority. This man, for somuch as he had no childe of his owne, adopted vnto him his sisters sonne, named Procopius: whom when he was of meane stature and age, he caried with him into Fraunce, Spayne, and Italy, and vnto Ierusalem, and at his returne caused hym to be made Priest. This man when the Gospell began to flo-rish in Boheme, tooke part wyth Zisca, and for somuch as he was strong and valiannt, and also paynefull, he was greatly esteemed.

MarginaliaProcopius Magnus.This Procopius for his valiaunt actes was afterward called Procopius Magnus, and had committed vnto hym the whole charge of the prouince of Morauia, and the defence of the Lutemperges: MarginaliaThe valiant courage of Procopius.who receiuyng a great power by force (maugre all the whole power which lay in the siege) caryed vitailes into the towne which was besieged, and so did frustrate the Emperours siege. The Emperour before this had deliuered vnto the Marquesses of Misnia the bridge & towne of Ausca, vpon the riuer of Albis, that they should fortifie them with their garrisons. Wherupon Zisca besieged Ausca, and Friderike the Marquesse of Misnia, with his brother the Lantzgraue of Turyng, gatheryng together a great army out of Saxonia, Turyng, Misnia, and both the Lusaces, determined to rescue & ayde those which were besieged.

MarginaliaThe victory of the protestantes.There was a great battaile fought before the Citie, and the victory depended long vncertaine, but at last it fell on the Protestantes part. There were slayne in that battaile, the Burgraues of Misnia or Chyrpogenses, the Barons of Glychen, and many other nobles, beside ix. thousand common souldiours, and the Towne of Auska was taken and vtterly rased.

At the last dissension rising betwene Zisca and them of Prage, they of Prage prepared an army agaynst him, wherwith he perceiuyng himselfe ouermatched, fled vnto the Riuer of Albis and was almost taken, but that he had passage through the towne of Poggiebras, but they of Prage pursuing 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 hils, whereas Zisca goyng into the valley, knowyng the straightes of the place, that his enemies could not spread their army, he commaunded his standerd to stand still, and exhortyng and encouragyng his souldiours, hee gaue them battaile.

MarginaliaThe noble victory 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 (which they of Prage had repayred) and 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 that it was not reasonable, that 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 enemyes should know that they were deuided within themselues: also that they had sufficient warres agaynst the Emperour, and that it was but a foolish deuise to moue warres amongest themselues. This talke came vnto the eare of Zisca, who callyng together his army, standyng vpō a place to be heard, spake these wordes.

MarginaliaA notable oration of Zisca to his souldiours.BRethr? be ye not agreued agaynst me, neither accuse him which hath sought your health and sauegard. The victories which ye haue obtayned vnder my conduict, are yet fresh in memory, neither haue I brought you at any tyme vnto any place, from whence you haue not come victours. You are become famous and rich, and I for your sake haue lost my sight and dwell in darkenesse. Nothyng haue I gotten by all these fortunate battailes, but onely a vayne name. For you haue I fought, and for you haue I vāquished, 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 myne owne cause, for it is your bloud that they thirst and seeke for, and not myne. It were but small pleasure for them, to destroy me beyng now an old man and blynd: it is your valiauntnes and stoute stomackes whiche they feare. Either must you or they perish: who whilest they seeme to lye in wayt for me, do seeke after your lyues. You must rather feare ciuill warres then foreine, and ciuill sedition ought first to be auoyded. We will subdue Prage, and banish the seditious Citizens, before the Emperour shall haue any newes of this sedition. And then hauyng but a few of his faction left, we may with the lesse feare looke for it: better then if these doubtfull Citizens of Prage were still in our campe. But because ye shall accuse me no more, I geue you free libertie to do what you will. If it please you to suffer them of Prage to lyue in quyernesse, I will not be agaynst it, so that there be no treason wrought. If you determine to haue warre, I am also ready.