Page:The History of the Bohemian Persecution (1650).djvu/78

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64
The Hiſtory of

that in the year, 1476. they indeavoured by a moſt impudent invention, to ſtirre up againſt them the hatred of all men. They had ſuborned a moſt light man, by art a Polender, by name Lezka, which if you interpret it ſignifies a lyar, the ſound agreeing with the thing, who upholding that he came from the Piccardins, and was an Elder amongſt them, would ſeem to diſcover wonderfull ſecrets, as how in their conventicles they would blaſpheme God, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints, traduce the Sacraments, with their ſcoffings, mingle them ſelves inceſtuouſly after the manner of the Adamites, commit murthers, practiſe witch-craft, heape up moſt vaſte ſummes of money, &c. This man they did leade through Townes and Cities as a ſpectacle, they brought him into their Temples, where he ſhould abjure his errours, and moſt hainous crimes, and beſeeched the people to pray for him moſt wretched ſinner, and to take heed by his example, of the moſt wicked Piccardins. They tooke alſo his confeſſion in writing, and publiſhed it, being confirmed with the ſeales and ſubſcriptions of ſome Deanes and Prieſts, that where Lezka himſelfe could not come in perſon, his confeſſion might be read in the Churches to the people.

3. But this indeavour of the Devill did come to nothing, for the Brothers by publick writings did confute their Lyes, and Lezka trembling ſo often to

forſware