take, changed about face, and soon a complete reconciliation was effected between himself and his illustrious chief. After that Žižka wrote to the people of Prague as follows:
“With God’s help, Amen!
“May it please you to hear, Lords and Brethren, that we, together with the Taborite brethren, have accepted his Princely Grace as our helper and the chief ruler of this realm. We desire to grant His Grace willing obedience; and, with God’s grace, in all lawful measures to be helpful to him. We also beg you, that henceforth ye lay aside all anger, ill-will, and hatred, and finally forgive each other, so that ye can honestly pray: ‘Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.’ But if ye still refuse to do this, quarreling among yourselves and raising riots, then know that after this day, we, with God’s help, together with His Grace our King, and with the help of all the faithful, mean to see to it that due vengeance is meted out, let the offender be whosoever he will. . . . See to it that ye obey the authorities, and love each other as one man; for then God will be with us and his holy grace, and he will grant us success in eyery good undertaking.
The reconciliation between Sigmund Corvinus and Žižka was so sincere, that they addressed each other by the titles of father and son; but all the Taborite chiefs were not so magnanimous, and from this trouble came later.
THE SIEGE OF CARLSTEIN.
As soon as peace and good order were established in the city of Prague, the king determined to lay siege to Carlstein. This fortress, built by Charles IV, was situated upon a precipitous height, and built so strong as to be impregnable to all the engines of war then in use. Here were kept the crown, crown jewels, and
