Chapter XIII

FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE BOHEMIAN BROTHERHOOD TO THE ACCESSION
OF FERDINAND I. TO THE THRONE OF BOHEMIA 341-373

(1419-1526.)

Parallels between English and Bohemian history--Likeness
and difference between the Bohemian Brothers and
the English “Friends”--Contrast between English and
Bohemian traditions--Peter of Chelc̆ic--His early career--Relations
with Rokycana--Change of Rokycana’s policy
towards the Brothers--Gregory persecuted by Rokycana--Organisation
of the Brotherhood--Further persecutions--Death
of George and accession of Ladislaus II.--Denunciations
by the “Masters” of Prague--Death of Gregory--His
warnings to the Brothers--Growth of the Brotherhood--Lukas
of Prague--Struggle between Lukas and Amos of
S̆tekna--The compromise with the world--New persecutions--Bohuslav
of Hassenstein--Amos’s denunciations--Ladislaus
offends the Constitutionalists--The protectors
of the Brotherhood--The examination at Prague--The
Printing Press--Ladislaus’s appeal to Moravia, and its
repulse--Persecution in Bohemia--Erasmus and the Brothers--Death
of Ladislaus--Decline of freedom in Bohemia--The
struggle between the towns and the nobles--King
Louis--Lev of Roz̆mital and Pas̆ek of Wrat--Louis’s reforms--Luther’s
appearance--Luther and Hus--Luther’s
warnings to the Utraquists--Gallus Cahera--Pas̆ek’s new
intrigues--The tyranny in Prague--Louis’s vain resistance--Lev
of Roz̆mital and Henry of Rosenberg--The Turkish
invasion--Louis’s vain appeal--His flight and death--Battle
of Mohács--Election of Ferdinand I.