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Krivoklat (Pürglitz) [Purgell]

Czech Republic

Coordinates: 50° 1' 60" N, 13° 52' 60" E

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Lutemperge

Moravia, Czech Republic

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Podebrady [Poggiebras] nr Elbe

Czech Republic

Coordinates: 50° 8' 0" N, 15° 7' 0" E

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Rokycany (Rokitzan) [Rochezana]

Czech Republic

Coordinates: 49° 44' 33" N, 13° 35' 44" E

more enuied amongst the states of Boheme. And the Cōsuls of Prage beeing agreeued at the insolencie of Iohn Premonstratensis,MarginaliaIoānes Premōstratensis. called him and nine other of his adherents, whome they supposed to be the principals of thys faction, into the Councell house, as though they woulde conferre with them as touching the common wealth: and when they were come in, MarginaliaThe martirdome of certaine goldy Bohemians falsely circūuented and killed with sword.they slew them, and afterwarde departed home euery man to his owne house, thinking the Citite had bene quiet, as though nothing had bin done: But their seruaunts beeing not circumspect inough, washing downe the court or yarde, washed out also the bloud of those that were slaine, through the sinkes or canels:MarginaliaPriuie murther at length commeth out. the which being once seene, the people vnderstood what was done. By and by there was a great tumult: the Councell house was straightway ouerthrowne, and eleuen of the principall Citizens, whiche were thought to be the authours thereof, were slaine, and diuers houses spoiled.

About the same time, the Castell of Purgell, wherein the Emperour had left a small garrison (whether as also many Papistes with their wiues and children were fledd) was thorough negligēce burned, and those which escaped out of the fire, went vnto Pelsina. After this, diuers of the Bohemian Captaines, and þ^e Senate of Prage, sent Ambassadours to Vitolde Duke of Lituania, and made hym their king. This did Zisca and his adherentes gainesay. This Vitold sent Sigismūd Coributus, with two thousand horsemen into Boheme, who was honourably receiued of the inhabitants of Prage. At his comming they determined to lay siege vnto a Castle situate vppon a hill, which was called Charles stone.

Heere Sigismundus had left for a garrison foure Centurions of souldiours. The tentes were pitched in iij. places. The siege continued vj. moneths, and þ^e assault neuer ceased day and night. Fiue great slyngs threw continually great stones ouer þ^e walles, and about two thousand vessels, tubbs, or baskets, filled with dead carcases and other excrements, were cast in amongest those which were besieged: MarginaliaStench very hurtfull for the teeth.whiche thing did so infect them with stench, that their teeth did either fall out or were all lose. Notwithstāding they bare it out with stout courage, & continued their fight vntill the Winter, hauing priuily receiued medicine out of Prage, to fasten their teeth againe.

In the meane time Fridericke the elder, prince of Brādenburge entring into Boheme with a great power, caused them of Prage to raise the siege. And Vitoldus at the request of Vladislaus king 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 þ^e Emperour supposed þ^t the Protestāts being destitute of foreine aid, would þ^e sooner do his commandement: but we was farre deceiued therein, for they leading their armies out of Boheme, subdued þ^e borderers thereupon adioining. MarginaliaAn other warlike pollicy of Zischa.It is also reported þ^t Zisca went into Austrich, and whē as the husbandmē of the countrey had caried away a great number of their cattell by water into an Isly of the riuer called Danubius, and by chaunce had left certaine calues and wine in their Villages behind them: MarginaliaStratagema.Zisca draue them vnto the riuer side, and kept thē there so long, beating them, and causing thē to roare out and cry, vntill that the cattell feeding in the Iland, hearingt þ^e lowing and grunting of the cattell on the other side the water, for the desire of their like, did swimme ouer the riuer: by the meanes whereof, he got and draue away a great booty.

About the same time the Emperour Sigismūdus gaue vnto his sonne in law Albert Duke of Austrich, the countrey of Morauia, because it should not want a ruler. At the same time also Ericius king of Denmarke, & Peter Infant, brother to þ^e king of Portingal and father of Iames, Cardinall of S. Eustachius, came vnto þ^e Emperour, being both very expert men in the affaires of warre: which did augment þ^e Emperours host with their aid and power. Wherupon, they straightway pitched their camp before Lutemperge, a towne of Morauia, and continued the siege by the space of iij. moneths. There was at that time a certaine Knight at Prage surnamed Aqua, which was very rich and of great authority. This mā, forsomuch as he had no child 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 France, Spayne, and Italy, and vnto Ierusalem, and at his returne caused hym to be made Priest. This man when the Gospell began to flourish in Boheme, tooke part with Zisca, and for somuch as he was strong and valiant, and also painefull, he was greatly esteemed.

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

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

At the last, dissention rising betweene Zisca and them of Prage, they of Prage prepared an army against him, wher with he perceiuing himselfe ouermatched, fled vnto þ^e Riuer of Albis and was almost takē, but that he had passage through the town of Poggiebras, but they of Prage pursuing the taile of þ^e battaile, slue many of his Thaborites. MarginaliaThe battaile betweene the citie of Prage & Zisca.At the length they came vnto certaine hils, whereas Zisca going into the valley, knowing the straights of the place, that his enimies could not spread their army, he commanded his standered to stand still, and exhorting and encouraging his souldiours, he gaue them battaile.

This battaile was very fierce and cruell: but Zisca hauing the vpper hande, slue 3000. of them of Prage, and put the rest to flight, MarginaliaThe noble victory of Zisca.and straightwaies tooke the Citie of Cuthna by force (which they of Prage had repaired) and set it on fire: then withall speed he went with his army to besiege Prage, and incamped within a bowe shoote of the towne.MarginaliaZisca besiegeth Prage. There wer many both in the City, and also in his host which grudged sore at þ^t siege: some accusing Zisca, othersome them of Prage. There was great tumultes in the campe, þ^e souldiours saieng that it was not reasonable, that the City should be suppressed, which was both the head of the kingdome, and did not dissent frō them in opinion: saieng that þ^e Bohemians power would soone decay, if their enimies should know þ^t 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 amongst themselues. This talke came vnto the eare of Zisca, who calling together his armie, standyng vpon a place to be heard, spake these words.

MarginaliaA notable oration of Zisca to his souldiours.Brethren be yee not agreeued against me, neither accuse hym which hath sought your health and sauegard. The victories which ye haue obteined vnder my conduict, are yet fresh in memorie, neither haue I broughte you at anye time 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. Nothing haue I gotten by all these fortunate battailes, but only a vaine name. For you haue I fought, and for you haue I vanquished, neither do I repente me of my trauailes, neyther is my blindnesse greeuous vnto me, but onely that I can not prouide for you, according to my accustomed manner: Neither do I persecute them of Prage for mine owne cause, for it is your bloud that they thirst and seeke for, and not mine. It were but small pleasure for them to destroy me being now an old man and blinde: it is your valiantnesse and stout stomackes which they feare. Either must you or they perish: who whilest they seeme to lye in wait for me, do seeke after your liues. You must rather feare ciuill warres then foreine, and ciuill sedition ought first to be auoided. We will subdue Prage, and banish the seditious Citizens, before the Emperour shall haue any newes of this sedition. And then hauing but a few of his faction left, we may wyth 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 liue in quietnesse, I will not be against it, so that there be no treason wrought. If you determine to haue warre, I am also readie. Looke which part you will decline vnto, Zisca will be your ayde and helper.

When he had spoken these words, the souldiours minds were changed,MarginaliaThe hartes of the souldiours altered by the oratiō of Zisca. and wholly determined to make wars, so that they ran by and by to take vp their armour and weapon, to run vnto the walles to prouoke their enemies to fight for the gates of the citie. Zisca in the meane time prepared all things ready for the assault. There is a litle from Pelsina acertain vilage named Rochezana. In this place, there was a child borne of poore and base parētage, whose